Spectators have taken plenty of pot-shots at some of today's most prominent musicians due to their "American Idol" associations or their relationships to previously established singers and songwriters — but singer-songwriter Taylor Swift can't be lumped into those categories.

Taylor, who turns 20 years old today, earned her seat at the top of the charts the old fashioned way — with a little bit of luck and a whole lot of talent. The results of Taylor's hard work speak for themselves in the form of hit singles off her self-titled debut album and 2008's "Fearless."

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Once upon a time, Kara DioGuardi wasn't exactly a household name, nor was she necessarily an instantly recognizable face. But both of those facts changed dramatically with her arrival on the "American Idol" scene last season as the newest permanent judge alongside mainstays Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.

Now, Kara — who celebrates her 39th birthday today — is well-known in the public sphere not just for her name and face, but also for her voice and sound judgment.

Currently, Kara is no longer the newest judge on "American Idol" thanks to the departure of Paula Abdul and her subsequent replacement by Ellen DeGeneres. But even if "American Idol" is Kara's most prominent gig at the moment, it's far from being her only claim to fame.

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When Boone Carlyle and Charlie Pace both crashed on a mysterious island filled with creepy natives, smoke monsters and bikinis aplenty, who knew that these two strangers had another fateful thread in common — a shared date of birth? Well, they don't share a birthday, but the actors who play them sure do.

Today is the birthday of actors Ian Somerhalder and Dominic Monaghan, who played lovelorn playboy Boone and drug-addicted musician Charlie on ABC's "Lost," currently on the cusp of its final season. While Ian and Dominic left the series during the first and third seasons respectively, both actors are planning a return trip to Hawaii to shoot a few episodes under rather mysterious circumstances.

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Just as everyone has an opinion, a favorite meal and a nose — albeit a fake one at times — so too does everyone have a birthday... even celebrities. Here at Birthday Bash, it's our mission to salute the fine actors, filmmakers and other Hollywood heroes that are celebrating their special day this week. After all, it's cheaper than mailing a cake!

Today brings a very special edition of Birthday Bash, as we're blowing out candles for one of the biggest pop sensations of our generation — none other than Britney Spears, who turns 28 years old today!

It hasn't always been an easy road for Britney, but it's certainly been an interesting one — keep on reading for a trip down memory lane.

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Just as everyone has an opinion, a favorite meal and a nose — albeit a fake one at times — so too does everyone have a birthday... even celebrities. Here at Birthday Bash, it's our mission to salute the fine actors, filmmakers and other Hollywood heroes that are celebrating their special day this week. After all, it's cheaper than mailing a cake!

This week, the candles are lit for an American Idol sensation, Jack Bauer's daughter and a "big" television star.

Elisha Cuthbert (November 30): Despite starring in a wealth of films including "House of Wax" and "The Girl Next Door," Elisha Cuthbert will always be known to me as Kimberly Bauer, the often troubled but still capable daughter of Jack Bauer on "24." Even though her character often experienced some tumultuous catastrophes — a run-in with a cougar remains the most infamous and ludicrous — Elisha played her character with enough skill and charm to keep viewers tuning in. Her recent return to the series is nothing short of excellent news for fans of Elisha and "24," just as long as the cougars stay put.

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Just as everyone has an opinion, a favorite meal and a nose — albeit a fake one at times — so too does everyone have a birthday... even celebrities. Here at Birthday Bash, it's our mission to salute the fine actors, filmmakers and other Hollywood heroes that are celebrating their special day this week. After all, it's cheaper than mailing a cake!

This week, we're partying down in the U.S.A. for a soon-to-be superhero and a young pop singer.

Miley Cyrus (November 23): It's a genuine party in the U.S.A. today as Miley Cyrus turns 17. The daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley represents the face of entertainment for a young generation of music and film lovers.

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Just as everyone has an opinion, a favorite meal and a nose — albeit a fake one at times — so too does everyone have a birthday... even celebrities. Here at Birthday Bash, it's our mission to salute the fine actors, filmmakers and other Hollywood heroes that are celebrating their special day this week. After all, it's cheaper than mailing a cake!

Leonardo DiCaprio (November 11): We've sure come a long way from the days of "Titanic" and "Romeo + Juliet," haven't we? Since those movies, former teenage heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio has gone on to star in Oscar-winning fare such as "The Departed," even earning an Oscar nomination himself for his role as a South African mercenary in "Blood Diamond."

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Just as everyone has an opinion, a favorite meal and a nose — albeit a fake one at times — so too does everyone have a birthday... even celebrities. Here at Birthday Bash, it's our mission to salute the fine actors, filmmakers and other Hollywood heroes that are celebrating their special day this week. After all, it's cheaper than mailing a cake!

Kevin Jonas (November 5): We celebrated Nick Jonas's birthday back in September, and now it's time to turn our attention towards his older brother, Kevin, who turns 22-years-old later this week.

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Just as everyone has an opinion, a favorite meal and a nose — albeit a fake one at times — so too does everyone have a birthday... even celebrities. Here at Birthday Bash, it's our mission to salute the fine actors, filmmakers and other Hollywood heroes that are celebrating their special day this week. After all, it's cheaper than mailing a cake!

This week, Ozzy's daughter makes a wish, as does a fan-favorite genre actor and Johnny Depp's former main squeeze.

Kelly Osbourne (October 27): Rocketing from childhood obscurity to super stardom thanks to father Ozzy's transformation from rock legend to reality show celebrity, Kelly Osbourne has been in the public eye for the better part of her adult life — and, I might add, celebrity truly suits her. From branching out with her own music career to several stints as an actress, Kelly has shown all of the promise expected from a member of the eccentric-but-talented Osbourne family.

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Whether he's slaying vampires with stakes or slaying audiences with laughter, there's one thing that everybody can agree upon when it comes to actor Ryan Reynolds — he's pretty awesome.

The Canadian-born actor, recently seen in this summer's "The Proposal" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," turned 33 years-old today, prompting the crew here at Birthday Bash — which mostly consists of me, but I like referring to myself as a team — to wish the erstwhile Van Wilder a very happy birthday!

If you're not as convinced as I am that Reynolds is a fantastic Hollywood icon worth celebrating, then please indulge me as I run down five reasons we should all be thankful for the actor's continually evolving career.

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