The Celebrities of Bergen County, New Jersey's: Tara Reid and Bethany Joy (Lenz) Galeotti

Growing up in Bergen County, New Jersey, I did not know that I was being raised next to some future Hollywood elite. But two actresses, one born and raised and the other moving in at the age of eleven, were developing their skills and dreaming about the big time in their suburban homes. The question of whether their daydreams differed as much as their respective leaps into the big-time can only be answered by the two ladies.

Tara Reid is a name that seemed to gain fame overnight. Bursting onto the scene with her role in that all-American farce, "American Pie", Reid (now 31) gained the fame which "The Big Lebowski" had begun to pave. Suddenly her face was everywhere, but particularly on the cover of tabloids, who thrived on the fodder of Reid's party-girl attitude. She dated a string of celebs, becoming engaged and then soon unengaged to Carson Daly, all under the glare of the paparazzis' flashbulbs. America hung on every detail, whether actually concerned or just so they could exclaim how little they cared. For those of us who knew her roots, we just shook our heads and smirked at our area's claim to fame, and her fairly deluded mother. I do not know if pride is quite the word we would use.

There is another actress we boast, though she may be flying a little more under-the-radar then Reid. Bethany Joy (Lenz) Galeotti (25), who used to go by "Joie" back in the good old days at ECHS (an unforgettable portrayal of "Cinderella", my personal favorite) made her jump to fame with the late-WB's (now CW's) "One Tree Hill". Her beginnings are traced to "Stephen King"'Thinner'" and some big-name commercials, but things picked up with her two-year role on "Guiding Light", and then her humorous take at cheerleading in "Bring It On Again". But landing a primo role on a WB show that, while maybe not quite capturing all of "Dawson's Creek"s audience, as done very well for itself has made her more of a name, and gave her an opportunity to bring her wonderful voice into the mainstream, touring with the Wreckers, Gavin McGraw and Tyler Hilton. Quietly and without publicity, she married Michael Galeotti, from the band Enation. In a barely-precedented act for those on the big or small screens, she even took his name. While the world may not yet know the name of Bethany Joy "Joie" (Lenz) Galeotti, those of us who know her roots (at least from age 11 on), can smile a bit, with some pride.

Truly amazing how a few miles of suburbia can produce two completely opposite actresses, on- and off-stage. Just Google the two to see what I mean: both bring up the IMDB and Wikipedia sites, but everything else is startlingly different. "Tara Reid" beings up some photo galleries, gossip sites, Hollywoodtuna.com which has some paparazzi shots that tabloids would probably blush at putting on their cover, and some sites that may require proof of being over 18 to get into (I am not going to personally test that theory). Put in "Bethany Joy Lenz" or the same with "Galeotti" and you will see a couple photo galleries, a site for her music, and a number of actual fan sites dedicated to her--not gossip or cruel commentaries, but sites of people who actually support her work.

The consideration of these two Bergen County beauties raises an interesting question: does being a Hollywood bad-girl pay? Granted I may be a bit partial, being an Eastern Christian grad myself, but I see Lenz-Galeotti as the clean-cut American girl with old-fashioned values, and arguably (or maybe not arguably) the greater share of skill. Despite all this in her favor, she is not what we would term a "super-star". Reid is talked about largely for things we do not respect, with acting skills that limit her to the role of the dumb blond--yet she is all the rage. Is America a land where being outrageous is enough to make someone a big-time celebrity? Does being unhounded by the paparazzi lead to being underappreciated by the viewing public? Food for thought. Either way, for those of us with Bergen County roots (and I still consider myself a New Jerseyan despite being relocated) we can enjoy the satisfaction of saying "Hey I grew up in the same area as Tara Reid AND Bethany Joy Galeotti!"