For the discerning appraisal of our Álainn or Appalling readers this week is RTÉ’s peripatetic pretty lady, Kathryn Thomas. The tantalizing Mzz Thomas has trekked far from her native Blockbog Road, County Carlow, at the helm of RTÉ travel show No Frontiers. But Thomas has definitely not been the sluggish sun-lounger type

Ask anybody today “Who is Joan Jett?” and you’ll more than likely get the same response. “That ‘I Love Rock n Roll’ one yeah?” More often than not that’ll be the most that people know of her, the one song in the 80s that was actually a cover. But if you look her up, you’ll see she’s so much more than a one-hit-wonder from two decades ago.

She may be best known for gracing our tellies and enduring the potty-mouthed Podge and Rodge on The Podge and Rodge Show as co-host. Apart from her stint there, Kennedy has presented The Ex-Files, Livin’ with Lucy, her own chat show The Lucy Kennedy Show and Charity Lords of the Ring, among others. Filming of the third series of Livin’ with Lucy starts this month, apparently. Pick me! Pick me!!

Who is this woman who is now courageously flying the flag for us in the country music scene? Well, she was born in 1970 in Kansas City, Missouri into a musical family. By 11 Cheyl was singing in local bands, and by the time she was 22, she had signed for Mercury/Polygram.

First things first, I think it only fair if I warn you that this AorA will be biased, in Chez HAL we call her Stockard “The Goddess”. So, with that admission out in the open, I ask you; what not to love about Stockard? She’s in her 60’s, looks amazing, managing to look more desirable than actresses half her age, and she can out-act anyone in the business.

Arguably the biggest thing to come from Abergavenny in Wales, Marina Diamandis was born to a Greek father and Welsh mother. When they split, she lived for a couple of years with her dad but moved home to finish school.

It’s hard to believe that we’ve only been aware of doe-eyed Amanda for two years. Two years! She seems to have been around much longer, taking her place in the pantheon of stars with ease.

Sally Hawkins will always be Sue from the TV adaptation of Sarah Water’s Fingersmith. Well she will be to me anyway, sorry Sue, Sally, I mean Sally.

We all have our ‘roots’ when our sexuality became obvious. There was that moment in Flashdance. Jennifer Beals, on a chair, water cascading down her young body. What a feeling indeed.

This AorA is all about Glee. We love it, you love it and what’s not to love? It’s guaranteed to put a big, stupid grin on your face. However, here is our conundrum; with so much goodness, who do we ask you to vote for? Why choose just one when we can plumb for a double order of yummy?

Born Dana Elaine Owens, Queen Latifah is a woman of many talents. As a rapper, actress and singer she has won many an award including a Golden Globe, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Grammy, not to mention her Oscar and Emmy nominations.

You know you’ve enjoyed a good year if Susan Sarandon is in there, she’s never been bad in anything, from romcom to drama, the woman can do anything. Recently she’s been busy dragging bad writing up into come classy roles. She’s at that stage in her life where Hollywood has no idea what to do with her.

Anne Hathaway is one of those movie stars who seem as normal as is possible when you’re a movie star. She comes across as down-to-earth, good craic and lacking in diva overtones. If this is the product of PR, I don’t really care to be honest; she’s a cutie.

It must be pretty sweet for Mariska these days; finally she’s known for her work and not her mother. Jayne Mansfield, right, was a sex-bomb actress in the 1950’s and 1960’s. She was only 34 when she died in a car crash in 1967, with her three kids in the back seat. Mariska was just three so probably has no memory of the woman who would over-shadow her early acting career.

Lucille Frances Ryan was born back in 1968 in Auckland, New Zealand, the fifth of seven children. With five brothers, she was always going to be a bot of a tom-boy and Lucy was always up to her neck in it with them; riding horses, climbing trees and enjoying the Kiwi outdoors.

Rachel Maddow may not think she’ll ever be an anchor-babe, but from the reaction to her since she appeared on US television in 2008, it seems she’s just the eye (and brain) candy we’ve all be waiting for.
A Stanford and Oxford educated former Rhodes Scholar, Rachel spent her early years as an activist for HIV [...]

The AfterEllen one is flattering. I think those girls take more of a 3-D picture before they decide they like somebody.