Oprah Winfrey is, for a second consecutive year, at the very top of the most powerful celebrity list compiled by Forbes magazine. Making it to the top was not only based on income earned over the past 12 months. Web references, press clippings, broadcast mentions and major magazine covers devoted to the celebrity helped her grab the coveted position from other celebrities who did not meet all the criteria necessary to make it to the top.
Oprah is on top of the pile. The famous talk show host was selected as the most influential entertainer in the world, by none other than the famous Forbes magazine, out of one hundred celebrities from all over the world, followed by Tiger Woods the golfer (2nd). Beyoncé Knowles and her husband Jay-Z also made it to the top ten, followed by others like, Will Smith (11th), Steven Spielberg the film producer (13th), Michael Jordan (18th) Madonna the mega pop star (21st).
Miss Winfrey has already been there. It is her second consecutive year on the star throne. In all, her fifth time on top of the prestigious list. A well nourished bank account and fame, lots of fame, have been the determining factors.
Did someone say money isn’t everything…
Income earned between the months of June 2007 and June 2008 was one of the major yardsticks. According to the Forbes magazine, Miss Winfrey earned US$ 275 million in the past year, second to J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Porter adventures.
J.K. Rowling could have traded her 9th position for the first, had her press appearances been more frequent. Angelina Jolie who came 3rd with her partner Brad Pitt in 10th place, were an object of the press. She was classed 1st, 9th and 15th in Web references, Press clippings and Broadcast mentions, respectively.
… but popularity is the key element
Her US$14 million income did not help her beat Oprah Winfrey who, besides her US$275 million ranked 2nd in Web referencing, 5th in Press clippings and 1st in Broadcast mentions. Without a shadow of doubt, the queen of talk’s Angel Network which helped build a primary school for girls in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa played a major role.
For more on the Forbes ranking
