Simon Cowell is TV’s highest earner

ANTOINETTE KELLY,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 3:39 PM

Updated Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 3:45 PM

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Simon Cowell is TV's top money maker

This news may make his fellow “X Factor” judge, Irish music mogul Louis Walsh, jealous, but Simon Cowell is officially the highest earner on television.

According to Forbes, the “American Idol” judge is TV’s highest paid person in prime time, earning around $75 million from June 2008 to June 2009.

The 50-year-old snarky TV personality raked in the dough from his reality shows like “Idol,” “X Factor,” “America’s Got Talent” and “Britain’s Got Talent.” His role as a successful music producer for stars such as Susan Boyle also earned him a pretty penny in the past year.

Trailing Cowell in TV’s best paid people list are Donald Trump, who made $50 million for shows like “The Apprentice,” as well as “Idol” and “E! News” host Ryan Seacrest, who earned around $38 million.

Actors Charlie Sheen (“Two and a Half Men”) and Steve Carrell (“The Office”) round out the top 10.

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jenntVT | Nov 11, 2009, 11:00 PM EST

If Simon Cowell doesn't take Sharon Osbourne off of his AGT show, his income for 2010-2011 will be less than his income for 2008-2009. I am personally supporting a boycott and passing this on to others who will be passing it on to others etc. Obviously, Simon Cowell is an intelligent man, just cannot figure out why he picks judges like Amanda Holden and Sharon Osbourne. Simon Cowell I hope that someone can get a message to you about the trashy judges like Sharon and Amanda. I also think that Paula Abdul's absence will make a difference with American Idol, and not in a positive way.

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RetInKalifornia | Nov 11, 2009, 05:20 PM EST

Many Internet news posts last 36 hours, re. Simon Cowell's TV's richest entrepreneur; yes he'd earned the dough but it has been at the emotional - and physical - price of so many people who'd failed to "make the cut" in his eyes. Despite this the one "good thing" Mr. Cowell has going for him is willingness to take financial risks via his innumerable TV entertainment programs - his unique Darwinian selection system to weed out bad and indifferent talent - on true jewels like Susan Boyle who not only have made him boatloads of cash but made her financially secure as well. We all owe Simon great deal of gratitude for this and I for one won't begrudge him for having become so rich - save & spend well Simon; thank you for giving She Who Is to us!!!

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