Celebrity Business Busts

Celebrity Business Busts
by Katie Adams
Tuesday, August 18, 2009

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If you're one of the thousands of small business owners and entrepreneurs who have had to close shop since the recession began you're in good company. And, although they probably have better hair than you do, more than a few celebrities have experienced personal business failures, too. Only they tend to have more to lose - and they have to eat way more crow.


The Real World

Lauren Conrad hoped to parlay her MTV "The Hills" fame into high fashion success, launching the Lauren Conrad Collection in March 2008. The new venture barely got off the ground; it was shut down this spring. At least she can take comfort in knowing that her famed "frenemy", Heidi Montag, suffered the same fate. Her barely-there clothing line - Heidiwood - also tanked just seven months after its launch.


Investors Put the Squeeze on Somersized Venture

Suzanne Somers, best known as the blond, beautiful and often bubble-headed "Chrissy" on the 1970s TV show Three's Company, made a bundle with her uber-successful Thigh Master, but didn't find as much support for "Suzanne's Kitchen" -- a make-it-yourself meal preparation franchise that provided ingredients and recipes from Somers' cookbooks. The business was open for less than three months before changes in the business plan and a disagreement with investors led to a quick closing.


Bo Derek Scores a Perfect Zero on Business Venture

Bo Derek may have been a "10" on-screen but she scored a big zero with former business investor Fort Worth Magnolia Media Group over her decision to abruptly drop a pet-care product business launch in 1998.


Car Dealership Runs Out the Clock

Former New Orleans Saint all-time rusher and two-time Pro Bowl star Deuce McAllister fumbled in business and was unable to bring his on-field success to his Nissan car dealership. The First Tennessee Bank foreclosed on the property in July, after McAllister defaulted on a loan and exceeded his credit line by $7 million. The dealership filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and was subsequently sued by Nissan for breaking an agreement in which Nissan Finance would receive a certain amount of money for financing the dealership's cars.

A Chicken Only Kramer Could Love

Country musician Kenny Rogers has won numerous platinum records for crooning about losing love but it was chicken - roasted chicken - that caused him to lose a bundle in the late '90s. Even an entire Seinfeld episode devoted to Rogers' fast food chicken restaurant, Kenny Rogers Roasters, couldn't save the business from failing in 1998. It probably didn't help that Rogers failed to recognize his own chicken in a blind taste test between Kenny Rogers Roasters and NBC cafeteria chicken on The Late Show with Conan O'Brian in 1997.


Stick a Fork in It - It's Over

Britney Spears has dealt with a lot of criticism in her career but perhaps the most stinging was for her NYLA restaurant. The restaurant opened in New York's Dylan Hotel in 2002, and was supposed to mix Spears' down-home Southern roots with high-class New York fare. Unfortunately, NYLA floundered from the start, suffering management changes and health food violations. And the food? Picky New York reviewers were not impressed; they booed the food and the restaurant's concept. Spears walked away from NYLA in 2002.


"Posh" Jeans Fail to Appeal

Victoria Beckham is tentatively replacing Paula Abdul on "American Idol" but her line of jeans - dVb jeans - failed to impress consumers. The pricey vintage-style pants (think $300 for a pair of jeans) sat on shelves and were dropped by U.S. stores, which claimed that Beckham refused to make appearances to promote the line.


"Jenny from the Block" Backs Out

Jennifer Lopez ("JLo") is a mega recording star and big-ticket actress but she's faltered in a few other business ventures. Her California restaurant, Madres, shut its doors in July 2008 after a six-year run. Her street wear line of clothing - Sweetface - also halted production in 2009. This is the second clothing line that has sputtered for the pop star - her first line (JLO) closed in the U.S. more than two years ago.


Nicky Uh Oh...

You would think that someone with the last name Hilton - Nicky Hilton - would have the hotel business down to a science. You'd be wrong. Nick's "Nicky O" hotels, which boasted elevators entertainment news tickers in the elevators, a signature scent and rooms designed by friends - including $5,000-a-night penthouse by clothing designer Roberto Cavalli, went bankrupt in 2007; all Hilton was left with was angry investors. The courts got the properties, which were put up for auction.

It's a Bust for Da Bear's Quarterback

Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon was part of the '80s Bears Super Bowl-winning team, but his themed restaurant, "McMahon's Steakhouse", failed to impress diners. At least he can take comfort in knowing that more than a few other Windy City celebs have "failed restaurateur" on their resumes, including Michael Jordan, Mike Ditka, Dennis Rodman, and the late Walter Payton.


