Latest Features

"Celebrity Apprentice" Applicants' Job Qualifications

The cast for the upcoming season of "Celebrity Apprentice" was announced last week. And while we look forward to seeing Bret Michaels go head-to-head with Rod Blagojevich (if he stays out of jail long enough to compete), we couldn't help but wonder exactly what it is that qualifies these stars to work for Donald Trump. What skill set is The Donald looking for in participants in the high stakes, back-stabbing pressure cooker that is his world? If the applicants filed resumes with the Trump Organization, the career objective on all of them would be the same.

OBJECTIVE: Obtain a position on "Celebrity Apprentice" alongside 11 other washed-up C-listers in order to jump-start my flailing career, bicker as much as possible, and prove I'm not famous from sheer luck... oh, and win some money for the charity that is near and dear to my heart.

And while the potential contestants all have the same goal, the "Related Skills" section of their resumes would vary greatly. We took a peak at what each one brings to Mr. Trump's conference table.

Major Stars. Major Tax Problems.

Wesley Snipes is not alone. News broke recently that Nicolas Cage is suing his business manager, Samuel J. Levin, for incompetence that caused him huge tax liabilities and "catastrophic financial losses." Contributing to Cage's financial woes, the IRS has filed more than $6.3 million in liens against Cage for back taxes owed from 2002, 2004, and 2007. He is reportedly selling some properties to pay off the debt and going after Levin in retaliation.

But the "National Treasure" star isn't the first celebrity to owe big money to Uncle Sam. A few have even spent time behind bars for failing to pay taxes. Hopefully, Nic will avoid that fate and start building up his nest egg with the earnings from the four films he'll be starring in next year. In the meantime, maybe he can get a few tips from these celebrity tax evaders.

Please, Give These Stars a New Show!

We're not ashamed to admit that we haven't been able to fill the hole in our hearts that was ripped open when "The Gilmore Girls" was canceled in 2007. We miss the snappy banter between Lorelai and Rory, the wacky locals of Stars Hollow, and all the spot-on pop culture references. But most of all, we miss Lauren Graham and her soul-tugging performance as the mom who loved her daughter/best friend more than anything in the world. No show since has been able to fill the void.

Every season we hang our hopes on a new series, hoping that it might help ease the pain. This year, we thought that the upcoming TV version of Ron Howard's film "Parenthood" might do the trick. But then the show was put on hold when actress Maura Tierney had to drop out for health reasons. We were apprehensive when we learned that icy-cold Helen Hunt might be replacing her. And then we were beside ourselves with delight when news broke that Lorelai... we mean Lauren would be taking on the role.

Then came news that Matthew Perry is developing a new series, too. Our "Friends"/"Studio 60" void could now be filled. So it made us dream about other TV favorites returning to the small screen. We're strong believers in putting our hopes out to the universe, so we thought we'd give the networks a few suggestions about other former prime-time stars who we'd be thrilled to see again. Photo gallery: See the TV stars who need a new show. http://www.getback.com/gallery/actors-who-need-a-new-show/3008314

Stars Who Lose and Gain Weight for Movie Roles

Jim Carrey has made a few recent appearances sporting a beard, glasses, and a whole bunch of extra weight. He says he's planning on gaining 50 pounds to play Curly in the upcoming Farrelly brothers' movie, "The Three Stooges." While we're not sure what the beard and glasses are all about, we were happy to see Jim getting a little heft to portray the plump Stooge. Although we're still not convinced that Jim's the man for the job, we do think the extra volume will help make the casting choice a little more acceptable. The true test will be if the actor shaves his head to play the hairless comedian, or whether he'll opt for the bald cap.

Since Robert De Niro added bulk to play washed-up boxer Jake La Motta in "Raging Bull," actors have been getting press for their dedication to their craft as they've gained and lost significant amounts of weight for roles. Some even have been given Academy Awards for their efforts. Now we're not suggesting the physical transformation garnered the award, just that an actor who is that committed to becoming a character generally produces a top-rate performance.

We'll see what the belly does for Jim Carrey. In the meantime, here's a list of actors who've transformed their bodies through the years.

Celebrity Plastic Surgery

In this month's Harper's Bazaar, "30 Rock" star Tina Fey proclaimed that Botox is not for her and that working out is selfish. Tina's our kind of girl. And her blatant dis of Hollywood's vanity-driven lifestyle choices got us asking that age-old question: Why can't people just be happy with what God gave them? Why is a nose with a bump in it so much worse than a button nose? When did everyone decide that lips had to be big and puffy to be sexy? It's hard not to blame Angelina Jolie, isn't it?

These days so many older stars hardly look their age, it seems obvious that they've spent a lot of money on improvements, even if they deny going under the knife. Other celebrities, however, have owned up to at least some of the work done on their faces over the years, especially when they've been unhappy with the results.

So from least to most tasteful, we give you the best and worst of celebrity plastic surgery (and yes, collagen and Botox DO count).