11 Hunter Hayes was on Figure It Out.
At just six years old, Hunter Hayes appeared on Nickelodeon’s Figure It Out, where panelists had to guess the predetermined phrase that described each contestant’s talent. Hayes’ talent: Cajun singing and accordion playing. And that’s hardly a far cry from his current job as a Grammy-nominated country artist.
12 Joey Fatone was on Nick Arcade.
What is it about famous boy band members and game shows? In 1997, N*SYNC member Joey Fatone competed on Nickelodeon Arcade, where he admitted to host Phil Moore that he enjoys singing in the shower. Unfortunately, Fatone lost for his team when he incorrectly identified Abe Lincoln as a Democrat, but at least all of his team members can now say that they once went on a game show with someone famous. And while you’re making a trip down memory lane, don’t miss The 30 Best Celebrity Style Evolutions.
13 Sally Fields was on The Dating Game.
Had you been watching The Dating Game back in 1967, you might have spotted a young Sally Fields as one of the contestants. As Fields recalled during an appearance on The Talk: “I refused to go on the date. It probably would have changed my life. Honestly, he was probably the one!” And for more about love in Hollywood, check out the 15 Most Lavish Celebrity Weddings of All Time.
14 Simon Cowell was on Sale of the Century.
Before he was hosting game shows, he was starring in them. That’s right: Once upon a time, Simon Cowell was a contestant on Sale of the Century. On the episode, Cowell was introduced as a record company producer from London who enjoys watching motor racing. The future American Idol judge went on to win the episode, and brought home with him… a set of kitchen utensils.
15 Cynthia Nixon was on To Tell The Truth.
Technically you could call Cynthia Nixon a child star, given that the New York gubernatorial candidate appeared on To Tell The Truth at just nine years old. Her mom—who worked on the show—landed her a role as one of the imposters, and she had to convince the contestant that she was a professional horseback rider.
