Top Four Celebrity Ex-Husbands Least Likely to Succeed

It's especially wonderful when the person you've fallen in love with is rich and famous, with the kind of blinding star power that can't help but open doors.

Such was the case with these four celebrity ex-husbands. Each fell in love with a woman whose celebrity quotient was off the charts,and each found his life forever changed by the relationship. Where once they were ordinary and forgettable, these men found themselves catapulted into the public eye, appearing on magazine covers in the company of their famous spouses, and living the high life in five-star hotels and expensive mansions.

But good things don't necessarily last forever. Each of these pampered hubbies found himself unceremoniously ejected from the catbird seat when his famous wife opted to put the brakes on the free ride by taking him to divorce court.

Do these celebrity ex-husbands have what it takes to continue to command the spotlight? Here are my picks for the four celebrity exes least likely to succeed.

Celebrity Ex-Husband: Bobby Brown

Meal Ticket: Whitney Houston

Why He Won't Make It: Brown was a star with the band New Edition, and had a successful solo career with hits like "My Prerogative." But all that was a long, long time ago. These days, he's best known for being the ball and chain of singer Whitney Houston.

Whether fairly or unfairly, many blame him for the singer's drug problems. News of the couple's divorce was met with much jubilation, as many Houston fans saw this as a chance for her to kick her addiction once and for all and regain her place as a leading lady of soul.

Reviled and despised as the man who turned America's sweetheart into a crackhead, it's unlikely that Brown will ever regain the sort of wattage he had earlier in his career.

Celebrity Ex-Husband: Chad Lowe

Meal Ticket: Hilary Swank

Why He Won't Make It: Poor Chad Lowe. He's spent his whole life in the shadow of someone more famous. First it was his brother, Brat Pack heartthrob Rob Lowe. Then it was his wife, Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank.

Lowe doesn't seem to suffer from a lack of talent. He received rave reviews in made-for-TV features like Candle in the Dark, and nabbed an Emmy for his performance as the HIV-positive Jessie McKenna in TV's Life Goes On. HIs big problem seems to be an inability to distinguish himself from the pack and shine as a star in his own right.

Lowe has been acting since the '80s, and has failed to break out and make it big. It's unlikely that that will change in the future.

Celebrity Ex-Husband: Kevin Federline

Meal Ticket: Britney Spears

Why He Won't Make It: Federline hit the jackpot when he married Spears. Prior to that, the background dancer's biggest accomplishment had been impregnating Moesha star Shar Jackson. With Spears came celebrity, and a life spent basking in the public eye.

He and Spears recently broke news of their split. The biggest thing standing between Federline and future success is his own stunning dearth of talent. In October 2006, he released a rap album, which was met with scorn by both the media and the public. The album sold less than 7,000 copies in its first week of release.

Federline may not have what it takes to shine on his own, but he does have a long history of working his way into the heart of more famous partners; first Shar, then Britney. It's likely that the ever-resourceful dancer will find another wealthy woman to pay his bills, though she almost certainly won't be as loaded as his most recent ex.

Celebrity Ex-Husband: Eric Benet

Meal Ticket: Halle Berry

Why He Won't Make It: Benet was an R&B singer with modest success. Then he married Halle, and exploded onto tabloid covers in the role of supportive husband.

That goodwill changed when Berry filed for divorce, amidst rumors that Benet had cheated on her repeatedly. Benet admitted that he was a sex addict, with a long history of promiscuity.

The crooner had built his R&B career based on his persona as a romantic, tender lover, and these reports of his wild shenanigans caused him to lose much of his fan base.

He released his third album, Hurricane, in 2005, a year after his split with Berry. It was met with deafening silence. Benet seems destined to forever be known as the jackass who cheated on one of the world's most beautiful women.