Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Barack Obama

by Mark Silva

Angelina Jolie tops the list.

President Barack Obama is on it.

But Oprah Winfrey, Madonna and Beyonce Knowles stand well ahead of the president - in the earnings and "media mentions'' that qualify people for the Forbes Celebrity 100 Power List. Obama, at No. 49, made $2.5 million last year with his books, and he got more than a few mentions in the media.

"Obama is hands-down the most famous person in the world," says Lacey Rose of Forbes magazine. "His historic presidential run helped him sell more than a million copies of his books. He landed on many magazine covers."

The Republicans ridiculed Obama's celebrity status, after he filled the streets of Germany during a campaign tour that resembled a presidential journey. But we're not seeing John McCain or Mitt Romney on this list today. For that matter, we don't see Steve Forbes here -- his campaign went as flat as the flat tax some time ago.

Bill Clinton has made the list, but only after he left office and started making millions with book advances and sales paying off his considerable legal bills. He appeared on the Forbes power-celebrity list from 2002-05 and in 2007.

Actress Jolie, topping this year's list, made $27 million. Winfrey star of daytime TV and a bigtime Obama backer, made $275 million. Madonna made $110 million and Knowles $87 million. It was Jolie's constant presence in the magazines that propelled her ahead of the other top-earning women atop the list.

"She is in the dialogue of pop culture nearly every day," Rose explains. "There is such an appetite for her relationship with Brad Pitt, her children, her philanthropic activity."

The top male on the Forbes power list, golfer Tiger Woods, came in at No. 5, with estimated earnings of $110 million last year. Rocker Bruce Springsteen is No. 6, with $60 million, and film director Steven Spielberg seventh, with $150 million.

(Angelina Jolie is pictured above arriving at the screening of the film "Inglourious Basterds" during the Cannes film festival in May. Photo by Matt Sayles, AP.