Forbe’s Celebrity 100
…or at least the Forbes’ Celebrity 100.
The mag released its annual list and guess who made it to the number one spot this year? The one, the only Ms. Oprah Winfrey who brought in a whopping $315 million last year and bumped last year’s woman on top, Angelina Jolie out of her spot. (Brad’s baby momma came in at number 18 this year.)
Beyoncé came in second with an estimated earnings of $87 million (hubby Jay-Z only contributed $63 mil and landed at number 15).
Despite the worldwide recession, Forbes said that celebrity earnings remain “remarkably resilient, with this year’s stars having earned a collective $4.7 billion during the past year, up from $4.1 billion in 2009.”
“Avatar” director James Cameron jumped back onto the Forbes list for the first time since 1999, landing at No. 3 after his movie earned a record $2.7 billion at worldwide box offices.
Glam pop star Lady Gaga made the list for the first time, taking fourth place with estimated earnings of $62 million.
Golfer Tiger Woods is the world’s fifth most powerful celebrity, despite a sex scandal that took him out of golfing for five months and lost him several lucrative endorsements. (Wonder if we’ll ever find out exactly how much of those earnings went to his mistresses?)
“He managed to earn $105 million during the past year, even as his revenue streams have diminished and his golf course design business struggles in the global economy,” said Forbes.
The Forbes’ rankings are based on a complicated science, measuring entertainment-related earnings over the past 12 months as well as exposure in print, television, radio, online, and social media.
The top five on the Forbes’ 2010 Celebrity 100 list are:
1. Oprah Winfrey, $315 million
2. Beyonce Knowles, $87 million
3. James Cameron, $210 million
4. Lady Gaga, $62 million
5. Tiger Woods, $105 million
The full list can be seen at www.forbes.com/celebs
