LONDON (Reuters) - British singer Amy Winehouse joined the elite ranks of music millionaires on Friday but she may struggle to reach the dizzy heights of "wrinkly rockers" like Paul McCartney, the editor of an annual rich list said.
The bee-hived soul singer, whose troubled private life and battle against drug addiction have overshadowed her recording success, is now valued at 10 million pounds ($19.72 million).
"Winning Grammys have given her a really good profile in the United States. She has such a smooth voice but let's hope she doesn't blow it all," Sunday Times Rich List editor Philip Beresford said as the latest millionaire tables were published.
Reality TV winner Leona Lewis is another new entry in the Under-30 category. She was valued at six million pounds after topping the singles and album charts in the United States.
Leading the young millionaires thanks to inherited Beatle wealth is the late George Harrison's guitarist son Dhani. His 160 million pound fortune prompted newspaper headlines like "While their bank accounts gently leap..."
But Beresford told Reuters: "None of these young singers will ever make it to the main rich list as they don't have the legs of the wrinkly rockers."
The young guns are dwarfed by the fortunes of veteran stars like Mick Jagger and Sting, he said.
"They have developed this new industry of massive stadium tours around the world full of relatively wealthy middle-aged fans trying to recapture their youth paying extortionate prices for the privilege," Beresford said.
"Their tours are their pension funds," he said.
Beresford did admit to one Beatle miscalculation over Paul McCartney's fortune which was set at 725 million in last year's list.
"He is now down at 500 million because we over-egged it in the past. But we are not as severe as the judge in his divorce case (against Heather Mills) who put it at 400 million pounds," he said.
Beresford hailed the 300 million pound fortune of Madonna and her film director husband Guy Ritchie as "almost unique."
"She has joined the wrinkly rockers with the big touring income but she also has the record sales which they are not getting anymore," he added.
But Madonna's fortune is dwarfed in Britain's top 50 music millionaires list which is topped, like last year, by Clive Calder, founder of Zomba Records, who is valued at 1.3 billion pounds.
Winehouse Joins UK Millionaire Music Rich List
Lindsay Lohan Needs A New Daddy
Lindsay Lohan is in the market for a Daddy figure, because the one she has now just can´t stop crawling to the press and cashing in off his daughter´s fame. Micheal Lohan has apparently told so many lies to the media since Lindsay got out of rehab that she no longer wants to speak with him again.
When he heard this, Micheal Lohan, of course, spoke to the NY Daily News, saying: "If Lindsay would just listen to me and follow my guidance, like she did when her life was on the right path, and before the people you see now that are in her life, I guarantee that her life would straighten out and she´d be back to being the gifted actress everyone knew and loved."
Of course, now that Lindsay´s not talking to Micheal Lohan, Lindsay is going to need a new Daddy to show her the way. Any volunteers?
Jessica Alba: Gearing Up For Baby
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- She hasn't given birth yet, but Jessica Alba said she is enjoying taking a break from her film career to prepare for motherhood.
"I'm used to having to be somewhere all the time, and it's kind of the first time in my life where I really haven't been working in a while," she told People. "Now it's just about the baby being healthy, the house being ready, and nesting, it's really different. It's cool - I feel like I'm fully absorbing the whole experience."
The 26-year-old star of the "Fantastic Four" series said she and fiance, Cash Warren, are prepping their abode for their impending arrival.
"I'm just trying to get my house ready before the baby comes," she said. "It's kind of hectic, it's getting close and the house isn't even ready yet."
Another thing Alba is preparing for? A healthy child. She revealed to People she is filling up on the right kinds of food, though eating for two is something new.
"I have to make sure that I'm eating more of the right nutrients and vitamins, but I'm not used to eating this much," she said. "I've had to take time out of the day to eat before I get cranky and rundown and tired. Before I was just like the energizer bunny."
Hottest Celeb's Hot Siblings
The Kardashian sisters - Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney
Beyonce Knowles And Sister Solange Knowles
Paris Hilton and her sister Nicky Hilton.
John Cusak and his sister Joan Cusak.
Haylie and Hilary Duff
Julia Roberts and her Brother Eric Roberts
Prince Willam and his brother Prince Harry.
Hookers A-Okay According To Governor´s Wife
Eliot Spitzer sure was one lucky guy until he got outed publicly for sleeping with hookers. According to a source for Page Six, his wife knew about his penchant for hookers for years and didn´t care. I suppose when your husband (allegedly) likes to have his dirty anal area licked, you don´t complain when he outsources those activities to other less fortunate young women.
Sources for Page Six say: "He said something like, ´My [bleep]ing wife doesn´t care, so why does anybody else care?"
If only he had used his time in office to free up the sex worker laws and allow everybody the same freedom he was enjoying instead of overseeing the prosecution of hundreds of sex workers and their clients perhaps people might have been a little more lenient on him.
