To many, Palin's iconic status is well-deserved, considering that the high school basketball star, former beauty queen and television journalist rose from Wasilla City Council member to Alaska's first female governor in less than 14 years.

CNN: Palin's swift rise is the talk of her Alaskan town

Electronic equipment, high-end beauty products, vouchers for vacations and four-star hotels, gift certificates for hair transplants or plastic surgery, bottles of booze, diamonds--all are de rigueur in the celebrity swag bag.

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"She has mom's beauty and dad's obsession with breasts, " "Parenthood" star Shepard, 38, tweeted.

CNN: Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell welcome baby girl

Most Americans have never heard of the 27-year-old singer, song writer, dancer, TV star and model, who eclipsed childhood in the projects of northern England with beauty, talent and determination to rise to UK superstardom.

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Each, starting with "Parks and Recreation" star Amy Poehler, walked on stage when their names were announced, lining up like beauty pageant contestants.

CNN: 'Modern Family' takes home five Emmys

Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, who directed Sean Penn as a faded rock star in This Must Be The Place, is in the running with his film The Great Beauty.

BBC: Cannes Film Festival line-up is announced

Whereas in American Beauty Mendes' theatrical roots helped Kevin Spacey and Annette Benning embody their characters and overcome their star personas, our sympathy with Tom Hanks in Perdition comes only from assosiating him with moral and decent characters.

BBC: Road to Perdition: Your views