There’s no stopping Lady Gaga, recently named one of the world’s most influential people, now making her debut on Forbes’ celebrity power list.

Oprah regained her top spot, after being ousted by Angelina Jolie last year. The talk show queen earned a staggering $315 million over the last 12 months. And Gaga made her debut on the list at an impressive #4. Not bad for a woman nobody had heard of three years ago.

Forbes notes that getting famous is easy but getting rich and famous is harder and says, “few stars have done it as quickly or as well as Lady Gaga.” The magazine credits the superstar’s success to “a mixture of extreme theatricality, catchy hooks and an image that is edgy, yet business friendly,” and points to the many products with which she is associated. These include Virgin Mobile, Polaroid, Monster and Viva Glam.

Gaga, 24, earned $62 million between June 2009 and June 2010.

The list is a measurement of entertainment-related earnings over the last year, along with media visibility, which is why second place winner, Beyonce — who climbed 2 spots from #4 – earned less, with $87 million, than third placer James Cameron, who took in $210 million. Rounding out the top five is Tiger Woods, who still earned $105 million, despite all the bad publicity.

The Black Eyed Peas also make their first appearance on the list this year ranking 16th with $48 million earned.

Other musicians who made it include Britney Spears at #6, U2 at #7 and Madonna at #10. Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus are numbers 12 and 13, respectively.

See the full list here.

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John Mayer gave his comedy routine another go, this time with better results, according to the New York Daily News.

The Gravity singer and infamous bigmouth got up and told some jokes at New York’s downtown Comedy Cellar on Thursday night. He reportedly tried the same thing in the same place four years ago and, that time, went over like a led zeppelin. The 2006 performance was unfunny, offensive and awkward, according to blogger Jason Pinter, and Mayer was said to be obviously “drunk or stoned.”

He’s been apparently practising in other venues since then, and this time he fared better. The Daily News says Mayer “managed to do a solid 10 minutes of stand-up without making any racial slurs (as he did on his first go-round).”

A source said Mayer “was really nervous right before he went on and kept checking over his notes that he brought onstage,” but went over fairly well with the crowd.

The celebrity lothario – who is also known to dabble in starlets, clothing and guitar design, and magazine writing – has been trying to show his funny side for quite some time now. On top of earlier stand-up attempts, in 2004, he hosted a one-off, half-hour comedy special on VH1 entitled John Mayer Has a TV Show.

CBS later announced, in January, 2009, that it was in negotiations with Mayer for a variety show. He confirmed the news himself in a Rolling Stone interview a year later. That program will also reportedly be called John Mayer Has a TV Show. It’s being described as a music performance show.

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Amy Winehouse did her best to sing a duet with soul man Stevie Wonder last weekend, but was headed off at the pass by stage management.

According to the UK Daily’s Kim Dawson the singer looked surprisingly “fresh and sprightly” as she stood in the backstage VIP area at this year’s Hard Rock Calling festival, held annually in London’s Hyde Park.

The Rehab singer, who was sequestered on the stage’s left side, reserved for viewing of the R&B legend’s performance, apparently attempted to gain entrance to the right of the stage, which was reserved for performers.

Dawson reports that, according to one source, “Amy rocked up at the right-hand (stage) side and told the stage manager she had been invited to sing with Wonder.  He put his foot down and told her that would not happen.”

The source added, “Stevie had planned to duet with Corinne Bailey Rae and Jay Kay from Jamiroquai but he decided it would be better to give the fans the solo set they had expected to see.”

The same source reported that “(Amy’s Management) had wanted her to view the gig from the mixing desk, in the middle of the crowd,” but was told she couldn’t because her presence there would have posed a “huge security risk.”

Fended off but undaunted, Amy apparently remained backstage and had the kitchen especially reopened  so that she and a few friends could chow down  on “Grilled Prawns and Rum Punch.”

Perez Hilton reported earlier this month that Amy’s father Mitch anticipates her long awaited new album should be out by early next year. “I think we’ll be talking about December, January – that kind of time.”

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Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is penning a book about his turbulent relationship with his bandmates, according to the AP.

Tyler has famously gone through a separation and reconciliation with the band over the past year. The Crazy singer, who has also waged some pretty public battles with substance abuse over the years, says things came to a head when he took a tumble off the stage at a South Dakota concert last summer. He was left with multiple injuries and Aerosmith, forced to cancel a North American tour with ZZ top, was not amused.

Tyler notoriously announced plans to take a hiatus and focus on “brand Tyler,” prompting some eye rolling. And the band was rumoured to be losing no time in starting auditions for a replacement to fill in for 2010 and 2011 commitments. Speculation took off over who might step in and take over on lead vocals. Said to be among the contenders were Billy Idol, Paul Rodgers and Chris Cornell.

But the rift has since been mended and Tyler is back in the saddle (sorry Billy). But, we’ll see for how long, now that he’s talking about a tell all.

He tells the Associated Press, “I’m doing a book called Does the Noise in My Head Bother You, and I will be speaking about what it’s like to be married to four other guys, and what I’ve had to put up with.

“There will never be another band like Aerosmith, and I just don’t want to do anything to hurt that. I love the band so much.”

Does the Noise in My Head Bother You will be on shelves in October 2010.

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A newspaper in Barbados has published an account of Rihanna’s allegedly rowdy and apparently stoned behaviour during her stay at an unidentified upscale Barbados hotel.

Competing gossip mavens AllieIsWired and Perez Hilton are both citing a local Barbados Newspaper, which reports that Riri was getting rowdy and partying non-stop with a group of friends at the luxury hotel.

The article reports that the management became increasingly annoyed when the smoke alarm in the suite kept going off and a “very familiar cigarette odour” was detected outside her room by staff.

Allegedly, thick and oily wafts of pot smoke were setting off the alarm, causing staff to run up and knock on the door, after which Rihanna and her friends promptly forgot what had just happened – because it kept happening.

The hotel staff also complained that the Rude Boy singer left the place in a disgusting shambles. They are now reportedly contemplating “banning this guest from using our facilities.”

The same newspaper clipping mentions rowdy hotel behaviour by Rihanna and a “former boyfriend” a year before, which resulted in a “huge bill.”

Rihanna’s  new album Incredible is due to be released by Def Jam early next year. MTV says the project is rumoured to feature collaborations with Ne-Yo, David Guetta, The Dream and Taio Cruz.

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