You might know these celebs by their famous monikers, but these name changers traded in their birth names for mass appeal. A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but would you know what to call it? They do!

As the 2012 election heats up and the political gaffes keep coming (on both sides), pundits are shifting into overdrive, commentating their ways through a long campaign season of glory and defeat. Take a look at a few of the country’s most prominent professional talkers to see what they were like before TV stardom, and after they became seasoned members of the media establishment.

They’re the last guys you see before you to go bed. They make you laugh, make you think, and make you stay up later than you should. But before the musical guests, mugs, and monologues, the men of late-night TV were just like everyone else. Now sit back and relax—we’ve got a great show for you!

Emmy nominations are out! See if you can guess who these fresh-faced nominees grew up to be!