Flashbulb-craving fading reality stars desperate for attention
For most, the idea of dressing up and being photographed on the red carpet can be a bit daunting. This is not the case for the delirious D-lister. PLAY: CAN YOU PICK A D-LISTER
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- C list: Celebrity big names now but not for long
For most, the idea of dressing up and being photographed on the red carpet can be a bit daunting.
This is not the case for the delirious D-lister who has been known to keep the taxi metre running and pack a spare outfit for those occasions when the unthinkable happens and two stellar events clash on the social calendar.
Master of the quick change, some D-listers are renowned for haunting photo walls and red carpets — and never actually attending the featured event.
They are committed to perfecting the illusion that they are everywhere and therefore in demand, something that may offset the reality that their celebrity status may be tenuous.
Fading reality stars haunt the D list along with sportsmen and social climbers hoping to be tapped for the latest series of Dancing With The Stars, television reporters whose stars are in decline or never quite lifted off and the professionally knackered.
A party invitation is like a gasp of oxygen to a flashbulb-craving D-lister.
It brings the promise of a photograph published in social columns or on morning television, something that in days past could revive a flagging career, and brings the promise of a chance encounter with someone who may be able to help them score an invitation to yet another party.
JEREMY SIMS
Wayne director who will never escape those seventies costumes from Swinging Safari.
MATTHEW NEWTON
US career revival hit a snag in 2018 when someone Googled him forcing him to step down from Jessica Chastain’s new movie, Eve.
WALEED ALY & SUSAN CARLAND
Successful husband and wife academic TV commentators. He won a Gold Logie in 2016. His wife this year was tapped by SBS to host the quiz show Child Genius.
JOHN JARRATT
Wolf Creek actor defending historic rape charges after being committed to stand trial.
SHANNON NOLL
Australian Idol runner up who escaped a cocaine possession conviction with Kyle Sandilands’ help.
RICKI LEE COULTER
Clean-living ex Idol competitor who couldn’t save the Commonwealth Games’ opening ceremony.
CASEY DONOVAN
Unlucky in love youngest ever winner of Australian Idol in 2004.
PAULINI CURUENAVULI
Runner-up on series one Australian Idol who pleaded guilty in 2017 to bribing an RMS clerk to get a driving licence.
ANTHONY “WIGGLE” FIELD
Oldest Wiggle who should get a wriggle on and retire.
MELISSA TKAUTZ
Nicest Real Housewife of Sydney.
DAN SINGLE
Ex ksubi designer and wild child humbled after a four storey fall from a Paris hotel balcony.
RACHAEL FINCH
Former Miss Universe entrant, Myer ambassador who sings to a captive anti vax audience.
LINDY KLIM
Balinese princess/style queen who found fame marrying and divorcing Olympian Michael Klim.
JORDAN & ZAC STENMARK
Trouble-free, clean-cut, reliable twin male models who’ve Tommy Hilfiger and Georgio Armani.
SAMANTHA HARRIS
Indigenous Girlfriend magazine model comp winner.
JAKE WALL
Jennifer Hawkins’ husband, a beefcake builder sometimes photographed by paps.
CHEYENNE TOZZI
‘Shire’ beauty, TV personality and new mum known for her celebrity friendships, among them with Ian Thorpe, Elle MacPherson and Paris Hilton.
MONTANA COX
Australia’s Next Top Model winner now linked to bar tsar Justin Hemmes.
TAHNEE ATKINSON
Australia’s Next Top Model winner and galpal of brat model Jordan Barrett.
JORDAN BARRETT
Ageing enfant terrible of the model work who has worked for Versace, Balmain and Moschino.
TEGAN MARTIN
Ex Miss Universe Australia turned I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here contestant.
NIKKI PHILLIPS
New Zealand born model Nikki Philips sustained by Instagram.
MICHAEL CLARKE
Ex Australian cricket captain who can’t win a gig as a commentator on Australian media.
NICK “THE HONEY BADGER” CUMMINS
Ex rugby union player and truly unattractive man who failed to comprehend his role as The Bachelor in 2018.
GRANT HACKETT
Olympic swimming star trying to repair his damaged life.
LAUREN EAGLE
Water skiing champ and Australian boxer caught drink-driving bust months after walking away from a “drug-driving” charge.
GLENN & SARAH MCGRATH
Retired Aussie cricketer whose first wife Jane died of breast cancer inspiring national sympathy. Sarah Leonardi is his publicity-loving second wife.
BERNARD TOMIC
Tennis brat who “just count(s) money”.
TODD CARNEY
Former league star who got lost in Kings Cross.
