Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey are the most influential celebrities in the United States, according to new rankings released today by the business magazine Forbes, which also lists the Irish singer Bono and the veteran comedian Bill Cosby.
The renowned director of Schindler's List (1993) and Saving Private Ryan (1998) was crowned as the most influential celebrity in the U.S., according to an analysis commissioned by Forbes to firm E-Poll Research. The findings in the top ten list of places include the ultra-conservative Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. It may surprise people to see Steven Spielberg at the top of the list. Oprah Winfrey, said to wield more influential than other woman in the United States, came second behind the filmmaker.
Spielberg is most famous for movies such as Jaws or Jurassic Park, but his influence in Hollywood today is far-reaching as well as through other avenues the director pursues, all of which make him an apparently extremely influential person in the United States.
With a long and illustrious career growing ever stronger, Spielberg was given an "influence index" of 53%, the same as Oprah Winfrey, yet Winfrey came second in the rankings because E-Poll Research believes that the filmmaker has a "more effective" marketing impact. "Influence is the key to the success of Oprah's media empire. Her television program, magazine and cable channel are now seen as the words of Oprah Winfrey directly" Forbes said.
Other People of Influence
After Spielberg and Oprah, Forbes magazine put the conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh (41%) in third position, the veteran presenter Barbara Walters (40%) next, the leader of the Irish band U2, Bono (40%) came in, in a high position, and Los Angeles Lakers coach, Phil Jackson (40%) was given the same index score. Dr.Sanjay Gupta and television host Glenn Beck also amassed a 40% total in the "influence index", the same as Bono and Walters. Despite having the same percentage of influence, analysts Research E-Poll listed certain celebrities in a particular order after using different variables to assess who was more infuential.
The veteran comedian and actor Bill Cosby achieved a 39% total. Known for creating and starring in the series The Cosby Show, which remained on the air in the U.S. for eight seasons between 1984 and 1992, Cosby still wields enormous influence as an entertainer and figure in the African American community. Many celebrities featured are now recognised as influential, in many cases, for areas outside their expertise. For example, Bono, the singer, is recognised as being so influential for his political and philanthropic work, away from singing for U2.
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