We Get It Forbes -- Oprah is Rich

Oprah225.jpg

Although Forbes bumped Oprah Winfrey to second place in their 2009 Celebrity Power Rankings (behind Angeline Jolie), she is still untouchable when it comes to money-making. And this fall's introduction of the Oprah Winfrey Network will only increase her three-fold lead over runner-up, Dr. Phil. The complete list of top talk show earners, who raked in a total of nearly $600 million last year, after the jump.

Estimations for what the talking heads pulled in between June 1, 2008 and June 1, 2009 are as follows:

1. Oprah Winfrey, $275 million

2. Dr. Phil McGraw, $80 million

3. David Letterman, $45 million

4. Ellen Degeneres, $35 million

5. Jay Leno, $32 million

6. Tyra Banks, $30 million

7. Regis Philbin, $27 million

8. Rachael Ray/Conan O'Brien, $15 million (tie)

10. Jon Stewart, $14 million

· Oprah still TV's best-paid talk show host [Forbes]



Comments

  • doug says:

    Do us all a favor oprah and kill yourself you greedy ass.

  • Jean Smith says:

    I am happy to see these people prosper. I know they worked hard to get where they are. I used to live comfortably, never rich, but had a good paying job and was able to pay my bills. After being displaced and other problems, I struggle daily. Right now I'm facing foreclosure of my home. Which is also home to about 50 critters. I have to turn down animals looking for homes as I'm having a hard time taking care of those I have. I have found homes for some.
    I pray for a loan from someone that could afford small payments back, $500.00 a month? I do work but don't make enough to cover the bills I have. I do want to pay them and want to be able to take better care of the animals I have.
    If I ever get back on my feet I will go back to helping others.
    Sincerely,
    Jean

  • Man from Modesto says:

    It seems that the more evil work one is willing to "sell out" for, the more money one can make. From Oprah's false church to Stewart's mocking protesters at the Town Hall meetings (filled with ACORN nuts before the locals are seated.) in which stooges from out of town jump up and say ridiculous things and slap locals while pretending to be from some other part of town. It's all a charade to lead people away from Christ. It's all satanic.

  • Pat says:

    I'm ashamed to live in a world where Dr. Phil makes THAT much more than Letterman.

  • DAVID MALONEY says:

    It is an insult to the american public that this worthless women,hauls in this much loot, she should contribute it all to charity,for making america watch her stupid show...

  • Yinka Oyesanya says:

    Well done Oprah. Even though you are a lady, you are still a source of inspiration to me. Please, keep up the good work.

  • nana osei says:

    it's good to be rich, wow!!!!!!!!!!

  • Peat Mann says:

    It is totally obscene to make that much money per annum and NOT redistribute amongst the needy. It seems the more you get the more you want.
    Just remember you can't take it with you and if you are a so-called Christian - 'It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven'.

  • Amazon13 says:

