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When former Speaker of the House Thomas (Tip) O'Neill retired after more than 50 years in politics, he had only $2,900 in the bank. But today O'Neill is faring far better, not just because of his best-selling book, Man of the House, but also due to his status as a trendy spokesman. O'Neill has appeared in ads for American Express and Miller Lite beer, among others. In current TV commercials, he can be seen rising from an open suitcase on the bed of a Quality Inns International motel.

Advertisers favor O'Neill for his familiar face and grandfatherly voice. The pay is handsome: for a day's work he gets $100,000, equivalent to his annual salary as Speaker. Says he: "I always said I'd never be a lobbyist, and lo and behold, a new career fell upon me." Next on his agenda: ads for the Trump Shuttle.