August 12, 2002

12:51 PM

Top-Earning Dead Celebrities Forbes' has published their annual list of what dead celebrities are earning. Shooting to number 4 this year; Dale Earnhardt, who kicks Andy Warhol off the list.
posted by mikemonteiro (16 comments total)

Wait, wait, wait...Elvis is dead?
posted by ColdChef at 1:03 PM on August 12, 2002

I see that dr seuss is listed. I wondered why the company that maintains the dr seuss enterprise was writing a brief against the Eldred case.

Looks like they have 19 million reasons to oppose lessening copyright limits.
posted by mathowie at 1:10 PM on August 12, 2002

Clearly, I'm not reading Forbes often enough -- when did it get wacky? The "Top Earning Dead Celebrities" cross/tombstone graphic alone would seem peculiar, but the "Click Here To View the recently departed celebrities slide show" graphic link at the bottom of the page is in some totally unForbesian, cut-rate-Tim-Burton font. The same font is used in the slide show, to say things like "Cause: Plane Crash" or "Survived by: 8 children; 19 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren." I can't think of a single serious magazine -- and I'm stretching the definition of serious to include Entertainment Weekly -- that would do such a thing. Then again, perhaps a mag like Forbes is less likely to have with-it designers acting as quality control for bad ideas.
posted by blueshammer at 1:12 PM on August 12, 2002

I noticed that terrible font, too. And to say that Elvis died of a heart attack is like saying James Dean died in a "traffic mishap."
posted by ColdChef at 1:18 PM on August 12, 2002

You know, on second thought, that seems kinda harsh. Sorry, E.
posted by ColdChef at 1:23 PM on August 12, 2002

What blueshammer said. That pseudo-creepy font looks like something that would go on the flyer for the halloween kegger, not on a blurb in Forbes magazine honoring Ted Williams and Jack Lemmon.

BTW...it's John Lee Hooker who is survived by '8 children, 19 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.' Boom boom boom boom.
posted by mathis23 at 1:24 PM on August 12, 2002

Well, they seem to have several of these less-serious features, such as Best Cities for Singles. I have no idea if any of this content is replicated in the print edition, but I suspect it may not be.

mathowie: Wouldn't you?
posted by dhartung at 1:28 PM on August 12, 2002

On the topic of the font, it seems to have a bit of the Harry Potteresque about it.
posted by redsparkler at 1:31 PM on August 12, 2002

Anyone have theories about how Marilyn Monroe made it onto the list? Granted, her estate is going to be wealthy - but one of the ten highest? Are there parts of the world where Monroe posters are as common as Dr Seuss books or Elvis Records? Perhaps a single fabulously wealthy playboy (I'm looking at you, ColdChef), buys millions of copies of her image and stores them in a giant Voluptuous Warehouse.

The question is couched in silliness, but I'm serious - why is Monroe's legacy more valuable than John Lennon's or Miles Davis'? Where is her money coming from?
posted by Marquis at 1:33 PM on August 12, 2002

Boobs trump talent every time. Didn't you know that?

[I actually love Norma Jean, especially in "The Misfits," a sad movie made even sadder by the story of the making of it.]

But on the topic of dead celebs, the whole thing seems framed so oddly here. It does seem that there are important issues related to copyright, legacy, estates, etc., but instead of making an interesting foray into these stories, Forbes made it into a crass, cynical joke (with subheaders like: "Earnings from the Crypt").

Do they feel that there is no serious (or at least more sober) way to deal with it? Or are they reaching for the People Magazine audience after the fall of the economy?
posted by readymade at 1:49 PM on August 12, 2002

I say tax the dead.

They usually don't vote and they can't complain.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:00 PM on August 12, 2002

Strange information...but then I'm fond of strange information. The font is "Ablefont" by Marcus Burlile and, yes, it's used in the Harry Potter books. I bought the font and I use it in letters and PhotoShops to entertain the younger Potter fans in my family. ;)
posted by realjanetkagan at 2:01 PM on August 12, 2002

The Marley family gets up and stands up for its licensing rights. Heh.
posted by gimonca at 2:11 PM on August 12, 2002

The dead do vote in Chicago.

And we should tax them.
posted by razzuli at 7:32 PM on August 12, 2002

Not on topic, but the Best Cities for Singles feature is a hoot. Maybe that's where all the dead celebrities go to party.
posted by blucevalo at 8:59 PM on August 12, 2002

The dead do vote in Chicago.

The dead beat John Ashcroft in elections in St. Louis.
posted by Foosnark at 9:05 PM on August 12, 2002