Ramsay's Personal Kitchen Nightmare

Chef and TV star of "Hell's Kitchen" Gordon Ramsay is suffering through this recession like everyone else, although he's likely more vocal about it than most! His multistar restaurants across the U.S. and Europe aren't drawing the crowds they used to, forcing Ramsay to slash his staff and hand a few of his properties back to the hotels where they're housed. If that doesn't work, he's considering selling his palatial home in London to avoid having to file for bankruptcy.


No, YOU'RE Fired

While Donald Trump most recently gained fame by yelling "you're fired!" to his potential apprentices, Trump has had to walk away from a few jobs and business ventures himself. Most recently, he had to cancel publication of "Trump" magazine after two-year run and now he's fending off a lawsuit for allegedly letting his Marina Hotel Casino physically deteriorate after tentatively agreeing to sell it to investors as part of a restructuring agreement included in his Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing.


That's a Wrap!

Take a cue from these celebs and don't let one failure keep you down. Regroup and look for another opportunity to build a business of your own...you may just strike it big enough to become a celebrity in your own right!

How the Experts Care for Their Skin

By RealSimple.com

Top dermatologists and skin pros offer the tips, tricks, and products they love to get a healthy, glowing complexion.

Dermatologist Leslie Baumann, Miami Beach, Florida
Rely on retinoids: "Prescription retinoids or store-bought retinol creams are great anti-agers," she says. "Use a small amount [a pea-size dab every other night]. Then treat any dryness with a calming cream so you stick with it." She uses soothing (1) Atopalm MLE Intensive Moisturizing Cream.

Dermatologist Jeanine Downie, Montclair, New Jersey
Make sunscreen a done deal: "From January to December, rain or shine, and regardless of ethnicity, use sunblock every day," Downie says. Her pick: (2) Colorescience Suncanny foundation brush SPF 20, a portable protective powder that makes reapplication easy.

Dermatologist Doris Day, New York City
Use a two-pronged approach: "Make time to relax. Lowering stress helps your skin. Then get a good skin-care routine and practice it daily," says Day. She likes the Olay Professional Pro-X line, including the (3) Wrinkle Smoothing Cream, which uses peptides, and the Deep Wrinkle Treatment, which has retinol.

Makeup artist Carmindy, New York City
Treat eyes gently: "My grandmother taught me to use my ring finger to apply cosmetics around the eyes. It's a weak digit, so it won't pull or tug excessively," she says. Carmindy employs this technique with her favorite eye cream, (4) Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Eye Cream. Carmindy also says, "Every other day in the shower, I lather up with a liquid cleanser, then take a handful of white sugar and scrub in circular motions on my face and body. It makes my skin super-smooth."

Manicurist Jin Soon Choi, New York City
Keep skin supple: "Growing up in Korea, I learned to soak my hands and feet in warm water for 10 minutes and then use a dry cloth to scrub them. Afterward I apply (5)Tiger Balm and wear cotton gloves and socks to sleep. In the morning, I wake up with super-soft skin," says Choi.

Dermatologist Tina Alster, Washington, D.C.
"As a teenager, my grandmother taught me to make my skin-care routine work for me. I have more time in the morning, so I've learned to frontload my regimen and apply all my active ingredients after my shower and before makeup application. At night I use makeup remover and moisturizer. This system works for me and I don't spend too much time on my skin!" Product favorite: Lancôme Nutrix Soothing Treatment Cream.

Dermatologist Lisa Airan, New York City
"I love to use things that promote collagen and elastin production and that reverse sun damage. Right now I like the GentleWaves LED procedure, which is a device with a series of lights. You sit in front of it and it makes your skin look better, fresher, and a little more even-toned. It gives you that elusive glow that everyone talks about." Product favorite: SkinMedica TNS Recovery Complex.

Manicurist Cheryl Scruggs, Beverly Hills
"I was always told to treat my feet like my face. That means cleansing at least once a day, using a brush for toenails, exfoliating once a week, and moisturizing every night before bed. I've done this my whole life and it keeps your feet looking pretty." Product favorite: CND Cucumber Heel Therapy, $ 20, cnd.com for stores.

Eat Right Without Thinking

By Tamar Haspel, Women's Health
From the instructions for some diets, you'd think losing weight was more complicated than calibrating a sextant against Orion on a cloudy night. The food diaries you need to write; the nutrition labels you need to read and pronounce and translate; the protein, fat, and carbohydrate grams you have to add up. It's time to try an easier way. No math, no more squinting at the fine print and trying to decipher those words with no vowels. Instead, just 20 everyday tactics that will get you started on your weight-loss plan and then help you stick to it. Soon enough, your diet will simply become the way you eat.

