In these tough economic times, it's reassuring to know that a 17-year-old with big dreams, a raspy voice and a penchant for skimpy stage outfits can pull in more cash than most small countries.
Yes, Forbes magazine has announced its list of the 100 most powerful celebrities in the world, and the usual suspects, many of whom are so culturally omnipresent they go by a single name, are all there: Oprah (No. 1), Beyonce (No. 2), Bono (U2, No. 7), Madonna (No. 10). This year's crop is especially notable, however, for the new faces that made the list -- with Lady Gaga landing at No. 4 and 'Twilight' stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart debuting at Nos. 50 and 66, respectively.
Forbes weighs money earned with the amount of press coverage a star receives when compiling its list of the year's most powerful stars. So it's really no surprise that O takes the top spot again -- her third time atop the list in the last four years. In the last year, she earned $315 million and announced the expansion of her media empire with the upcoming launch of OWN -- The Oprah Winfrey Network.
With album sales at record lows, every musician in the top 20 earned the vast majority of their income from touring revenue. Beyonce pulled in $87 million with her 'I Am' world tour and multiple endorsement deals. Madonna, whose 'Sticky & Sweet Tour' is the top grosser ever for a solo artist, earned upwards of $58 million from the road show's 2009 summer leg. Britney Spears ranked No. 6 this year on the strength of her 'Circus' world tour, which grossed $130 million and was 2009's fifth biggest show.
Like pop mama Madge, Gaga earned most of her cash ($62 million) on the road. Combined with intense media coverage of her every move and a slew of lucrative endorsement deals, the pantless one came in at No. 4, the highest debut on the list.
Also making their first appearances, Pattinson and Stewart, who earned $17 million and $12 million, respectively, and saw themselves become prime tabloid fodder courtesy of a rumored romance. Expect both to appear on the Forbes list for some time: The final book in the 'Twilight Saga,' 'Breaking Dawn,' will be split up into two separate films, and the franchises latest flick, 'Eclipse,' hits theaters tomorrow.
After what was undoubtedly a rough year personally, Sandra Bullock can take comfort in her enormous professional successes. Bullock ranked at No. 8, having scored two hit movies, 'The Blind Side' and 'The Proposal,' and an Oscar win. Last year, she came in at No. 98, making hers the biggest jump on the list.
As for the aforementioned 17 year old, Miley Cyrus, she came in at No. 13 with $48 million earned. Like Gaga -- and Madonna and Britney and Beyonce -- we assume she did not spend much of it on pants.
And just how much did the lowest earner on the list, No. 99's Jennifer Love Hewitt, rake in from June 1, 2009, to June 1, 2010, you ask? A mere $6.5 million. Somehow we imagine she'll manage just fine.
We may have discovered the reason behind Kristen Stewart's serious look on the red carpet: She's worried the crush of fans and paparazzi could someday rise up and kill her!
The actress, who's been busy these days with 'Twilight'-related appearances, tells Britain's Hello! magazine that she struggles to "keep myself from crying sometimes" at events upon realizing how quickly things could get ugly.
"I don't feel very comfortable on the red carpet," she said. "I look out there at a thousand people and I realize they could rush me and assassinate me. No security could protect me. Ostensibly they're fans, but I think about them turning on me."
At the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' last week, Stewart smiled and appeared at ease while working the red carpet alongside co-stars Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner.
"It's a job," she told a reporter. "It's only crazy like this at these premieres, but otherwise I live a very normal life. I don't need anything else to ground me."
The film opened Wednesday and raked in a record $65 million at the box office, according to early estimates. Analysts expect it to ring up at least $150 million in its first five days, ensuring that the bankable Stewart will be walking red carpet for years to come.
Afshan Azad's father and brother threatened to kill the 23-year-old actress, E!Online reports. Azad, who plays Padma Patil in the 'Harry Potter' movies, was allegedly attacked on May 21.
Her father, Abdul Azad, and brother, Ashraf Azad, have both been charged with threatening to kill her during a fight in her Manchester home in May. Her brother, Ashraf, 28, has also been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Details about the alleged attack are sparse.
Abdul, 54, and Ashraf were in court earlier this week to face the charges brought against them and were subsequently released on bail. Court will reconvene on July 12 while committal proceedings occur to move the case to Manchester Crown Court.
The next 'Harry Potter' film starring the actress, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1', opens in theaters November 19. Azad's role as Padma Patil is her first professional role.
Like any normal girl, Lindsay Lohan celebrated her 24th birthday by club-hopping with close friends, chugging Red Bulls like it's going out of style and, of course, getting punched in the face by a waitress.
The [insert 'Mean Girls' or "troubled" here] actress was out at club Voyeur in LA early Friday morning when this happened: "A waitress just hit me," she announced on Twitter. "Punched me for no reason."
While she is famous for oversharing and, at times, exaggerating on the micro-blogging site, Lohan's bizarre claim may hold some truth to it. She said there was "no reason" for the alleged attack. There are conflicting reports as one eyewitness told Usmagazine.com that the waitress in question was angry with Lohan because she was hanging out with Doug Reinhardt, Paris Hilton's ex.
