Reality stars: Where are they now?

Once the reality TV craze took hold in the early 2000s, new shows popped up every five minutes and the most random people on the planet were kissed by fame — and then slapped in the face, when the spotlight shifted to somebody else. A number of reality TV victors — and survivors — spoke to The Post about their experiences and what they're doing today.

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STEVEN W. BAILEY

"My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance" (Fox)

Bailey had a unique reality TV experience — he was acting the whole time. In 2004, he pretended to be a slovenly guy who made things difficult on unsuspecting Randi Coy, who would win $250,000 if she could convince her family she was marrying him.

Although the show gave him huge exposure, it wasn't necessarily positive.

"Right after doing 'Big Fat' there was a stigma and I didn't book a job for awhile," he says. "I went to a prominent theater school and I did theater for years and I show up in LA and they're like, 'Do we want to associate the burping and farting guy with our show?'"

But things turned out fine for Bailey who was a regular on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" as bartender Joe and is currently playing coroner Noah Elliot on ABC's "Scandal."

Craig Blankenhorn

JAY McCARROLL

"Project Runway" (Bravo) Season 1 winner

McCarroll was living the glam life when he won the first season of "Project Runway" in 2004, showing at fashion week and designing gowns for Heidi Klum. These days he's living in Philadelphia, where he teaches fashion courses, he and was recently named the fashion ambassador of Hamilton Mall in New Jersey. He sells his pieces — easy-to-wear knits — at a store there called Never Too Spoiled and on his Web site. And he doesn't mind going from the catwalk to casual wear.

"I never imagined being Michael Kors, and I still don't," he says. "It's stressful and a lot of work and a lot of money. But I've managed to find my niche. "

The 38-year-old has mixed feelings about his reality TV fame. "It's interesting to see how fickle people are. And everyone can attest to this. Look at Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears," he says. "Everyone wants to see you fail, and it's hard for people to continue to support you. At one point the world loves me and now it's like, who the f - - k is that?"

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RACHEL LOVE

"The Swan" winner (Fox)

Love, 36, won the most controversial reality TV prize of all time — major plastic surgery — in Fox's jaw-dropping 2004 series. But she says the therapy that came along with it made the whole experience worthwhile.