# Who are the wealthiest entertainers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 29, 2002, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434 "2002-07-29T22:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/1 "2002-07-29T22:04:36Z")
For the purpose of this thread we’ll just include TV, Music, and Movies. I don’t really care about sports 😉 Will Smith’s combined salary from imdb shows him at over $143m, not to mention his TV show, his music, and 10% of a few high grossing movies. I believe Oprah is worth over a billion (or at least at one time she was?) but I imagine alot of that is from her magazine, which would disqualify her. Jay-Z claims (in a song) to be worth “over 100 million” I think I’ve read that Schwarzenegger and Bill Cosby are both worth over a billion (someone correct me?) I’m sure Paul and Ringo must be worth quite a bit but no idea how much. The guys from Aerosmith, for no other reason than amazing longevity must be worth a ton. The guys from Pink Floyd probably aren’t hurting either. So who else is worth **alot**? Who has the most? ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/2 "2002-07-30T00:23:30Z")
Michael Jackson used to be incredibly wealthy but reports are that he’s quickly losing money. Blame Tommy Motolla. Whatever. Sir Paul is easily worth millions. It pains me to say it but Martha Stewart has built herself quite an empire. And, of course, there’s George Lucas and J.K. Rowling. Getting a cut of the merchandising makes all the difference at the bank. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/3 "2002-07-30T00:25:30Z")
Let’s not forget Sigfried and Roy. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/4 "2002-07-30T00:37:54Z")
I think it’s because they had astute accountants and business managers who got them into a position of owning the store, not just working for the owner. If you’re able to get gross points on a series of blockbusters and you have career longevity, you can make money long after the project has been released domestically(overseas release, video and dvd release, etc.). This is a very general answer which leaves out a lot of details. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/5 "2002-07-30T00:38:10Z")
Paul Mcartney is worth a ton, but I have always heard that due to wise investing, David Bowie has more money and is the wealthiest singer. Bill Cosby is also worth a ton. I believe Tom Cruise has made the most movies with a high price tag, though Harrison Ford does quite a few as well. ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/6 "2002-07-30T00:55:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mahaloth \* > **Paul Mcartney is worth a ton, but I have always heard that due to wise investing, David Bowie has more money and is the wealthiest singer.** No. Wrong. NOT EVEN CLOSE. Bowie was quite close to bankruptcy before he became the first rock star to issue bonds in his own name, which netted him around $45 million. Paul McCartney could buy and sell David Bowie **at least** 30 times over. McCartney is the world’s most wealthy rock star with total holdings of around $950,000,000,000-$1,000,000,000,000. He is far and away the wealthiest rock star. Hell, he got **OVER** $100,000,000 in royalties just from the CD release of the Anthology series. He has invested wisely but he would be much richer if he had the rights to the Beatles catalog, unfortunately Michael Jackson now has those. If McCartney had the rights it has been estimated that his net worth would be in the area of $2,000,000,000, which is just enough to get by.😃 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/7 "2002-07-30T01:11:15Z")
While not showing the net worth of individuals the [Forbes](http://www.forbes.com/celebrities2002/home.html?passListId=53&passYear=2002&passListType=Person) listing of earnings is impressive. Just click on pay to see the list in order. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/8 "2002-07-30T01:15:51Z")
WSLer, you have about three extra 0s on there. I remember reading once, about 15 years ago, that Cheech Marin was one of the wealthiest actors. His movies made lots, cost little, and he made sure he got a share of all the royalties, etc. He also invested wisely. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/9 "2002-07-30T01:32:54Z")
[Forbes](http://www.forbes.com/2002/02/28/billionaires.html) also has a searchable list of every billionaire on earth. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/10 "2002-07-31T02:23:38Z")
Even though he will not disclose his worth, and he has a big ego. Howard Stern is one of the wealthiest and influential entertainers. ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/11 "2002-07-31T02:36:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don’t ask \* > \*\*[Forbes](http://www.forbes.com/2002/02/28/billionaires.html) also has a searchable list of every billionaire on earth. \*\* Better yet, just go straight to their [Celebrities List](http://www.forbes.com/static_html/celebs/2002.html) and view the rankings by pay. ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/12 "2002-07-31T02:40:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Badtz Maru \* > \*\*WSLer, you have about three extra 0s on there. > \*\* /Semi-irate voice/ Whattaya mean, those numbers are corr…oh.:smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: Whoops.:rolleyes: :eek: Now I must :smack: myself 53 times about the head and shoulders with a wet haddock as punishment for my error(s). ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/13 "2002-07-31T03:12:20Z")
And so, which of these wealthy entertainers makes the best philanthropic use of their money? Is Paul the only one to have done something on the scale of underwriting an arts college? For the sake of discussion, let’s not count just “giving it away to charity”. That doesn’t have as much class and originality. ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-wealthiest-entertainers/121434/14 "2002-07-31T03:23:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don’t ask \* > \*\*While not showing the net worth of individuals the [Forbes](http://www.forbes.com/celebrities2002/home.html?passListId=53&passYear=2002&passListType=Person) listing of earnings is impressive. Just click on pay to see the list in order. \*\* > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by yours truly_ > **Better yet, just go straight to their [Celebrities List](http://www.forbes.com/static_html/celebs/2002.html) and view the rankings by pay.** :smack: Crap! Where did _that_ come from? At least my link points to a different page. :o