In the wired world, where
everyone has access to a camera, a screen or both, it is easier than
ever to find fleeting fame. A hit TV show will do the trick: The cast
of Desperate Housewives, largely unknown less than a year ago,
is all but overexposed today. Nowadays you can be famous just for
being famous--see Paris Hilton--or for having a run of good
luck, as Ken Jennings did during his six-month winning stint on
Jeopardy!
Yet some stars earn their status by good old-fashioned accomplishment.
Tiger Woods has won 60 tournaments in ten years. George
Lucas' lifework, his Star Wars franchise, has generated billions
of dollars in ticket and merchandise sales over three decades. Though
Revenge of the Sith is his last chapter, profits will flow to
him for years to come.
And Oprah Winfrey, who perennially ranks near the top of our
Celebrity 100 list, takes the No. 1 spot this year for the first time.
After 21 years, her daytime chat-fest still rules the airwaves,
minting new celebs--and hundreds of millions of dollars in profits.