"The waitress has a history with [Reinhardt]," the witness said. "She was jealous, and out of nowhere, the waitress punched her in the face! Doug didn't want any part of it and went to the other side of the booth. Lohan ran out."
Another eye witness tells TMZ that the waitress flipped when her old fling, a rugby player named Danny Cipriani, walked into the resturant with Lohan.
Managers at Voyeur are meeting today to decide if they should fire the waitress.
Lohan reportedly moved her b'day festivities to the nearby Rockstar House, but yet again the waitress was there to greet her.
"Lohan showed up and cried because the waitress was there as well," said another witness. "Some birthday."
Like any normal girl, Lindsay Lohan celebrated her 24th birthday by club-hopping with close friends, chugging Red Bulls like it's going out of style and, of course, getting punched in the face by a waitress.
The [insert 'Mean Girls' or "troubled" here] actress was out at club Voyeur in LA early Friday morning when this happened: "A waitress just hit me," she announced on Twitter. "Punched me for no reason."
While she is famous for oversharing and, at times, exaggerating on the micro-blogging site, Lohan's bizarre claim may hold some truth to it. She said there was "no reason" for the alleged attack. There are conflicting reports as one eyewitness told Usmagazine.com that the waitress in question was angry with Lohan because she was hanging out with Doug Reinhardt, Paris Hilton's ex.
"The waitress has a history with [Reinhardt]," the witness said. "She was jealous, and out of nowhere, the waitress punched her in the face! Doug didn't want any part of it and went to the other side of the booth. Lohan ran out."
Another eye witness tells TMZ that the waitress flipped when her old fling, a rugby player named Danny Cipriani, walked into the resturant with Lohan.
Managers at Voyeur are meeting today to decide if they should fire the waitress.
Lohan reportedly moved her b'day festivities to the nearby Rockstar House, but yet again the waitress was there to greet her.
"Lohan showed up and cried because the waitress was there as well," said another witness. "Some birthday."
ctor Johnathon Schaech and Jana Kramer exchanged vows during a July 4 wedding, OK! Magazine reports.
"Jana and Johnathon were married in an intimate outdoor ceremony in Glen Arbor, MI to the witness of 100 close friends and family," a rep for Schaech said. The 26-year-old 'One Tree Hill' wore a custom-made Jim Hjelm wedding gown.
The couple met on the set of the movie' Prom Night' and on December 22, 2009, Schaech popped the question.
Schaech was previously married to actress Christina Applegate, but the pair divorced in 2007. Kramer is most known for her role in The CW's 'One Tree Hill' as Alex, an actress who becomes the new face of Brooke's fashion line, "Clothes Over Bros".
Schaech's career in movies and television dates back to 1993. He has appeared in movies such as 'Prom Night' and 'That Thing You Do!'
According to TMZ.com, Jessica Simpson has a new man, and surprise, surprise, he used to be a baller!
The singer-actress has admitted that she started dating former NFLer Eric Johnson last month and sources say they are smitten with each other.
One said: "They are very happy."
Johnson -- who has previously played for the San Francisco 49ers and the New Orleans Saints -- split from his wife earlier this year and filed for divorce in February.
Although she was romantically linked to Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan late last year, Simpson hasn't been in a serious relationship since ex-boyfriend Tony Romo dumped her on her 29th birthday.
Despite the way Romo ended their romance, Simpson insists they are still friends.
She has said: "Tony is great, still a friend of mine. I still look at his cute butt in the outfit/uniform. What went wrong? You'd have to ask him that. He broke up with me on my birthday... but we are still good friends."
The 29-year-old blonde beauty was previously married to singer Nick Lachey and dated John Mayer for nine months.
Janet Jackson made her first live performance in two years Friday night at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, and by the looks of it, the 44-year-old pop icon worked her butt off.
A glistening Jackson wore a futuristic looking silver number at the event, which she headlined, and was accompanied by a bevy of backup dancers. In concertgoer videos, Jackson's voice sounds strong and the crowd certainly enjoyed the rare performance, her first since her brother Michael's death. It's also the singer's only scheduled concert for 2010, so if you missed it, too bad! Watch Ms. Jackson perform 'Let's Wait Awhile' and check out pics from the event,
Nothing lasts forever. (Except cellulite.) But when it comes to celluloid, not even the best shows can hang on indefinitely.
Steve Carell is leaving 'The Office' after next season, Larry King will switch off the mic this fall and Oprah will step down from her daytime TV throne next year -- so how will these shows (or the holes they leave in their timeslots) fare without their star attractions? Before we get to that answer, let's saunter down memory lane and examine what happened to old hit shows when their head honcho or honchette, leading lady or proverbial King of the World, left for lives outside the magical box of television.
