Bye, Paula: Here Are Six Other Celebrity Quitters

by Aku Ammah-Tagoe

Remember Brian Dunkleman? Didn’t think so. In Fall 2002, Ryan Seacrest’s co-host on American Idol decided to quit, citing problems with how the show’s producers treated its young stars. Since then, the comedian hasn’t been up to much-after a stint on Celebrity Fit Club in 2007 and an attempt to star in a television show about his life post-Idol, he seems to be focusing on his stand-up career. I could be wrong, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll be catching up to Seacrest—or Seacrest’s $15 million-a-year salary—anytime soon.

As Paula Abdul leaves Idol, possibly to jump to another reality show, should she prepare to meet the same fate? Abdul is a remarkably resilient performer; over the past two decades she’s undergone multiple transformations, going from LA Lakers cheerleader to choreographer to singer (or at least, recording artist…) to delightfully batty television personality. Still, Hollywood has set a murky precedent. Plenty of other stars have left successful projects to pursue other interests, and while some have done well (see: George Clooney after ER), new careers don’t always work out. Here are six (and a half) major stars who have pulled an Abdul in the past, along with updates on what they’re doing now:

David Caruso: After making his name as cute detective Jon Kelly on the first season of NYPD Blue, Caruso quit abruptly to try his luck on the big screen. Film critics expected big things, but what followed instead was a decade of embarrassing roles in box-office flops (Kiss of Death, Jade) and made-for-TV movies. Caruso eventually resurrected his career, but he had to go back where he started: he’s now known for playing Lieutenant Horatio Caine on CSI: Miami (and in guest appearances across the wildly successful television franchise).

Katie Couric: For 15 years, Couric was co-anchor on NBC’s Today Show. During that time, she was often referred to as America’s sweetheart; outgoing and upbeat, she was also smart enough to sit down with world leaders and draw attention to serious issues like colon and breast cancer. In 2006, Couric left NBC to anchor and edit the CBS Evening News. It was a historic move—Couric is the first woman to anchor the nightly news on one of the major three broadcast networks. But as an anchor, she’s had mixed success. While her interview last fall with presidential candidate Sarah Palin will live in infamy, her Evening News broadcasts still come in third in the ratings, trailing NBC and ABC by millions of viewers.

Farrah Fawcett: The late Charlie’s Angels star burst onto the scene in 1976 after shooting a pinup poster that went on to sell over 12 million copies. She was recruited to play Jill Munroe in Angels, but left after the first season because of contract disagreements. She went on to play serious movie roles in the 1980s and ‘90s (including an Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated performance in 1984’s The Burning Bed) but after an incoherent interview with David Letterman in 1997 she never quite managed to resurrect her career. At the time of her death from cancer, she was still known primarily for her earliest achievements.

Kathie Lee Gifford: During her hugely successful 15-year stint as a morning show host on Live With Regis and Kathie Lee, Gifford was famous enough to go by her first name alone. In 2000, she decided to go without Regis, too. Kathie Lee’s career has been uneven but generally good-despite being skewered by Kristen Wiig on Saturday Night Live, Gifford has released solo albums, directed plays, written a book, and made a comeback hosting the fourth hour of the Today Show with Hoda Kotb.

T.R. Knight: Earlier this summer, the creators of Grey’s Anatomy announced that Knight, one of the show’s early stars, would not be returning for the sixth season. Fans were confused about Knight’s decision to walk away from the show that made him famous (not to mention a $10 million contract), but two weeks ago he told Entertainment Weekly that his character, George O’Malley, had all but been written out of the show. He also cited tensions with producers during “Isaiahgate,” when co-star Isaiah Washington referred to Knight as a “f----t” during an argument with Patrick Dempsey, prompting Knight to come out to the national media. He seems to be recovering quite nicely from the shock, though: he’ll be acting in L.A. this fall before heading across the country for his Broadway debut.

Suzanne Somers: Somers started a feud with ABC when she allegedly demanded a huge pay increase before the fifth season of Three’s Company. In retaliation, ABC reduced her role (as ditzy Chrissy Snow) before firing her completely at the end of the season. (The show went on for three more seasons without her.) Since then, Somers’s career has been erratic. After selling Thighmasters, starring on Step by Step and co-hosting Candid Camera, she began to write self-help and weight-loss books. She also starred in the critically panned one-woman Broadway show, The Blonde in the Thunderbird—that is, until it was shuttered after only a month. Somers has recently made headlines as a controversial proponent of bioidentical hormones. She may feel better than ever, but there’s no news of a comeback yet.

Alec Baldwin: Baldwin barely makes the list because he hasn’t quit yet, even though he’s tried. After taking fire from fans for an abusive voicemail he left for his daughter in 2007, Baldwin begged to be let out of his 30 Rock contract. When NBC denied the request, he made the most of it: he’s managed to win a SAG award, a Golden Globe, and an Emmy for his portrayal of Jack Donaghy, Tina Fey’s cynical-but-loveable boss on 30 Rock. But in a few years, we’ll finally get to see what Baldwin’s post-acting career looks like: earlier this summer, he announced that he’s leaving 30 Rock in March 2012. What will he do next? He told Playboy that “I may finish a play or something,” but otherwise, it’s curtains for one of our favorite actors.

So, what does this mean for Paula Abdul? The jury’s out on this one. While it certainly helps that Abdul is versatile (like Kathie Lee), she’s long past the peak of her career, and she’s not exactly leaving Idol on her own terms. Over on The Gaggle, our friend Daniel Stone points out that someone else shares unlikely similarities (and prospects) with Abdul: Sarah Palin. We’ll wait and see how both of their stories play out.

Is there anyone we missed? Do you have any stories about celebrities who dropped (or walked away from) jobs they really should have kept? Leave your suggestions in the comments!