Octagon First Call

Celebrities are an effective motivation tool when it comes to weight loss products and programs.  With delivery meal plans and personal trainers at their fingertips, celebrities remind the public that even they struggle to maintain a healthy weight and need a nudge or two of encouragement. 

Joining the ranks of Valerie Bertinelli, Kirstie Alley and Queen Latifah, former The Cosby Show matriarch Phylicia Rashad has become the latest Jennie Craig spokesperson.  The actress, most recently seen on stage and in the film version of Raisin in the Sun, will begin appearing on behalf of the company in January.

 Following her success of Dancing with the Stars, fellow middle aged actress Lisa Rinna is coming out with a Dance Body Beautiful fitness DVD.  Although the show did not slim down her already envious figure, Rinna credited being in “the best shape of her life” to her participation on the second season of the show.  As we’ve said multiple times, Dancing with the Stars has helped make every one of their celebrity competitors more marketable.

Whether it’s Oprah hitting the 200 mark (yet again) or catching the latest finale of The Biggest Loser (the next season is already premiering on January 6th), we love to see, hear and read about weight loss stories and the transformations behind them.  Especially those involving the very visible and appearance-conscious lives of celebrities.

Alison Sweeney, who has played the villainous Sam Brady on Days of Our Lives since 1993, signed on as the newest host of NBC’s The Biggest Loser last month. We waited to blog to see initial response if any. It actually didn’t get much pickup which shows her current popularity level. That said, Sweeney is a logical choice as host - she is articulate, bright and has even chronicled her own weight struggles in her 2004 autobiography All the Days of My Life (So Far). She will become one of the many actors who have launched their careers from daytime soaps. Other noteables include Kelly Ripa, Ryan Phillippe, Rick Springfield and Salma Hayek in her native Mexico. Hosting Biggest Loser, which debuts fall 2007, gives Sweeney a huge opportunity to expand her fan base (Although both shows score well among female viewers, the Biggest Loser 3 scores well among males 18-49 too). With recent rumors of the network canceling Days of Our Lives because of poor ratings, it’s really a smart move for her. Just put her name down in your Outlook calendar for March 22, 2008 (one year from today). We’re betting her career will have taken a big step forward by then.