The Gabble Mouth: Forbes' 2012 Highest Paid Celebrities List

Friday, September 7, 2012

Forbes' 2012 Highest Paid Celebrities List

Forbes released their new, 2012 Highest Paid Celebrities list this week, and it's Oprah Winfrey who tops the list. However, one hip-hop celeb managed to make the top 5... his name is Dr. Dre. Despite wrapping up her syndicated talk show last year after a 25-year run, Oprah continues to make dough. Through her company, Harpo productions, sbe still has her hand in Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray and The Dr. Oz Show. There’s her magazine, O,and her satellite radio station, as well as her struggle cable network, OWN. The magazine estimates that O earned $165 million between May 2011 and May 2012.

In the second, third and fourth spots are all directors and producers, including Transformers director Michael Bay at #2 with $160 million; the legendary Steven Spielberg at #3 with $130; and Jerry Bruckheimer with $115.

Dre comes in at #5, making the list with estimated earnings of $110 million. The super producer raked in the dough through, what else, but his popular line of headphones, Beats By Dre. In August handset maker HTC paid $300 million for a 51% stake in Beats by Dr. Dre, the headphone company he co-founded with Interscope chief Jimmy Iovine in 2006. Each owned about a third of the company, pocketing about $100 million apiece, before taxes, from last summer's deal.

Others who made the top 20 list including Tyler Perry, Howard Stern, Elton John, Manny Pacquiao, Donald Trump, Britney Spears, and Tiger Woods, among others.
Forbes says they determine the highest-paid celebrities by considering upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work. The magazine talked to manager, agents, lawyers and other in-the-know folks to come up with our estimates.

Below is the full list (via Forbes.com):

1. Oprah Winfrey - $165 million