Heady success, then homelessness. This may come as a big shock, but Ricki Lake was homeless for a time after she hit big in Hollywood in Hairspray. People's fortunes can change abruptly in show business, and hers sure did - for the worse.
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"I went from like making all this money to making nothing and had to give up my house. And I was homeless for a short time. I had to move, but it was the most humbling experience that I'm so grateful for," Lake said on I Choose Me with Jennie Garth via foxnews.com.
Per the outlet,"Lake revealed she lost between $200,000 and $300,000 during that time."
Her experience was a tough and traumatic one that she learned from. "But it taught me so much about the value of a dollar. And thankfully, I didn't have a family to support at that time."
Ricki Lake Had Another Big Change In Her Life - Her Weight
Getting Slim Detracted From Her Movie Career, Then She Became A TV Talk Show Host
No longer being "the fat girl" made some industry pros shy away from Lake. They could not readily categorize her anymore. "One of the reasons I wasn't getting parts anymore - wasn't getting cast in anything - was because the novelty of being the fat girl had kind of worn off. And I felt like, OK, the only thing I can control in my life is my physicality and how I take care of myself."
She Did Very Well On TV For Years
An opportunity of a different kind presented itself and Lake made the most of it. She landed a highly successful daytime TV talk show hosting gig that lasted from 1992 to 2004. Lake fit in well with the likes of other popular daytime talk show hosts of that era such as Sally Jessy Raphael, Phil Donahue, and Oprah Winfrey.
Lake never backed off of controversial topics, which she always handled with consummate grace and professionalism. She earned a large, loyal following of viewers that way for many years, not an easy feat in the fickle and hotly competitive environment of daytime television. Lake staked out her territory and maintained it over the long haul with a winning formula and a strong identity.
Lake Has Made Other Positive Adjustments In Her Life These Days
She Lost Weight Without Drugs And Got Married To Her 'Perfect Man'
Lake got hitched to Ross Burningham in 2022. In addition, she lost weight without the use of medications like Ozempic, which she gave a vehement thumbs-down to.
What she's doing is evidently working for her. Lake said on Good Morning America via foxnews.com, "I think it's safe to say I'm in the best shape of my life."
Way to go, Ricki!