STEPHANIE RICE
Olympic swimmer turned Indian Pro Kabaddi League presenter on Star network.
SHANE WATSON & LEE FURLONG
Retired Australian cricketer and model and TV host wife.
RUBY ROSE
Aussie DJ turned breast-baring US TV star set to shine as a lesbian Catwoman.
ANDREW O’KEEFE
Party-loving game show host whose love for a party cost him his Seven Weekend Sunrise gig.
PETER STEFANOVIC
Nine TV reporter who was the idiot star of the Ubergate scandal of 2018.
AJAY ROCHESTER
Australia’s biggest fame hunter, best known as host of The Biggest Loser.
ZIPPORAH MALKAH
Formerly teen model/actor/TV host Kate Fischer. Dropped out, changed her name and got a bed sheet contract.
MICHELLE BRIDGES
Fitness nut who shot to fame on The Biggest Loser and milked it to death.
FIRASS DIRANI
Underbelly and House Husbands’ actor who should know better than to try and sneak mates in the Logies.
DAN EWING
Hot-headed Home And Away actor who recently had AVO charges against him dropped.
PETE EVANS
Paleo foodie and alternative therapies advocate who is anti sunscreen, fluoride and dairy.
MEL MCLAUGHLIN
TV sports presenter who will never escape Chris Gayle’s Don’t Blush Baby remark with Gayle winning $300,000 defamation case against Fairfax (set to appeal) last month.
SAM WOOD & SNEZANA MARKOSKI
The Bachelor’s Series 3 winning couple
TIM DORMER
Annoying one-time Big Brother winner.
STUART LAUNDY
Very unappealing man who incredibly managed to turn Sophie Monk’s head on The Bachelorette.
GEORGE CALOMBARIS
Hot-headed TV chef who underpaid restaurant staff and had an altercation with a rival fan at 2017 A League grand final.
SHARI LEE HITCHCOCK
Badly behaved ex mistress of Richard Pratt turned socialite who bites police.
LIZZIE BUTTROSE
Wannabe socialite who sold her house with sexy security “panic button” last year.
JULIE SINGLETON
Ex wife of businessman John Singleton who dates multi-millionaires but ran aground on retired cricketer Stuart MacGill.
JOHN MCGRATH
Real estate salesman who lost $17 million at the track (denied it) and his company board ahead of $63 million fin year loss.
NAPOLEON PERDIS
Cosmetics king who transforms women and men with makeup but chose lap band surgery for himself.
ANTHONY BELL AND KELLY LANDRY
The accountant and his wife made headlines following a bitter marriage bust-up. After retiring from the Sydney to Hobart yacht race in 2016, no longer seeks the spotlight while she sought Noosa.
BILL SHORTEN
Was socially dead but thanks to the Liberals now has a steady pulse.
BARNABY JOYCE
Adulterous disgraced former Nationals leader turned author. Father of five, he remembers now.
KEVIN RUDD
He put the kettle on for Malcolm in New York after the spill — and is still waiting for a visit.
LUKE FOLEY
On the hunt for a Christmas party to haunt this year.
MARK LATHAM
Topped his recruitment to One Nation with a $100,000 defamation payout (against him).
MICHAEL KROGER
Departed Victorian Liberal Party president. Former friend and instrument of the nation’s rich and most powerful.
KARL & JASMINE STEFANOVIC
Nine TV reporter who lucked a job as breakfast show star and lost himself, and his new wife, a former model turned shoe designer.
JOH BAILEY
Well-connected Double Bay hairdresser who once was a fixture at every society party.
JULES SEBASTIAN
Guy Sebastian’s wife. Stylist and blogger.
ZOE FOSTER BLAKE
Beauty writer/author/business woman and Hamish Blake’s wife.
CHARLES AND CHRISTA BILLICH
Sydney artist and his socialite wife. Popular Sydney swingers.
ROXY JACENKO
PR woman and social media influencer.
SAM FROST
2014 Bachelor winner turned TV and radio personality. Now acting in Home And Away.
ADAM WILLIAMS
Not quite sure. Dances ….
SAM DASTYAR
Failed politician turned media commentator.
MEL GREIG
Ex 2DAYFM presenter sacked in 2012 for her part in a radio prank to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge’s London hospital.
GEOFFREY EDELSTEN AND GABI GRECKO
Habitual self promoter and his ex-wife, named as an “escort” in US media, who are talking of renewing vows.
CHRIS SMITH
Flashed female colleagues at Nine in the 1990s, suspended from his 2GB radio gig in 2009 for sexually harassing women, has hopes of one day succeeding Alan Jones at 2GB.
Originally published as Flashbulb-craving fading reality stars desperate for attention
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