OPRAH NO1 BUT DOWN $88 MILLION

Oprah Winfrey tops the list of the world’s ‘most powerful celebrities’, according to Forbes’ annual rankings for 2013 of top movers and shakers in the entertainment industry.  Oprah is said to have made an estimated $77 million (Sh6.6 billion) between June 2012 and June 2013. This amount is actually $88 million less than the $165 million she earned according to last year’s Forbes ratings which placed her second to singer Jennifer Lopez ($52m).

JENNIFER LOPEZ MORE IDLE AFTER IDOL

Surprisingly, Jennifer Lopez whose position as a judge on American Idol, according to Forbes, helped her become the most powerful celebrity in the world last year, falls to 12th place on Forbes’ list this time around.

Pop star Lady Gaga takes the second place in the list of ‘The Most Powerful Celebrities’ after Oprah, up from the fifth position in 2012’s Forbes’ annual rankings. Her income rose from $52m to $80 million (sh6.8 billion) between June 2012 and June 2013.

Film director-producer Steven Spielberg (Lincoln, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List and Jaws) takes the third slot with $100million, with Singer Beyonce fourth place on earnings of $53 million (Sh4.6 billion).

THE RETURN OF MADONNA

Madonna makes a return to 2013 Forbes list of most powerful celebrities and takes the fifth place this year after two years off the list. She earned $125 million (Sh10.8 billion) emerging as the top earner thanks to a world tour that helped her cash in $125 million between June 2012 and June 2013.

Taylor Swift is sixth on the list with $55 million (sh 4.7 billion), Rock Band Bon Jovi in seventh position with $79 million (Sh 6.79), and tennis player Roger Federer (just knocked out of the second round at Wimbledon) eighth on the list with an income of  $71 million within the same period, the only athlete to make it into the list’s top ten.

Teen pop singer Justin Bieber was ninth on the list down from third last year ($55 million) with an income of $58 million up to June this year, and TV Host / comedian Ellen DeGeneres was the tenth most powerful celebrity with an income of $56 million within the same period.

KARDASHIAN DOWN, ADELE AND BRITNEY OUT

It seems like things aren’t going so well for most talked about star, Kim Kardashian , who dropped to 66th position with an income of $10 million, down from the  seventh place ($18M) in the 2012 Forbes list.

Conspicuously missing from the list are singers Adele and Britney Spears, and Hollywood sensation Johnny Depp who is known to comfortably demand $20 million or more per film (he can ‘demand’ but he might not get it!). However, as Forbes asserts, “Depp is indisputably still one of the most powerful celebrities in Hollywood”.

HOW FORBES MAKE UP THE ‘MOST POWERFUL CELEBRITY’ LIST

The Forbes Celebrity 100 attempts to measure the most transient of celebrity riches factoring in fame, celebrity earnings over the last 12 months, a tally of how often each celebrity is mentioned in print and on TV. Forbes also gauges the strength of their Internet presence and how they’re viewed by American consumers. In other words, you may not be the highest earner on the list but a strong fame coupled with press mentions and social networking power, together with plenty of money, gives a celebrity an edge.

This numerous factors explain why for instance Madonna appears fifth on Forbes annual rankings for 2013, despite being the highest earner with $125 million (Sh10.8 billion) yet Oprah tops the list ($77 million).

Justin Bieber is named as the most social networking power of the 100 celebrities on Forbes’ 2013 list, followed by Rihanna and Lady Gaga.

For more details: ‘Forbes 2013 List of the Most Powerful Celebrities’