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.