Fame or flame: a rundown of the present celebrity of past gay and lesbian reality TV stars

An American Family (1973) Lance Loud

Formed seminal punk band the Mumps with Kristian Hoffman; journalist and Advocate columnist in the 1990s; documentary A Death in an American Family aired a year after his 2001 death.

FAMER-O-METER

The Real World (1992) Norm Korpi

Designer and artist; in 2003 cocreated direct-to-video mockumentary The Wedding Video, featuring several fellow Real Worlders.

FAME-O-METER 6

The Real World (1994) Pedro Zamora

After his November 1994 death, President Clinton said Zamora "taught all of us that AIDS is a disease with a human face and one that affects every American, indeed, every citizen of the world."

FAME-O-METER 10

The Real World (1996) Dan Renzi

Frequent participant in MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge and Inferno contests; also tours in onstage productions.

FAME-O-METER 6

The Real World (2000) Danny Roberts

Working as a real estate agent in Seattle, where he lives with his partner, former military man Paul; also speaks to students about sexuality issues and coming out.

FAME-O-METER 5

Survivor (2000) Richard Hatch

Parlayed his million-dollar victory into a book deal, plastic surgery, and a Boston radio show. Recently in the news for alleged tax evasion.

FAME-O-METER 8

Survivor: Africa (2001) Brandon Quinton Hired a publicist, toyed with launching an acting career, posed for a calendar. Now famous mostly in his hometown, Dallas.

FAME-O-METER 2

The Mole (2001) Jim Morrison, Jennifer Biondi Morrison (pictured) ran for New Jersey state senate in 2003, unsuccessfully; Biondi resumed her normal life after the show.

MORRISON FAME-O-METER 3

The Amazing Race (2002) Andrew Hyde, Aaron Goldschmidt, Ken Duphiney All three maintain Web sites; Hyde is a gay activist in Ohio and, like Reichen, about to star in a low-budget horror movie.

GOLDSCHMIDT FAME-O-METER 3 DUPHINEY FAME-O-METER 3 HYDE FAME-O-METER 5

The Real World (2002) Chris Beckman, Aneesa Ferreira Beckman is busy as a visual artist; Aneesa has returned to MTV for two Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes competitions.

BECKMAN FAME-O-METER 3 FERREIRA FAME-O-METER 4

Big Brother (2002) Marcellas Reynolds Commentator and interviewer on subsequent seasons of Big Brother. In negotiations with BET for an urban makeover show.

FAME-O-METER 4

Boy Meets Boy (2003) James Getzlaff, Wes Culwell Aggressive about trying to remain in the spotlight in venues including theater and gay fund-raisers.

GETZLAFF FAME-O-METER 2 CULWELL FAME-O-METER 2

America's Next Top Model (2003) Ebony Haith While the gorgeous Haith has appeared at some black pride events to promote the Human Rights Campaign, it would appear that her modeling career hasn't exactly skyrocketed.

FAME-O-METER 2

Project Runway (2004) Austin Scarlett, Jay McCarroll After Austin's corn-silk dress and Jay's Chrysler Building-inspired gown, it seems a sure bet we've not heard the last of these queer fashionistas.

SCARLETT FAME-O-METER 5 MCCARROLL FAME-O-METER 5

Survivor: Vanuatu (2004) Ami Cusack, Scout Cloud Lee Neither of Survivor's pioneering lesbians has made any effort to remain in the spotlight. More power to them.

CUSACK FAME-O-METER 1 LEE FAME-O-METER 1

COPYRIGHT 2005 Liberation Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group