1. Always eat dessert. Yes, always. "A small amount can signal that the meal is over," says Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. She ends her meals with a piece of quality chocolate and she's a doctor.

2. Get help from a paper napkin. You can use it to blot a teaspoon of fat off a pizza slice. That may not sound like a lot, but multiply it by a slice a week, and that's more than a whole cup of fat you won't eat or wear this year.

3. Take the beltway. When junk food beckons, tighten your belt a notch. Not so you can't breathe, but so you have a gentle reminder of the size you'd like to be. "The scale isn't the only measure of weight," says Roberta Anding, R.D., a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

4. Go public. Enlist the help of friends, family, and coworkers and know they're watching. "The power of embarrassment is greater than willpower," says Stephen Gullo, Ph.D., author of The Thin Commandments.

5. Milk it for all it's worth. Consuming 1,800 milligrams of calcium a day could block the absorption of about 80 calories, according to a recent University of Tennessee study. Jump-start your calcium intake by filling your coffee mug with skim or 1 percent milk, drinking it down to the level you want in your coffee, then pouring in your caffeine fix. That's 300 mg down, 1,500 to go.

6. Scrape by. Always order your bagel or burger with a plastic knife. Use it to scrape off the excess cream cheese and mayo. You could shave off as many as half the calories.

7. Spice things up. Capsaicin, the substance that puts the hot in hot pepper, temporarily boosts your metabolism. Just make sure you're drinking a yogurt lassi with that searing-hot chicken vindaloo. Dairy blocks capsaicin's sweat-inducing signals better than water.

8. Case the organic section. That's where you're likely to find bread and cereal with fiber counts that put the conventional choices to shame. Thought you were doing well with your 3-grams-per-serving Cheerios? Nature's Path Slim blows it away with 10 g. (And it really doesn't taste like a shredded shoebox.)

9. Increase your a-peel. Speaking of fiber, a lot of it's in the peel, whether it's potatoes, apples, or pears. Even oranges don't eat the whole peel, but keep the pith, that white stringy stuff; it's packed with flavonoids. More nutrients, more fiber, less labor. It's a win-win-win.

10. Spend lavishly on precut vegetables at the supermarket. Sure, they cost more, but you're more likely to eat them. "Make low-energy snacks as easy as possible," Dr. Rolls says. "Keep vegetables as near to hand as you can. Make it so you have no excuse."

11. Upgrade your restaurant selection. Pick a place where you'll actually want to linger. "When the meals are not hurried, the presentation is beautiful and the portions are reasonable so you can regulate your attitude," Anding says. That means your body not the empty plate will tell you when to stop.

12. Eat a snack at 3 p.m., no matter what. "Have a 150-calorie snack [now], and it can save you 400 calories later," Anding says. An ounce of nuts or two sticks of string cheese weigh in at about 170 calories.

13. Drink with your dominant hand. If you're circulating at a party, Dr. Rolls suggests keeping your glass in the hand you eat with. If you're drinking with it, you can't eat with it, can you?

14. Plate it. Whatever it is, don't eat it out of the container and don't bring the container to the couch. "Part of satiety is visual," Anding says. "Your brain actually has to see the food on the plate, and when you reach into the jar, or the box, or the bag, you don't see it." If it's worth eating, put it on a plate. Eat what's there, then stop.

15. Send back the bread. All it takes is a wave of the hand, a smile, and a "No, thank you."

16. Start with salad. It's the holy grail of dieting eat less by eating more. Dr. Rolls's research has found that eating a salad as a first course decreased total lunch calories by 12 percent. Avoid the croutons and creamy dressings, which have the opposite effect.

17. Go out for ice cream. Or an eclair. Or even guacamole and chips. Just go out. Don't keep your danger foods in the house. You can't eat half of a carton of ice cream that's not there in the first place.

18. Give yourself a hand. Find a way other than food to work off your nervous energy. "It's behavior modification," Anding says. "Instead of grabbing a bag of chips, you pick up your knitting. Art works, woodworking works anything that occupies your hands."

19. Wait a minute. Well, 10 minutes. When your mind strays from your desk to the vending machine, it could be hunger or it could be boredom or irritation with your boss. If you're still thinking about snacking 10 minutes later, then you're probably hungry. Think of it as a chance to have one of the nine servings of fruits and vegetables you need each day.

20. Go wild once in a while. Deprivation won't make you thin or happy. Designate a meal or two a week when you can eat absolutely anything you want.

Related Link

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Last Updated: 12/01/2006 09:18:26