By PATRICIA SHERIDAN, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

General and Chief of Army Staff Pervez Musharraf became president of Pakistan
in 1999, following a bloodless coup. He and his country became integral in the U.S. war on terror after the 9/11 attacks. Pakistan helped capture hundreds of al-Qaeda operatives and continues to be allied with the United States against extremists.

Meat Loaf, the man not the meal, made a name for himself as a hard-rocking, larger-than-life musician, but Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday) began his career on stage doing Shakespeare in the Park. Now 61, he is probably best known for his "Bat Out of Hell" operatic rock album trilogy that stayed on the charts for nine years and has sold more than 35 million copies.

He's been on ABC's "Lost," playing an evil corporate type, and on HBO's "The Wire," as Cedric Daniels. Now actor Lance Reddick is playing FBI agent Phillip Broyles, who heads up a department that investigates paranormal incidents, on Fox's "Fringe." His character's stern persona is similar to others he has played, but the difference is in the details.

He's been around for decades and acting since he was 8, but for Jeremy Piven, it was his role as Ari Gold, a manic Hollywood agent on HBO's "Entourage," that won him critical acclaim and three Emmys.

Talented and dimpled, Mario Lopez first came to our attention on "Saved by the Bell." He has since expanded his range in television and films and with an ever-growing array of hosting gigs, including the 2009 Miss America Pageant and the syndicated TV entertainment news show "Extra." A runner-up on the third season of "Dancing With the Stars," he also wrote "Knockout Fitness" about how to stay

A broad spectrum of experiences gave interior designer Julianne Fallert a fearless appreciation for living life in a full array of color. She grew up in Minneapolis, Tokyo and Brussels and went to college in Evanston, Ill., where she got an economics degree from Northwestern University.

Jesse James, first came to the public's attention on the Discovery Channel's "Monster Garage." Since then he has created a workingman's empire, starting with his West Coast Chopper specializing in custom-built motorcycles.

He's done it all -- the good, the bad, the sad and the really funny.
That's probably what comes to mind when people think of John Lithgow. The award-winning actor starred in the television series "Third Rock From the Sun" as a leader of an alien band studying Earth. Now his followers are on Twitter, and they continue to fill the seats for his stage performances.

She is a singer, a songwriter, a producer and an actor, but Jada Pinkett Smith is also known as the wife of actor Will Smith. A real red-carpet power couple, they have something rare in Hollywood: a marriage that has lasted more than a decade -- 11 years and counting. They have a son, Jaden, 10, and a daughter, Willow, 8.

Musician-comedian Jimmy Fallon left "Saturday Night Live," his dream job, for what turned out to be a mediocre movie career. But he has landed in the hot seat, replacing Conan O'Brien in March as the host of NBC's "Late Night." He previewed some of his comic bits and his angst on the Web, which proved very popular with younger viewers.