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Do celebrities have too much power?
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has replaced talk show host Oprah Winfrey as most the powerful celebrity in the world according to Forbes magazine. Has the right choice been made?
The study carried out for the business magazine says that Ms Jolie’s rise is due to high-profile roles in films such as Wanted and Kung Fu Panda.
Madonna was third in the chart, followed by singer Beyonce and golfer Tiger Woods - the only man in the top five.
However, Ms Winfrey remains the top celebrity earner, taking home $275m (£186m).
Do you agree with the Forbes survey? Can celebrities have too much power? What are your thoughts on the dominance of women in the chart?
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Published:
Thursday, 4 June, 2009, 10:06 GMT
11:06 UK
All comments as they come in
Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:39 GMT
10:39 UK
It is the fault of ordinary people if celebrities seem to wield too much power & influence. These people are just entertainers.
A few decades ago, entertainers were not considered to be respectable members of society, due to their louche & hedonistic lifestyle. It seems that their lifestyle hasn't changed since then; what has changed is the attitudes of ordinary people, who instead of turning up their noses at this behaviour, now venerate it & wish to emulate it.
[Halfhybrid], Warwick, United Kingdom
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:32 GMT
10:32 UK
Angelina who???
DZ, Howesmere
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:30 GMT
10:30 UK
angelina jolie can,t be the first!!! if it true try to explain
carlos, france
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:27 GMT
10:27 UK
Well the power they mean is the power to influence the everyday impressionable teenager or housewife - the celebrities have a huge effect on what we want to wear, eat and who to like and these people have a moral responsibility to their fans. It is rather sickening as to how much they earn.
Richard M, Stockholm
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:21 GMT
10:21 UK
We have developed a very sad culture in this country of sad people who want to know about the lives of celebrities (a very loose word indeed). They are usually people who are successful in their chosen professions, to which I say good luck to them, but what they do has no bearing on my life at all. Most of the so-called celebrities are not worthy of all the attention they get. Why so many people avidly follow their lives is a complete mystery to me, all I can say is that they must be very sad!
Peter, Banbury
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:19 GMT
10:19 UK
Was this an adoption power top five ?
J S Mitchell, London, United Kingdom
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:17 GMT
10:17 UK
It's always baffled me as to why we elevate the court jester to the status of king.
These people caper for our amusement; why do we put them on a pedastal and worship them like gods? They are subservient to us in every way, we have merely forgotten that.
Carl, Swindon
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:15 GMT
10:15 UK
This "power" makes me chuckle. So called celebrities are just ordinary people who have become "famous" by being on a TV or film screen, and being paid copious amounts of dosh in the process.
Then there are people who fawn over them and believe in them like they are a god and will do anything they say or buy whatever they promote. So sad.
Real power lies with the governments that control the world.
Sue Woollard, Westcliff-on-Sea
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:14 GMT
10:14 UK
Only if people give them more attention than they deserve.
Emily
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:11 GMT
10:11 UK
If they have any "power", who is it gives them it? Us, the general public who buy the magazines and watch the films that make them celebrities in the first place!
Andrew M
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 09:01 GMT
10:01 UK
Most people are followers. In the past they had 'celebrities' such as jesus and muhammad to follow, and today they have brad pit and angeline jolie to follow. Such a shame that most people need to follow others and cannot think for themselves, because if they did then 'celebrities' would have no power over them.
Don't Be So Gullible
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 08:57 GMT
09:57 UK
Is that what there called Celebrities, they are all entertainer to me
Not role models, etc etc etc using power and fame to get what they want. quite sad really
[imperialshoda]
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 08:56 GMT
09:56 UK
Celebrities have no power at all the power is in the hands of the people, however we have too many moronic individuals seeding power to these plastic people, this is proven by the success of the many freak shows that infest our media, Big Brother, Britains got talent, the aprentice etc.
john, SLEAFORD
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 08:53 GMT
09:53 UK
Powerful? I don't see any of them curing cancer or solving third world debt? They have the power to entertain us and nothing more, once the public is fed up with them they are powerless to stop their fall from grace. They need to get over themselves.
Dora Jar, Staffordshire
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Added:
Friday, 5 June, 2009, 08:51 GMT
09:51 UK
I don't think this was worded correctly, it should be are they paid too much money? Yes - £M's per movie for actors and actresses and £1000's per week for footballers. Compare that to nurses, carers, emergency services etc and it is, quite frankly sickening!
[bluegal1970], Wigan, United Kingdom
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DEBATE STATUS
Total comments: 654
Published comments: 590
Rejected comments: 64
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