Starring on a reality show is a risky decision. The good doesn’t always weigh out the bad, and you can end up making a huge fool of yourself on national television. But then there’s always the positive side… There are a few reality stars — very few and far between — who’ve managed to extend their 15 minutes of fame and stay rich, successful and relevant long after their shows have gone off the air.
Lucky bitches … let’s check ‘em out.
1. Ali Fedotowsky
She went on reality TV for love but ended up with MUCH more. After famously leaving Jake Pavelka’s season of The Bachelor to avoid losing her job at Facebook, she was offered big bucks to come back as The Bachelorette. Fast forward to now, and she’s the friggen co-host of E! News. Life isn’t fair.
2. Lauren Conrad
She’s the California girl who starred on Laguna Beach and five seasons of The Hills, but now she’s running her own empire. With best selling books, products and fashion lines, Lauren Conrad is more successful than ever.
3. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi
We used to laugh at how much of a hot mess Snooki was on Jersey Shore — but she’s been laughing all the way to the bank. The pint-sized reality star got her own spin-off with Jersey Shore co-star Jenni “JWOWW” Farley which ran for four seasons on MTV. She also sells “Snooki” products (slippers, sunglasses, etc) on TheSnookiShop.com.
4. Kristin Cavallari
She once laughed at Lauren Conrad’s desire to be a fashion designer, but now she’s one herself. The “bitch” from Laguna Beach and The Hills designs jewelry and has her own line of shoes with Chinese Laundry. As for her love life, she’s married to hunk on a stick football player, Jay Cutler and has two beautiful babies with him. Some girls get all the luck.
5. Paris Hilton
Sex tape aside, the blonde socialite was really introduced to the world with her reality show, The Simple Life. The show ran for 5 seasons and made Paris Hilton a household name. Now, she currently has 17 fragrances (and growing) — ranking in $2 billion in sales, along with beauty products, clothes, and even Paris Hilton stores. #Winning.