'ER' -- George Clooney George Clooney is the model for transitioning from the small screen to the big one. After appearing in an unfortunate number of failed TV pilots, Clooney finally shot to television superstardom as maverick doctor Doug Ross on 'ER.' He parlayed his summer vacations into a fledgling movie career until he had enough cachet to become as big as, well, the George Clooney we know today. 'ER' stayed atop the Nielsen ratings for years, despite the departures of not only Clooney but also Eriq La Salle (Dr. Peter Benton), Anthony Edwards (Dr. Mark Greene) and even the show's longest-running star, Noah Wyle (Dr. John Carter).
'Law & Order' -- Chris Noth, Michael Moriarty, Jerry Orbach 'L&O' is the king of television cast turnover. It feels like everyone who has ever been an actor in New York has been on, and then not on, 'L&O.' Some went big, literally -- Chris Noth (Det. Mike Logan) portrayed Mr. Big in 'Sex and the City.' Others went small -- Michael Moriarty (District Attorney Ben Stone) puttered around in minor roles until winning an Emmy in 'Jimmy Dean.' Others went to a brighter, happier stage in the sky -- Jerry Orbach, who played the wickedly acerbic Lennie Briscoe, died in 2004 after a long run on 'L&O' and even longer run on Broadway in such shows as 'The Fantasticks.' While it was recently canceled, the show held on strong for years, spawning successful spin-offs in the process.
'Saturday Night Live' -- Chevy Chase (and pretty much every other funny person in Hollywood) 'SNL' is the pipeline for Hollywood comedic acting. One of the show's earliest crises was the loss of its first breakout star, Chevy ('Weekend Update') Chase. But the series was the little engine that could and kept right on chugging, losing talent almost as fast as it birthed it. After Chase, the show's losses became Hollywood's gain. John Belushi. Bill Murray. Dan Aykroyd. Eddie Murphy. Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Robert Downey Jr. Will Ferrell. Jimmy Fallon. Tina Fey. Whew -- that's just some of the names!
'House' -- Jesse Spencer, Jennifer Morrison, Omar Epps and Kal Penn This show literally cleared house after season three, as the Vicodin-popping doctor banished Dr. Robert Chase (Jesse Spencer) while Dr. Allison Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) and Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps) resigned in protest. After recruiting a new diagnostic team the following season, replacement doctor Lawrence Kutner (Kal Penn) was eventually written out of the show to accommodate Penn's political aspirations. He was named Barack Obama's associate director of public engagement. After the chopping block at the end of season three, 'House' went from No. 7 in the Nielsen ratings to No. 8 the following year, and has remained in the high teens ever since.
'CSI' -- William Petersen 'CSI' is the poster child for smooth transitions between major characters. After losing the cool professionalism of William "Grissom" Petersen, 'CSI' was able to entice an even bigger name into the fold -- the bassy gravitas of Laurence "Ray Langston" Fishburne (Morpheus from 'The Matrix'). The show has seen some signs of ratings decline (ending the year at No. 4 in the Nielsen ratings during the transition from Petersen to Fishburne, and No. 8 this past year), but this long-running ratings hit still has some life left in it. 'M*A*S*H' -- McLean Stevenson, Wayne Rogers, Larry Linville 'M*A*S*H' benefited from having its anchor, star Alan "Hawkeye Pierce" Alda, for its entire run. And despite the loss of its former commanding officer, Colonel Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson), Swamp-mate Trapper John (Wayne Rogers) and comedic foil Frank Burns (Larry Linville), Mobile Army Surgical Hospital #4077 just kept administering laugh after laugh, culminating in the highest Nielsen rating ever for a show finale until it was surpassed by Super Bowl XLIV in 2010.
'Cheers' -- Nicholas Colasanto, Shelley Long Similar to 'M*A*S*H,' which was able to replace like-with-like, 'Cheers' kept its Nielsen ratings up by replacing older characters with similar new ones. Hot-headed blonde Diane (Shelley Long) Chambers' saucy attitude was followed by the raven-haired Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) Howe. The untimely death of dimwitted older barkeep Nicholas (Ernie "Coach" Pantusso) Colasanto was offset by the dimwitted younger barkeep Woody (Woody Boyd) Harrelson. After making it to its fourth season, the show remained in the Nielsen top 10 until last call in season 11.
'All in the Family' -- Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers Rob Reiner wasn't producer Norman Lear's only choice to portray Mike "Meathead" Stivic, the left-leaning counterweight to Archie Bunker's outrageousness. There also was Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss. But when combined with Gloria (as portrayed by Sally Struthers), they provided a little ying to Archie's yang. When they left, the show was bereft of some of Archie's fatherly love.
'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' -- Regis Philbin Is there a more popular name in television than Regis Philbin? From 'The Joey Bishop Show' (1967 to 1969) to 'Live with Regis and Kathie Lee,' the first season of 'America's Got Talent' to his late night appearances on 'Letterman,' the man is everywhere on the small screen. According to the Guinness World Book of Records, the Reeg has spent more time in front of a television camera than any other person in history -- including Ron Burgundy. But when a syndicated daytime version of the show was announced and Regis left 'Millionaire,' Meredith Vieira took over the new one and neither she, nor the series, has looked back, though it became a slightly different animal.