    I too was totally ecstatic when Oprah arrived in 1986 on air in Oakland California. So much so I went out and purchased my very first VCR so that I wouldn't miss a single show. I would tape them all week and watch them all on the weekend. She was a real humanitarian then possessing qualities she will never again have in this life time. She use to believe in "GOD" and let everybody know it without hesitation, Now she say she's very spiritual.
    I have lost a lot of faith and confidence in her as a person since she is a Black woman who seems to only have one Black friend, Gail. I have set back and watched over the years as she have introduced many of her "Experts" on her show but I'm still waiting for her to introduce her first "Black" expert to the world! Many of those "Experts" have gone on to become Multimillionaires in their own venue. Obviously, Oprah wasn't able to find any "Black Experts" in her circle of experts!
    For that reason, I find Oprah not so interesting any more, she have the platform and has proven that people listen to her yet in her reign she's never realized that the world has for 100's of years thought of Black people as being ignorant and a few other choice stereo typical classifications over time,and obviously she intend to keep it that way... At least for a few more years by not having on her show people of color who are experts at what they do so that Black children can see on the Oprah Winfrey show someone who looks like them, other than herself, that's educated enough and have the expertise to be refereed by Oprah Winfrey as an expert.
    The only way that people are recognized for their contributions to society is through exposure. From the time that television was invented and introduced to the world Black people have seen nothing but a white society in our living rooms with little black children not having any one on television to identify with until the last 30 years or so and in my eyesight Oprah hasn't done a lot in the 23 years that she has been on the Air to create a significant difference in that protocol, and that has deeply saddened me over the last ten years of her being on the air! What a shame, she has had the platform do really make a difference and change the way that Blacks are seen and portrayed in the eyes of the world!
    Every expert that she has taken under her wing, somewhere in America there's a Black equivalent to a Dr. Phil, Nate Berkus, Dr. Mehmet Oz,
    Martha Beck, Bob Greene, Jean Chatzky, Rachel Ray all of whom, if not already Millionaires will son become one. I'm sure many people who read this is going to say that I'm jealous, I'm a racist and a few other prime adjectives, verbs and nouns and that is to be expected. I believe in God, my race, Education and that one day Black people will out live the stereo typical category that all Blacks have unfortunately been placed in because of the lack of exposure to the world.
    Of those other than crack heads, murderers, ignoramuses, thieves and the lack because these kind of people come in all flavors, shapes and forms. I pray that one day before Oprah decide to air her last show that maybe she will by then will have met a Black person other than herself that she consider an expert in some field or another other than makeup and Hair Stylist! Oprah's smart that's why she hire and surround herself with smart people! Oprah, please leave a legacy when you decide to pass on your reign show the world that there are a lot more intelligent black people in the world than the media portray.

  • Daniel Michael says:

    Oprah is respected by people all over the world for her ability to notice little things in life and her open heartedness. She is lovely and cares about other people. Any one who loves will be loved, any one who contributes positively to the happiness of others can as well be rich and happy like "O" !!

  • Mike says:

    Hey Doug maybe you should get a job ok thanks...

  • Crazy Monkey says:

    Yet another reason just not to care about celebrities.
    Detachment from society to not the way to get popularity, to will only lead to public animosity.

  • VoV says:

    I guess Forbes doesn't consider major Holllywood Producer/Directors as celebrities, because there are two guys left off that list that are both a whole lot richer than Oprah ==
    George Lucas (Tied for 205th Richest Man in the World -- Forbes List of Billionaires 03/2009) $3.0 Billion EST. Worth
    Steven Spielberg (Tied for 205th Richest Man in the World -- Forbes List of Billionaires 03/2009) $3.0 Billion EST. Worth
    So Oprah and her magazine can go take her piddly $275 million and cry in the corner.

  • sugarrhill says:

    She does. In fact, more than any other celebrity.
    And what's with all th JC talk in this thread? Did Drudge link to this page or something?

  • sailbum says:

    Oprah does not deserve the accolades that are heaped on her. She does a very poor job of vetting the people she brings on her show and fails to provide balanced views. She will bring on one so called expert to voice their opinion, but she never brings on those with competing views for balance. She lets people like Suzanne Summers go on and on about progesterone as the cure for everything but fails to bring on a medical expert who would point out the dangers in what Summers is preaching. This is just one example, and there are many more where her experts have espoused views that are down right dangerous to people. And I do not even need to mention the number of times she has been duped into bringing on guests whose story of personal triumph or other feat has turned out to be a total fabrication. Oprah is one of the most irresponsible people on TV. She knows that people will tak what they hear on her show as gospel, but fails to verify the information she and her guests present or bring on others to provide balance. Oprah should be taken off the air before someone dies from following her guests' or her advice - that is if it hasn't happened already. Oprah has enough money to cover up any such incidents by paying off the families of those that have been hurt/died.

  • stolidog says:

    Jeez, you'd think she was ripping babies apart on screen and eating their hearts. Save your vitriol for Sandra Lee, she deserves it.

  • FrancoisTrueFaux says:

    Man, have I got a prince in Nigeria that you should talk to. . .

  • FrancoisTrueFaux says:

    Re-read above. This is just one year's income between 6/1/08 and 6/1/09, and also restricted to only talk show hosts.

  • Lowbrow says:

    Yes, being female her brain is 25% smaller than that of, say, Dr. Phil- but I'm glad that you don't hold that against her.