Say what you want about Paula Abdul—and critics have said it all—but she’s got spunk! Who knew that the Laker Girl turned choreographer turned pop star turned Idol judge could reinvent herself so many times? Now she’s 50, and we’re just waiting patiently to find out what’s next!

Sometimes Cupid has a sick sense of humor. Or maybe he’s just bored. Judging from the random celebrity hookups and romances, it is hard to tell the difference. One thing is for certain: Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to these romances.

We all know the familiar story of the has-been—too many canceled shows, a sex scandal gone awry, a drug addiction they couldn’t kick, or the rut of being typecast. See how this humble bunch triumphed over career adversity and got a second chance at stardom.

Check out these music stars when they were nerdy in high school. Take note, you aspiring music superstars: Just because you’re a nerd doesn’t mean you won’t make it big.

The long-standing British hit The X Factor finally made its way to American shores in the fall of 2011, onto Fox, and since then hasn’t looked back! A talented group of judges has helped narrow the contestant pool down to the final competitors over the years. Now, find out what these award-winning judges were doing before they were plucking stars from obscurity, and check out the pre-fame photos of The X Factor hosts who now command the stage each week.

Before they had their Beverly Hills mansions and summer homes in The Hamptons, many of the most successful names struggled just to pay the rent. See which stars split the bills as Snakkle takes a look at some of Hollywood’s most famous roommates.