We bet you know where Kelly Clarkson is these days: She’s everywhere — on The Voice, in UglyDolls, at the Indianapolis 500, and on her way to becoming a daytime-talk host via The Kelly Clarkson Show, set to premiere this fall. But will we always know where Clarkson is? Just ask Matt Lauer if anything — or any gig — lasts forever.
At the dawn of the 21st century, Lauer was the co-anchor of NBC’s Today. He interviewed presidents and was paid millions. Then in 2017, a co-worker accused Lauer of sexual misconduct, and he was fired. Just like that, he went from being a daytime star to being a former daytime star.
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Though the circumstances behind Lauer’s disappearance from the daytime-TV scene are unique to him, Lauer is hardly the only daytime-TV star of the 2000s and 2010s to fall, fade or move on. Two of Lauer’s former Today co-anchors, Katie Couric and Ann Curry, both belong to that group. So does a swath of former View regulars, including Rosie O’Donnell, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Lisa Ling, Sherri Shepherd — and even the show’s guiding force, Barbara Walters. Some, like Ling, left their daytime gigs to pursue passion projects. Others, like O’Donnell, left to spend more time with their families (and also because there was too much shouting).
Daytime soap stars of the last two decades, meanwhile, often haven’t had choices as to whether to leave their shows: Their shows left them. Since 2003, the bulk of broadcast-network TV’s remaining daytime dramas, including All My Children, have been canceled. The actors on these shows, including the genre’s signature actress, Susan Lucci, also suddenly became former daytime TV stars. A lucky few, including Shemar Moore, who exited The Young and the Restless for primetime (Criminal Minds, S.W.A.T.), left on their own terms — and still have a show to return to when the occasion strikes. (See: Moore’s four-episode, 2019 Y&R stint, a tribute to his late co-star, Kristoff St. John, who died in February.)
Here’s a look at 25 former daytime TV stars of the ’00s and the ’10s — the shows they used to call home, and the lives they’ve gone on to live. Despite Kelly Clarkson everywhere-ness, you will not find her here. (Yet?)
Victoria Rowell: Then
On The Young and the Restless, the actress starred as Drucillaย oppositeย Kristoffย St. John’s Neil from 1990-2000, and again from 2002-2007.ย ย
Victoria Rowell: Now
Rowell returned to the The Young and the Restless set in 2019 to pay tribute to St. John following the actor’s death.
Ann Curry: Then
Curry was a fixture on Today — until she became Matt Lauer’sย equal in 2011. Lauerย reportedly undermined Curry, and she departed the show only one year after being named co-anchor.ย
Ann Curry: Now
Curry has gone from Today turmoil to the solo spotlight.ย Here, she promotes her new TBS and TNTย documentary series, Chasing the Cure.ย
Matt Lauer: Then
From 1997-2017 on Today, Lauerย held court with the likes of music great David Bowie.
Matt Lauer: Now
Lauer, seen here on a beach in 2018,ย has not returned to TV since being fired by NBCย News.ย
Ricki Lake: Then
The star of the original Hairspray movie hosted a 1992-2004 daytime talk showย aimed at younger viewers.
Ricki Lake: Now
Lake, who hosted a second daytime talk show from 2012-2014, was unmasked as the Raven on Season 1 of The Masked Singer.ย
Mark Consuelos: Then
From 1995-2001, Consuelosย starred as underdog Matt Santos — and met future wife Kelly Ripaย —ย on All My Children.ย
Mark Consuelos: Now
Consuelosย plays top dog Hiram Lodge on Riverdale.ย
Leah Remini: Then
From 2010-2011, the former King of Queens (and future Kevin Can Wait)ย star bantered as one of the original co-hosts on The Talk.ย
Leah Remini: Now
A Church ofย Scientologyย member turned critic,ย Reminiย hosts the A&E documentary series,ย Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.ย
Tamar Braxton: Then
The Braxtonย Family Values reality star became a daytime-talk star in 2013 as one of the original co-hostsย of The Real.ย
Tamar Braxton: Now
After exiting The Real in 2016, Braxtonย hasย kept right on keeping it real on Braxtonย Family Values.ย ย
Rosie O’Donnell: Then
O’Donnell, who first found daytime fame on her 1996-2002 talk show, returned to the a.m. shift in 2006 for TV legend Barbara Walters and The View. Her stint was short. And so was her second one, in 2014-2015.
Rosie O’Donnell: Now
Daytime TV’sย in O’Donnell’sย rear-view mirror.ย Seen here with Andy Cohen in 2019, the once-again actress isย set toย appear in the HBOย miniseries, I Know This Much Is True.ย
Tony Okungbowa: Then
The Ellen DeGeneresย Show‘sย longest-serving DJ cranked out the tunes from 2003-2006, and again from 2008-2013.
Tony Okungbowa: Now
Okungbowaย still deejays. He also acts. His credits include Ray Donovan and NCIS: Losย Angeles.ย
Shemar Moore: Then
During a career-making,ย 1994-2005 run on The Young and the Restless, Moore played Malcolm Winters, Neil Winters’ half-brother.ย ย
Shemar Moore: Now
As a primetimeย actor, Moore is still enjoying popular runs: first, on Criminal Minds, and, of late, onย S.W.A.T.
