'11
Forbes just issued its annual “Celebrity 100″ list, which aims to rank actors, models, musicians, athletes, and the like through some enormously complicated algorithm (that we couldn’t possibly understand), which not only awards points for monetary earnings but also for tv/radio, media, web, and social rankings. Apparently, omnipresence is key, and who (for better or worse) is more present in this day and age than Lady Gaga? In fact, Gaga only earned $90 million compared to Oprah Winfrey’s $290 million, but Gaga’s influence has somehow overshadowed that of Oprah, which meant a displacement at the #1 position:
The men and women on our annual Celebrity 100 list–the most powerful people in the entertainment business this year–earned $4.5 billion over the last 12 months by starring in films, playing basketball, walking the catwalk and more. But they also rose to the top by garnering influence.
These days that means mastering social media. Lady Gaga topples Oprah Winfrey from her No.1 spot on our list, which she’s given up for only the third time in seven years. Gaga is there not just because of the $90 million she earned with a monster tour, but also because of her 32 million Facebook fans and 10 million Twitter followers–aka Little Monsters–who helped move 1 million digital downloads of her recent single “Born This Way” in only five days. They’re also happy to buy the MAC makeup, Monster headphones and Virgin Mobile phones she features in her videos.
Oprah doesn’t fall far though. The daytime talk maven, who earned $290 million last year, comes in second. Winfrey’s earnings sank $25 million partially due to a reduced payday at SiriusXM. She still earns big from her syndicated show and from the stars she’s spawned, including Dr. Phil (No. 18), Rachael Ray, and Dr. Oz. Winfrey’s earning power will take a bigger hit next year, when her syndicated show ends and she concentrates all her efforts on the struggling OWN network.
Maybe it would help if Oprah took a lesson from No. 3 Justin Bieber. The Biebs debuts on our list at the tender young age of 17, with $53 million earned over the last 12 months thanks to concerts, music sales and a 3-D documentary movie that grossed $100 million at the global box office. If this were 10 years ago Bieber would still be paying his dues in small clubs and schools, but thanks to the Internet, he’s a sensation. His first hit song, “Baby,” has been viewed 500 million times, a YouTube record.
Despite problems on and off the golf course, Tiger Woods still makes the top 10, ranking sixth with $75 million in annual earnings. Woods hasn’t won a tournament since the revelation of his marital infidelities in 2009, and he recently withdrew from The Players Championship. But he still commands $3 million a pop for overseas appearances, and collects money from his remaining sponsors, Nike and Electronic Arts.
[From Forbes]
In third place? The reprehensible Justin Bieber. Rounding out the top 10 are U2, Elton John, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Simon Cowell, and Lebron James. (Basically, this is a list of people that we can’t stand, right?) Also scoring quite high (#15 with $77 million in earnings) are Leonardo DiCaprio (which will certainly make Blake Lively happy); the nauseating Bethenny Frankel (#42 with $55 million); and Will Smith (#65 with $36 million) because of the upcoming Men in Black III and also because he pimped out his kids (Jaden as the new Karate Kid an actor and Willow as YouTube phenom). Failing to rank at all this year were Britney Spears and Daniel Radcliffe. You can read the full list here.
Photos courtesy of Fame Pictures
Written by Bedhead
Posted in Bono, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Oprah, Simon Cowell, Taylor Swift
- Mariah Carey lip synced on American Idol [CDAN]
- Colin Firth is looking good [Lainey Gossip]
- Internet celebrity charged with murder! [D-Listed]
- What is Paz Vega wearing? [Go Fug Yourself]
- New bachelors on The Bachelorette [Reality Tea]
- Goodbye to The Office [Pajiba]
- Bachelor Sean’s fiance cheats on him [Evil Beet]
- Britney Spears out with her man [Popsugar]
- Nina Dobrev works it [Popoholic]
- Cindy Crawford needs to lay off the ‘tox [Celebslam]
- Who said it: Carrie Bradshaw or The Dalai Lama? [Buzzfeed]
BULLSHIT for me!
