A Little Of The Old In And Out



(image via thisislondon)

In: Madonna. Madonna -- and quite a few women, actually -- is a big earner on the Forbes annual list of the top musicians, despite the economic downturn. Lauren Streib writes:

"According to Forbes earnings estimates, the incomparable Material Girl, who tops our list, has hovered between $40 million and $50 million dollars in annual earnings since 2002. In the last year, a sold-out worldwide tour, impressive international sales of her latest album, Hard Candy, and lucrative endorsement deals put her earnings at $110 million."

The new milennium has been good to Madonna. Between June 2006 and June 2007 the sel-described "material Girl" brought in roughly $72 million (and that's not including the $120 million deal with suckers LiveMusic). And just five days ago she added the newly adopted Mercy to her family.



Out: Ben Silverman. He's co-Chair of NBC Entertainment: Get him out of there? Will NBC's glorious -- but vilified -- manchild, Ben Silverman, be moving to England to head up ITV? From Nikki Finke's DeadlineHollywoodDaily:

"'It sounds as if Jeff Zucker wants to flip the switch at NBC and Universal, and scare the bejesus out of his Hollywood executives. Is it to divert attention from his own monstrous failure as their chairman?

"I've learned he's telling Hollywood privately that he's planning to make moves at Universal, maybe before mid-July.

"Zucker also told Hollywood privately yesterday that 'there are changes and they'll be imminent' at NBC. He implied that they involve Ben Silverman, whose job has transitioned to that of a 'glorified ad salesman'...

"This coincides with Silverman's own private conversations, as recently as this week, playing coy and not denying rumors that he's going to leave NBC and run Britain's ITV."

Silverman just ended his second year as co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.

In: Michael Jackson. Yes, we know, Michael Jackson is not remotely saintly. But he is a complicated and ultimately sad man -- and he is in dire medical straights. And our heart goes out to him, if only for all the good musical times.