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Two Generations of Hollywood Ladies' Men: George Clooney Vs. Wilmer Valderrama
By Emily FeimsterWhat do you get when you put good looks, a charming personality, and a wicked sense of humor in one package? Only two of Hollywood’s hottest bachelors! Yes, we’re talking about George Clooney and Wilmer Valderrama. For years the suave, unobtainable Clooney has been the object of many women’s desires. In fact, his short-lived romances and bachelor tendencies have made him just as famous as his acting. Now following in his footsteps is the younger Valderrama, who’s making no apologies when it comes to loving the ladies. As they leave a trail of broken hearts behind, only one question remains. Will they ever settle down? Only time will tell, but for now, these guy’s guys are too busy having a good time. So hop aboard as we see how these two heartthrobs match up! 
Pix of George | | 
Pix of Wilmer | | George Clooney Vital Statistics: Hometown: Lexington, KY Born: 6-6-1961
| | Wilmer Valderrama Vital Statistics: Hometown: Miami, FL Born: 1-30-1980
| | Family: His dad, Nick, was a TV newscaster and talk show host and his mom, Nina, a former Miss Kentucky pageant runner-up. His aunt was renowned singer/ actress Rosemary Clooney. | | Family: He is the son of Balvino and Sobeida, who are natives of Venezuela. The family returned to Venezuela during 1983, where his dad owned a farm equipment rental firm. | | Beginnings: Although he studied Broadcast Journalism at Northern Kentucky University, he always wanted to be a professional baseball player. He only turned to acting after he was rejected from a Cincinnati Reds tryout. His cousin, Miguel Ferrer, got him a small part in a feature film so he moved to L.A. and tried a whole year to get a role while he slept in a friend's closet. | | Beginnings: After living in Venezuela for over a decade, his family moved to California for better opportunities. He did not speak much English, but learned the language in part by appearing in high school plays. At his drama teacher's suggestion, he got an agent and was immediately cast in a CBS miniseries "Four Corners" as well as the Disney Channel's "Omba Makamba." | | Breakthroughs: He got his start in commercials, but everything was to change for the relatively unknown actor when he was cast in the medical drama, "E.R." As pediatrician Dr. Douglas Ross, he became the newest heartthrob for women and the envy of men. | | Breakthroughs: As a junior in high school, Valderrama was cast in the pilot that became the hit "That '70s Show." He played Fez, a foreign exchange student, who was trying desperately to catch on to the trends and lingo of his new American friends. | | Hunk Status: He was named No. 3 of 10 "Top Sexiest Men" in People magazine. | | Hunk Status: He came in at No. 5 on People en Espanol's Sexiest Men list. | | Love Em' and Leave Em': Some of his former ladies include Talia Balsam (divorced), Kelly Preston, Celine Balitran, Renée Zellweger, Dedee Pfeiffer, Kimberly Russell, Mariella Frostrup, Krista Allen, and Lisa Snowdon. | | Love Em' and Leave Em': Let's see....there's Mandy Moore, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lindsay Lohan, and Ashlee Simpson, just to name a few. | | Too Much Fun: George's antics as Hollywood's current premiere practical jokester are the stuff of legend - from activating a remote-control whoopee cushion in one of the fake bodies being operated on in his "E.R." days to making his "Ocean's 11" and its follow up even more fun off-camera than the movies. Brad Pitt recalls George sabotaging luggage Pitt had to pick up hurriedly in a scene, filling it with weights. And that wasn't all. "I would reach into a compartment in my luggage and find gravel or pine nuts or an old sandwich," Pitt reported. "It's a testament to the complete and utter immaturity that can happen when people are not serious about their craft." | | Too Much Fun: Wilmer has been known to talk about working 'round the clock doing serious show business stuff - then landing in the tabloids, showing off in clubs or otherwise having a great ol' time. His rep was capped with his famous dance-off last year at New York's Club Suede, versus ex-love Lindsay Lohan. The two spotted each other, started glaring back and forth, and then the dance began. "They were dancing on top of the banquettes, and then Wilmer does this almost Michael Jackson impression on the dance floor! It was like a scene out of a comedy movie. It was really, really funny," an eyewitness told People magazine. | | | Behind the Scenes: Clooney's and Steven Soderbergh's esteemed Section Eight Productions has turned out a string of interesting pictures. Clooney was Oscar-nominated for Achievement in Directing and Original Screenplay for "Good Night, and Good Luck," and for Best Supporting Actor (he won) in "Syriana" this year, becoming the first person in Oscar history to be nominated for directing one movie and acting in another in the same year. | | Behind the Scenes: Wilmer aspires to be a Hollywood "hyphenate" as well, with plans on the boards for a fashion line, as well as his own TV and movie productions. He recently created and produced the MTV reality competition series "Yo Momma." | | Bet You Didn't Know: He once bought his group of close friends (including himself) brand new Harley Davidson motorcycles so everyone could go out and ride together. | | Bet You Didn't Know: When he came to the United States, he had three pairs of jeans, two T-shirts and a pair of shoes, and the only word he knew in English was "monkey." | | On the DL: During a scene for "Syriana" in which his character is tied to a chair and tortured, the chair was accidentally kicked over and he hit his head on the concrete floor, tearing his dura mater. He later began leaking spinal fluid from the nose and went on to have surgery to bolster his spine with metal bolts. | | On the DL: To prepare for his role in "Summer Catch," he had to go through baseball camp with real baseball players. Though not nearly as serious an injury as Clooney's, he got hit twice in the face with a baseball. Luckily his pretty face remained in tact. | | Un-P.C: Clooney's earned the wrath of conservatives with his outspoken liberal views, occasionally getting chided for going too far, as in the case of his comment that "Charlton Heston announced again today that he is suffering from Alzheimer's." After being criticized for the joke, he said, "I don't care. Charlton Heston is the head of the National Rifle Association. He deserves what anyone says about him." | | Un-P.C: Are you sure you want him, girls? Valderrama says that his mom gets to meet all his girlfriends, and that she wants him to find a gal who knows how to cook and do laundry. | | Quotable Quotes: "Run for office? No. I've slept with too many women, I've done too many drugs, and I've been to too many parties." "I doubt anybody gets taken seriously for very long. I'll be on some reality show in about six years going, Hey, I had a great year in 2006." | | Quotable Quotes: "You're always going to have a hater or two. People might say, 'What do people see in this guy?' But, really, who cares?"…"I'm a free-spirited guy who likes to do to others and have others do unto him." | | Current Activities: He has two films in the can ("The Good German," "Michael Clayton") and is getting ready to start production on "Ocean's Thirteen." He also has seven films that he's set to produce, his planned Vegas resort, and a bundle of TV projects. | | Current Activities: He just finished hosting "Yo Momma" and is currently filming the movie "Unaccompanied Minors" in Utah. He's also preparing to play "Ponch" in the movie version of "CHiPS" this summer. |
Syndicated Columnists Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith are featured in over 100 print publications and other media outlets with cutting edge celebrity news and insider scoop. Have a burning showbiz question? Ask those in-the-know, Marilyn and Stacy, and get the real skinny daily in their " Ask BeckSmith" column on CompuServe and Netscape.
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