Celebrity politicians create star power

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Celebrity politicians create star power

Many famous entertainers have become politicians, and some politicians have become involved in entertainment.

Before he tackled politics, Clay Aiken was a runner-up on "American Idol," losing to Ruben Studdard in 2003. He went on to have a successful recording career and starred in "Spamalot" on Broadway.

Aiken announced he was is seeking the Democratic nomination for North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District in 2014.

When entertainers enter the political realm, wild and wacky things can happen. Former 2 Live Crew frontman Luther Campbell is a Miami-Dade mayoral candidate. We won't repeat the naughty title of the raunchy group's most famous song (Google it), but we think the theme is something most male politicians have in commmon.

Election officials in Haiti disqualified the candidacy of singer Wyclef Jean, ending his bid to become the earthquake-ravaged country's next president.

"I'll be back (as a governor.)" Arnold Schwarzenegger was a professional bodybuilder before becoming an actor. His most famous role is as 'The Terminator,' a cyborg.

Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor of California in 2003. Nicknamed the "Governator," he is a moderate Republican that has supported eco-friendly policies and making health and nutrition a priority while trying to manage the state's serious fiscal problems. He also enjoys playing with snakes, an essential attribute for a politician.

Cooter for Congress? Ben Jones is best known as Cooter the mechanic from "The Dukes of Hazzard." He's seen here reclining atop the General Lee, an orange '69 Dodge Charger outside Cooter's, his roadside store in Sperryville, VA.

Ben Jones served in Congress from 1989 to 1993, representing the Fourth District of Georgia as a Democrat and serving two terms. After leaving from office, he has appeared as a political pundit on television and writes opinion pieces for major news outlets.

Before he launched a career in politics, Ronald Reagan had a successful Hollywood career, appearing in both films and on television shows. His memorable role as George "The Gipper" Gipp in the film "Knute Rockne, All American" earned him the nickname "the Gipper." This publicity shot shows Reagan playing a marshal in the 1953 movie, "Law and Order."

Ronald Reagan served as California governor from 1967 to 1975 and president of the U.S. from 1981-89, representing the Republican party. One of his nicknames was "The Great Communicator." He left a lasting legacy on both domestic and foreign policies.

From Stuart Smalley to Senator, Al Franken's rise to political office was a shock to many people. Franken was a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" and the host of "The O'Franken Factor" on the liberal Air America radio network, the latter which has since went off the air. He also is the author of "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot."

Fred Thompson's political and acting careers have been conducted simultaneously. Early in his career as a lawyer, he was a participant in the Watergate hearings. He was also a lobbyist before serving as a Republican senator of Tennessee from 1994-2003. In 2008, he campaigned unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination.

Fred Thompson has appeared as a character actor in a variety of films and television productions over the years. His most well-known role is District Attorney Arthur Branch on the popular television series "Law and Order." He's pictured here, second from left.

Known as "Dimples" and "Little Curly Top," Shirley Temple is one of the best known child actors in the history of film. She starred in her first film when she was just three years old and was the box-office champion for three straight years during the 1930s. She took an unusual path once her childhood acting career dried up, avoiding the common pitfalls of many child actors.

After her childhood acting career, Shirley Temple Black eventually became involved in politics, running unsuccessfully in 1967 as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives race in California. She then entered the world of diplomacy, serving as the Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana, the Chief of Protocol during Gerald Ford's administration, a representative to the United Nations and the Ambassador to Czechoslovakia.

Before duking it out in the dog-eat-dog world of politics, Jesse "The Body" Ventura was known to throw down opponents in the wrestling ring as part of a wrestler duo nicknamed the "East-West Connection." Ventura's wrestling career began in the mid-1970's and by the 1980's, Ventura was a household name, thanks to his dynamic presence as part of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He later became a color commentator for the WWF.

Former wrestler Jesse Ventura was governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. He ran representing the Reform Party, and later joined the Minnesota Independence Party. While he kept his campaign promise of a tax refund, he irritated some people by refusing to live in the governor's mansion during his tenure.

Jerry Springer was actually a politician before becoming a household name in the entertainment world. He served on Cincinnati's City Council and went on to become mayor of the city in 1977. He made an unsuccessful run for governor of Ohio in 1982. He is a lifelong Democrat.

"Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!" Jerry Springer is best known as a tabloid talk show host, manning the mike and trying to keep the peace while a parade of wacky guests battle it out on "The Jerry Springer Show." The outrageous topics and abundance of bleeped out profanity on the show has made it the target of critics who say it promotes violence and indecent behavior. But the show, which began in 1991, remains on the air.

Sonny Bono was initially a pop music recording artist, and went on to fame in that industry when paired with Cher. He penned their best-known hit, "I Got You Babe." In 1971, the couple debuted on television with their own variety show which was an instant hit and only came to an end due to their divorce. He had never had any interest in politics until he ran into red tape trying to open a restaurant.

Sonny Bono launched his political career by serving as the mayor of Palm Springs from 1988 to 1992. Bono was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as a member of the Republican party. He served until his untimely death in 1998 from a skiing accident. His wife finished out his term.

Clint Eastwood played a Secret Service agent in the film, "In the Line of Fire" but has also held political office. He was mayor of Carmel, California for one term, serving from 1986 to 1988. From most accounts, "Dirty Harry" was a clean mayor.

Fred Grandy (top left) played 'Gopher' on the hit television series "The Love Boat." A moderate Republican, he later served four terms in Congress, representing the state of Iowa. He left Congress for an unsuccessful Iowa governor bid.

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Before he tackled politics, Clay Aiken was a runner-up on "American Idol," losing to Ruben Studdard in 2003. He went on to have a successful recording career and starred in "Spamalot" on Broadway.

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