A few more pictures of the girl who has probably benefited most from this scandal, the lovely Ashley Alexandra Dupre, who looks like she could knock your teeth out in a couple of these pictures. I´m not sure why, but the more pictures that come out of this girl, the more she looks like a female UFC fighter rather than a high class hooker.
Oprah Winfrey No Longer No.1
Oprah Winfrey has lost her title of being America’s No 1 talk show host to Ellen DeGeneres who hosts the popular day-time show Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
The damage to Oprah’s popularity was caused after she pledged her support to presidential candidate Barack Obama. Political science staff at Fordham University in the US gathered results of various polls carried out since Winfrey pledged her support to Obama. They’ve found out that of the 1.35 million people who voted, 46 per cent said Ellen DeGeneres was the best host and only 19 per cent voted for Oprah Winfrey who earlier was called the queen of all talk shows.
Around 65 per cent of Americans changed their opinion about the queen after her announcement. It was reported that Winfrey apparently knew that her support to Obama would ruin her prospects yet she went ahead with her decision.
She was quoted by a US paper as saying, “For the very first time in my life, I feel compelled to stand up and speak out for the man who I believe has a new vision for America. I believe that Barack Obama will bring statesmanship to the White House. I believe that he will lead with strength, conviction, honour and compassion.”
J-Lo loses 40 PoundsIn A Month With Aid Of Gruelling Workouts
Jennifer Lopez has embarked on a gruelling exercise regime in order to lose weight after giving birth to twins.
According to Closer magazine the star's dedication extends to getting up at 4am to begin working out.
Three hour daily workouts seven days a week mean that the 38 year-old has lost 40lbs - at a rate of 10lbs a week - since having twins Max and Emme in Feburary.
She is understood to have put on almost 4 stone during the pregnancy.
A source told Closer that Miss Lopez has hired a crack team of nutritionists and personal trainers dubbed her '120 lb team' which refers to her target weight of 8 stone 8lbs.
Her workouts consist of Pilates, a one hour cardio workout followed by an hour of weight training.
Despite embarking on such a gruelling schedule the 5ft 5 performer has limited her food intake to 1,400 calories a day and banned all carbohydrates.
Last week Miss Lopez announced that she plans to run a triathlon in the autumn. She said: "I want to make my babies proud."
Lindsay Lohan To Play Sex-Mad waitress!
Lindsay Lohan has reportedly signed to strip naked and play a sex-addicted waitress in a new movie called Florence.
Just days after agreeing to portray a member of Charles Manson’s real-life murderous cult in The Manson Girls, Lohan has sealed a deal to star in another controversial movie.
And reports claim the 21-year-old will be paid just $75,000 for the opportunity to play the edgy character. A source revealed, “She just wants to remind people she can act and she’s worth hiring.”
Shakira Sex Tape Threesome
Word on the street is that sexy singer Shakira likes to get down with MMF threesomes. According to rumor, Shakira was double teamed by her boyfriend and a Spanish singer-songwriter. The tape is now apparently being used as evidence in what must be the most awesome court case ever. The tape is allegedly in the hands of the prosecutors, who are reported to have said that if certain parts of the tape were to be made public, then the private lives of the participants would be at risk.
It´s really very considerate of celebrities to tape their sordid encounters. Many people prefer to not create evidence of acts that could one day be incriminating, but it seems that celebrities just can´t resist documenting every moment of their lives, no matter whether they´re singing to a thousand people, or if they´re making room in their orifices for just one more set of genitalia. I suppose it could be like a bit of an income insurance policy for them. If album sales start to wane, they have something to fall back on.
Mariah Carey's Outrageous Expenses To Promote Her New Album In U.K
The diva has landed - this week Mariah Carey arrived in the UK to promote her new album.
With a reputation for being one of the most demanding A-listers ever, she herself admits: "I guess I am a diva in many ways. I can be difficult and a little bit rigid about what I want."
But then, amazingly, she says: "I don't think I'm demanding enough."
But, as David Thomas reveals, it's hard to imagine just how much more demanding Mariah could possibly be.
Mariah has been known to have 11 bodyguards surround her restaurant table so diners can't see her eat
When signing autographs this week at Selfridges department store, Mariah demanded a £50,000 antique table, covered with silk cloth, to scribble upon, flown in from New York. She sat on a £1,000 throne and was surrounded by roses and butterflies.
Having stayed out until 3am at celebrity restaurant San Lorenzo, in Knightsbridge, Mariah cancelled an interview on London's Capital Radio Breakfast Show because "she's not a morning person".
She then rescheduled a BBC Radio 1 interview because there were problems getting her four-car convoy to the studio from Claridge's hotel, less than half a mile away.
She insisted on having a £10,000 gym installed next to her penthouse suite at Claridge's. It was also rumoured she was bringing 100 pairs of shoes with her on the trip.
She booked every penthouse suite in the hotel to ensure her absolute privacy and comfort. She has a 15-strong entourage with her, including bodyguards, stylists, hairdressers, publicists and managers.
Perhaps Mariah's single greatest moment of diva madness came when she checked into London's Baglioni Hotel in 2005.