In term of business, Oprah is MORE powerful than Gaga.
Even Anna Wintour is more powerful, SHE makes fashion !
Gaga is just a manufactured “star” with too many handlers behind her back.
Without them, she is nothing.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Every year I worry with great anticipation while waiting for this list to come out but today my day is lost and Forbes has lost all credibility with me. (and my garbage disposal is broke)
Report this comment as spam or abuse
To me it seems like they base all of it on media attention.
Hey remember Jon Bon Jovi complaining that itunes destroyed the music industry? Yeah, looks like he’s really hurting.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
The Forbes list is so last millennium.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
These Forbs lists are fake and meaningless.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
OK …I give up…Tiger Woods made #6; Trump is #17; Charlie Sheen is #28 and Beyonce is #29…ha ha ha, even Larry the Cable Guy is there.
OMG, an absolute hilarious list, I am definitely not going out looking for any Lady Gaga apparrel…EVERRRR.
Forbes you suck badly
Report this comment as spam or abuse
I confess that I don’t make it to the movies very often these days, but how on Gods green earth did Leo DiCaprio make 77 mil last year? I know that one movie he was in did fairly well, but $77 mil? Man, he must have one hell of an agent to broker his deals.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
I think the people who made this list just put up pictures of a ton of celebrities, blindfolded themselves, and then threw darts. If they landed on someone then they were on the list….that’s the only reason I can think of to explain why Larry the Cable Guy is there…
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Not checking the whole 100 (busy toddler morning) so can anyone tell me:
Is there anyone on the list who ISN’T an asshole? (Other than Bono, I mean.) Because I’m near tears here, ready to weep for humanity.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Taylor Swift is in the top 10?! God help us all.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
I have to agree, it does look like the Forbes’ ‘system’ puts much more ‘value’ on ‘publicity’. Much as I can’t stand Oprah, she no doubt deserved that #1 position.
Justin Beiber. Is #3. Ashton Kutcher is now being paid 900k per ’2 & 1/2 men
‘ episode…Surely it’s the Apocalypse. All the money is ending up in the hands of idiots.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
So a musical flash in the pan is more influential than a woman who basically decided Obama should be President and made it happen? Don’t think so.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Agree with above posters – yet another example of how corporate and manufactured lady xerox really is – yah, corporate product endorsements are so avant-garde. Seriously, no offense to madonna, but is it me or does caca actually look like Madonna in that first pic. Help me on what madge tour that outfit/look is from or am I just seeing things?
Report this comment as spam or abuse
TaylorB Leo didn’t get his usual upfront fee instead opting for first dollar gross for Inception. I think he made over $50M for Inception which made over $825M. He also made Shutter Island.I read that Depp made more than that for Pirates 2 and will make more than $75M for Pirates 4. As for Gaga Do you think she will be around in 10 years?
Report this comment as spam or abuse
That crazy beyutch is #1?
Does anyone even listen to her nutty rantings? And does anyone buy anything she wears? I’ve never seen a women wearing a meat outfit.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
I can’t stand Gaga. She’s so annoying.
Oh wow wow wow I totally forgot to complain about the other filthy rich bastards! Justin Bieber? I can’t stand him too and…wait.. you know, I subscribe to you, Bedhead.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
who cares? it is meaningless, no credibility what so ever.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Hold up. Bethany Frankel?? sigh. I’m sure Snookie and The Situation (who has single handedly ruined the formerly perfectly serviceable word “situation”) are up there somewhere too. Maybe the world WILL end on Saturday…
Report this comment as spam or abuse
I want to punch Taylor Swift in the face and balls!
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Where are the 65 million Kardashians? I did not see them on the list so does that make them liars?
Report this comment as spam or abuse
GaGa is up there only because of the morons who put her there. And here am I think we live within an intelligent culture.
Report this comment as spam or abuse