Eva LaRue: Then
Onย All My Children, LaRue’sย character, Dr. Maria Santos, wed crusading journalistย Edmund Grey (played byย LaRue’sย then-husband John Callahan).ย
Eva LaRue: Now
On Fuller House, the CSI: Miami alumย plays the wife of Danny Tanner (Bob Saget). The characters are later said to be divorced; LaRue’sย now bound for The Young and the Restless.ย ย
Elisabeth Hasselbeck: Then
On The View, the Survivorย star didn’t click with Rosie O’Donnell, but she could laughย it up with Meredith Vieira.ย
Elisabeth Hasselbeck: Now
Hasselbeckย left The View for Fox & Friends in 2013. In 2015, she stepped away from morning TV, but not entirely from the spotlight: Here, she presents with Christian-music star Mike Doneheyย at the 2018 K-LOVE Fan Awards.ย
Katie Couric: Then
The Today co-anchorย greets the Backstreet Boys in 2001.ย
Katie Couric: Now
Couric, who departed Today in 2006, and hopscotchedย from CBSย to ABCย to Yahoo!, among other gigs, will next host a weekly show forย People magazine’s digital outlets.ย
Erika Slezak: Then
For more than 40 years, Erika Slezakย starred as heroineย Vikiย Lord on One Life to Live.ย
Erika Slezak: Now
Since the demise of One Life to Live in 2013, Slezakย has popped upย onย Blue Bloods (pictured) and The Intern.ย
Lisa Ling: Then
Ling is seen in 2001, a year before her departure as co-host onย The View.ย
Lisa Ling: Now
Ling, who left The View to return to reporting,ย has hosted documentary series for the National Geographic Channel, Oprah Winfrey’s OWN and CNN.ย
Susan Lucci: Then
Daytime drama’s signature star, Lucciย starred as diva Erica Kane for the duration ofย All My Children‘s 1970-2011 ABCย run.ย
Susan Lucci: Now
Even after a heart scare, Lucciย still looks red-carpet-readyย at the 2019 premiere of FX’sย Fosse/Verdon.ย
Montel Williams: Then
Williams hosted his self-titled talk show from 1991-2008.
Montel Williams: Now
Williams, who’s been coping with multiple sclerosis since the late 1990s, has logged several appearances as a guest on The Dr. Oz Show.ย
Aisha Tyler: Then
The actress-comic (pictured, far right) co-hosted The Talk from 2011-2017.ย ย
Aisha Tyler: Now
Tyler enjoys a laugh at a New York Comic Con panel for Archerย in 2018. Tyler’s done voice-over work for Archer since the animated cult favorite’sย 2009 debut.ย
Regis Philbin: Then
Philbin, the original host of Live!, welcomed Kelly Ripaย to the chat show in 2001.ย
Regis Philbin: Now
In 2019, Philbinย returned to daytime to pay tribute to another of his Live! co-hosts, Kathie Lee Gifford, upon Gifford’s departure from Today.
Star Jones: Then
As one of the original co-hosts of The View, the attorney (pictured, second from left) went through a lot of drama with Meredith Vieira, Barbara Walters and Joy Behar.ย
Star Jones: Now
Jones, who exited The View in 2006,ย executive produced the 2017 VH1 drama series, Daytime Divas, based on her novel, Satan’s Sisters.ย
Sherri Shepherd: Then
The actress-comic is seen with The View‘s Joy Beharย during Shepherd’s first year on the talk show.ย
Sherri Shepherd: Now
Since leaving The View in 2014, the 30 Rock alum has piled up the sitcom work. She’ll next be seen in the Netflixย comedy series, Mr. Iglesias.ย
Cameron Mathison: Then
In 2004, the All My Childrenย hunk announced the Daytime Emmyย nominations with actress Heather Tom.
Cameron Mathison: Now
Mathison, who remained with All My Children until the end of its ABCย run, is seen cooking up daytime chat with actress Catherine Bach on Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family.ย
Marissa Jaret Winokur: Then
The Tony-winning Broadway star (Hairspray) was part of the original team on The Talk.ย
Marissa Jaret Winokur: Now
Winokur, who departed The Talk in 2011, reunited with her talk-show colleague, Julie Chen, when she competed on — and won — the 2018 season of Celebrity Big Brother.ย
Holly Robinson Peete: Then
Like Sharon Osbourneย and Julieย Chen,ย Peeteย was an original co-host on The Talk.ย
Holly Robinson Peete: Now
While her time on The Talkย ended after just one season, Peeteย is in the driver’s seat on the Hallmark Channel reality series, Meet the Peetes.ย
Barbara Walters: Then
The TV trailblazer, who concoctedย The View with producer Bill Geddie, is seen with the 2006 version of her talk crew.ย
Barbara Walters: Now
Walters has returned to The View a handful of times since retiring in 2014; her last appearance to date came in 2016, the same year she’s seen here in New York City.ย ย