At 2am, a team of her minions arrived to check that everything was ready for their mistress's arrival. She, meanwhile, was driven around in her limo, until the hotel had rolled out a red carpet, lined with white candles, for her to make her entrance.
The hotel management was happy to oblige. Mariah was renting 15 rooms at a cost of £20,000 a night - small change to Mariah, who's worth an estimated £125 million.
When accepting her role in the upcoming film Tennessee, an independent, low-budget production, Mariah was told budgetary constraints meant she would have to travel to the location on an economy-class air ticket, rather than her usual first class or private jet.
Mariah agreed ... then bought every single economy seat on her flight, and travelled alone in the cabin.
Mariah has a steamy time in the bedroom ... but it's got nothing to do with her sex-life. As part of her obsessive campaign to preserve her all-important vocal cords, she insists on maintaining rainforest levels of humidity.
"I'll have 20 humidifiers around the bed," Mariah reveals. "Basically, it's like sleeping in a steam room. The bed is all towelling cloth, the ceiling is sloped so the water can't fall on my head, and it drips down to my side. My TV is behind glass."
She insists on wearing high heels at all times, and has even been filmed in her stilettos while using her home-gym equipment. "I can't wear flat shoes," she sighs. "My feet repel them."
Mariah turned 38 on March 27 this year, but she refuses to acknowledge her birthdays or advancing age. "Honestly, I don't even have birthdays. I call them anniversaries. It really is about how young you feel," she claims.
"I'm eternally 12. And that 12-year-old inside me is an eternal optimist."
Mariah used to insist on flying her Jack Russell terrier, Jack, in a first class seat, until he grew too big. Now he either goes by private jet - "Jack lives on a private jet," twitters Mariah - or by chauffeur-driven Mercedes. She has been known to have him driven the full 2,461 miles between her homes in Los Angeles and New York.
In Paris last week, she arrived almost three hours late for a press conference, by which time most of the media had given up and left. Mariah then stayed for less than 30 minutes.
Indeed, her tardiness is legendary. She once arrived 90 minutes late for the Capital Radio awards because she had broken a fingernail.
At the Save The Music benefit show last September, organisers built an hour's delay into their schedule specifically to allow for Mariah's lax timekeeping.
Mariah refuses to speak to anyone for two days before a concert, communicating only through notes. She recently remarked that she wanted a voice machine like Stephen Hawking's to save herself the trouble of writing.
She only consumes soft drinks through a straw and insists on these being available whenever she makes a personal appearance. She even has people to hold her drink as she sips.
Mariah recently slimmed down from a well-rounded size 14 to a skinny 6. She insisted on flying her personal fitness trainer Patricia to New York for their exercise sessions.
"Patricia lives in St Barts, poor girl," Mariah explained. "People say to me: 'Only you would fly someone from St Barts in the Caribbean to New York to work out.'"
When married to Tommy Mottola, former boss of Sony records, she lived in a 12-bedroom mansion with its own ballroom, firing range, helipad and two swimming pools.
While making the video for her recent single Shake It Off, Mariah insisted on being carried around the set because her teetering shoes had left her tender tootsies in pain. "I was in agony," she huffed afterwards. "My high heels had left my feet bleeding. Laugh all you want, my feet hurt."
Mariah owns a 12,000 square-foot, three-storey apartment in New York's trendy Tribeca district. She proudly insists: "If anyone ever buys this place, they had better be a diva or they can't live here."
There is a Roman-style chaise longue in the dark-green marble kitchen, "because I like to recline when I eat". Mariah's bathroom has a gold ceiling and pink and beige satin drapes. Steps lead up to the bath.
Mariah has four giant, walk-in closets, including one just for her lingerie and another for her shoes. The biggest of all, which contains four mobile wardrobes, is big enough to be used as a fitting-room for Mariah and her team of stylists. "The closets are a big part of my life. It sounds obsessive - but they are pretty fabulous," she swoons.
Mariah has not used public transport for at least 15 years. "I hate the bus!" she recently shrieked. "I've already been on the bus I don't need to go back on the bus."
At a concert in Karlsruhe, Germany, Mariah suffered a costume catastrophe that exposed her magnificent (and, she insists, all-natural) breasts to the crowd. She had the lights doused and yelled: "Someone bring me a jacket or the show's off," before fleeing the darkened stage. The concert resumed after modesty had been restored.
Mena Suvari Butt Squeezing Moments
Mena Suvari (American Beauty) is enjoying a vacation in Miami with her boyfriend Simone Sestito (Eh?). I'm puzzled as just to where in the hell Mena got that ass from. I thought she was a midget. Does she live under power lines or something? Or, no, I got it: She was bitten by a radioactive Kim Kardashian. Yes, of course, that seems more likely. *strokes beard* I should be a doctor. Wait, I don't have a beard oh God Cindy I'm sorry. Uh, how's my favorite HR gal doing today? Still competing in the lumberjack games I'm getting sued aren't I? Fantastic.