Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul was once a chearleader for the Los Angeles Lakers. As a nineteen year old, she was selected from more than 700 other applicants.
Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck's road to fame included a Burger King commercial, a scene as Basketball Player #10 in 1992's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and a 1984 PBS series "Voyage of the Mimi."
Christina Aguilera
In 1990, Christina Aguilera appeared on Star Search but did not win. Her break came in 1993 when she joined Disney's variety show The New Mickey Mouse Club (along with Britney Spears & Justin Timberlake).
As a child, Christina Aguilera sang The Star-Spangled Banner at Pittsburgh sporting events including the Penguins, Steelers and Pirates.Clay Aiken
Jessica Alba
At age thirteen, Jessica Alba starred in two 1994 commercials - one for Nintendo and one for J.C. Penney.Madeleine Albright
Tim Allen
In the late '70s, Tim Allen spent two years in prison for dealing cocaine before turning his life around. Then in 1985, Tim Allen played a mechanic in a commercial for which he was paid $200.
Pamela Anderson
Before Playboy, Tool Time, or Baywatch, Pamela Anderson was in Labatt's commercials.
Pamela Anderson's first job was as a fitness instructor in Vancouver.
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston was both a telemarketer and waitress before hitting it big.
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate's acting career actually began fifteen years before her fame in "Married with Children." She appeared with her mother Nancy Priddy in a 1972 TV commercial for Playtex when she was only a few months old.
Ashanti
Ashanti once said in an MTV interview that before she started singing, she worked at a daycare.
Drew Barrymore
Before her break-through role in E.T., Drew Barrymore appeared in commercials for dog food, Rice Krispies cereal, and Pilsbury chocolate chip cookies.
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock worked as a bartender, cocktail waitress, and coat checker before hitting it big.
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey started beauty school but dropped out.
Mariah Carey was fired from her job as a hat checker.
Jim Carrey
When Jim Carrey was 14, he was a rifleman with the army cadets. Jim Carrey also worked as a janitor in a factory.
Kelly Clarkson
Clarkson has held jobs as a pharmacy clerk, waitress, Six Flags performer, telemarketer, Kirby Vacuum saleperson, and Red Bull promoter.
Before becoming famous, Clarkson was as an extra on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and That 80's Show.
Coolio
Coolio was a firefighter for a short period.
Courteney Cox
Courteney Cox was a spokesperson for Tampax tampons before she was a superstar.
Chace Crawford
Chace Crawford (star of "Gossip Girl" on The CW) worked as a parking valet when he moved to Hollywood.
Tom Cruise
At an early age, Tom Cruise joined a seminary in order to become a priest. Cruise also spent a short time in Kentucky where he was a paperboy for the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Ellen DeGeneres
DeGeneres had several odd jobs including painter, oyster shucker, vacuum saleswoman and paralegal. She also worked for "half a day" at a glove factory.
Johnny Depp
Before his debute role as Glen Lantz in A Nightmare On Elm Street, Depp worked as an over-the-phone pen salesman.
Vin Diesel
Vin Diesel said in an interview that he worked as a bouncer for 9 years in New York. In his teens, he also performed in a breakdancing instructional video.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney drove an ambulance for the Red Cross during World War I.
Eve
Eve worked as a stripper before she was signed by Ruff Ryders in the late 1990s.
Will Ferrell
In high school, Will Ferrell was a record-setting place kicker for the varsity football team.
Tina Fey
Tina Fey (star of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock) said that when she was 14 she worked in a snack bar at a swim club.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga revealed in an interview that her first job was waitressing at a Greek restaurant.
Jennifer Hudson
Before her appearance on American Idol or her break-through role in Dreamgirls, Jennifer Hudson's first job was at a Burger King restaurant in Chicago. In fact, Burger King rewarded her with free food for life when she mentioned this job after her Oscar win in 2007.
Jesus
Jesus was once a carpenter. :-)
Lil' Kim
Rapper Lil' Kim once worked as a salesperson at Bloomingdale's department store in New York.
Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher once pursued a career in biochemical engineering at the University of Iowa. During summers, Kutcher worked in the cereal department for a General Mills plant.
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah worked for a short time at Burger King.
Madonna
Madonna worked at a Dunkin' Donuts restaurant at one time.
Brad Pitt
Pitt supported his early acting career by driving limos, moving refrigerators and "dressing as a giant chicken while working for el Pollo Loco"
Julia Roberts
Before becoming famous, Julia Roberts worked in an ice cream shop.
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld once worked as a telephone salesmen selling LIGHTBULBS!.
Gene Simmons
When he was 13, Gene Simmons delivered the Long Island Star Journal in Queens, New York.
Gene Simmons (of KISS) was an elementary school teacher in Harlem and knows five languages.
During his first year of college in South Fallsberg, New York, Gene Simmons worked as a lifeguard at the Pines Hotel swimming pool.
Jerry Springer
Jerry Springer was mayor of Cincinnati in the late 1970's.
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani's first job was scrubbing floors at Dairy Queen.
Howard Stern
Howard originally worked as an ice cream truck driver selling ice cream to kids.
Mr. T
Mr. T's previous occupations include gym teacher, military policeman, and bouncer.
Quentin Tarantino
Tarantino worked as a clerk in a video store called Video Archives in Manhattan Beach.
Kanye West
Kanye West at one time worked for the Gap. It was the inspiration for his song Spaceship.
Oprah Winfrey
Before persuing a career in radio and television, Oprah Winfrey competed in beauty pageants. She won the Nashville Miss Fire Prevention in high school and Miss Black Tennessee in 1971.
