If you peruse the endless auditions in the PlattForm vault, you’re bound to see a few people who have NO business being in front of the camera. We call them a triple threat … can’t act, can’t speak, can’t read.

But if you look hard enough, you’ll stumble across a few people who have gone on to bigger and better. WAY bigger and better. Simply put, starring in a PlattForm commercial can lead to superstardom – or something like that …

Take Jason Gerhardt, for instance. In his younger formative years, Jason’s goofy spirit and devastatingly handsome looks were used in a variety of PForm commercials. Until his character was killed off earlier this year, Gerhardt could be seen as the brooding (and alleged serial killer) Cooper Barrett on ABC’s “General Hospital”. Ah yes, from humble beginnings … Gerhardt has moved his way up the ranks. He’s now living in Los Angeles and getting paid good money to doff his shirt for absolutely NO reason. We should all be so lucky.

Meanwhile, several of our school groups who offer Personal Training use sweet, petite National Fitness Champion Beth Horn as their spokeswoman. She’s delightful, honest and has a real passion for what she does. And she will apparently hurl you into a wall if you get in her way. In late 2007, Horn was tapped to be one of the new “American Gladiators” on NBC’s new “hit” show. Pun intended. Horn now pulls double duty as an elite fitness pro for a number of schools … and then proceeds to impale people with a giant Q-Tip as her alter ego “Venom” on Gladiators.

As blondiful “Venom”, she’s virtually unrecognizable from the Beth Horn we’ve all come to know and love around here. The show’s makeover has turned her in to a psychotic Spice Girl. Think dominatrix meets drag queen! But for those of you who have seen her in action, you know she’s the most vicious of competitors. I pity the fool that messes with Venom. No wonder she stabbed me with a fork on that shoot in Vegas when I grabbed the last piece of sushi. She was practicing!

Micah LaCerte is a fitness model … which he’ll point out is COMPLETELY different than being a male model. For awhile, LaCerte was cast in a variety of PForm commercial campaigns … most requiring him to portray a lycra-wearing personal trainer. It wasn’t exactly a huge stretch … as Micah is, indeed, a personal trainer. (Whether or not he wears lycra on his own time is a mystery.) In 2004, LaCerte went big time landing a spot on Bravo’s reality show “Manhunt: The Search for America’s Most Gorgeous Male Model”. Unfortunately, he was also eliminated early in the season … and not unlike “Survivor”, LaCerte had to turn in this Speedos … in lieu of a torch.

LaCerte quickly bounced back landing several national men’s fitness magazine covers. He and his eight-pack (yes, his abs are THAT impressive) are still in demand to this day. “I have 2 words to describe the staff at Platform: ‘YOU ROCK!’”, LaCerte recently said. “I shot some great work with you guys! And you know where to find a half naked guy for a shoot if needed!”

Yes, fame can be a fickle beast … especially if you’ve been in a commercial for PlattForm. And considering some of our most popular spots are several years old, it’s possible you’ll see a semi-familiar (albeit younger) face gracing local airwaves.