Bethenny Frankel: author, natural foods chef and self-declared ‘motherpreneur.’ While she may not be a household name this side of the pond, stateside she is the well-known face of a string of reality TV shows; ‘The Apprentice: Martha Stewart”, ‘The Real Housewives of New York City’ and ‘Bethenny Getting Married?’, to name but a few. With reported earnings of up to $120 million from the promotion of her ‘Skinnygirl’ brand, her very own liquor company and a New York Times bestseller under her belt, just how did Frankel manage to turn her 15 minutes of fame into annual earnings that exceed the likes of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie? Fans say it’s a combination of her ‘no BS’ attitude and witty one liners, but, like it or not, behind that Hollywood smile lurks a savvy business mind that has allowed Bethenny to transform herself into a moneymaking brand. Irritating as it is, she and other multi-millionaire celebrities (think Paris Hilton and co.) have made a name for themselves from doing, well…very little, or as they would have it, for ‘keeping it real’.
But just how ‘real’ is amassing a fortune from no discernible talent other than a willingness to have your personal life played out in front of the cameras, and, of course, us, the voyeuristic public? Recent years have seen an exponential rise of the reality TV star; a strange celebrity cohort that are making millions on the assumption that we at home want to know the ins and outs of their daily lives. And sadly, it would seem that this assumption is correct: Kim Kardashian, previously known for very little, other than that her father represented O.J. Simpson at his infamous trial, is now a worldwide celebrity. Even her rise to fame came as a result of a sex tape made with singer Ray J in 2007. Rather than the video being the source of years of embarrassment and trips to the therapist, as one would expect, the tape proved to be Kardashian’s meal ticket. In 2011, she was named the world’s highest paid reality star, with earnings of an estimated six million dollars to her name. Following its release, Kim went on to become a television personality, model and businesswoman. The internet has also proven to be a lucrative source of income; per tiny tweet she makes colossal payments of up to $10,000 from sponsors. She has successfully managed to brand her own name, making profits of at least 18 million dollars from her short-lived (72 days to be exact) marriage to Kris Humphries. Our very own national not-so sweetheart Katie Price, a.k.a Jordan, is yet another example of ”celebrity” gone mad. While she is of course a very talented poser of near-naked photos, she now also has numerous reality shows to her name. Advertising campaigns, book and fragrances are just a few tricks from her money-laundering repertoire designed to help her amass a personal wealth of around £60 million.
Nowadays there is a never ending stream of double D list celebrities fighting for the crown and the girls of ITV2s The Only Way Is Essex are prime contenders. Despite a BAFTA win and legions of ‘reem’ fans, the perma-tanned cast of TOWIE are said to have been unhappy with the reported £50 per day they received while filming the show. Yet they certainly manage to compensate for this elsewhere; magazine deals, product endorsements and nightclub appearances supplement their income nicely. Being drooled over by middle aged women in Tokyo on a Friday night may not be the most pleasant of money making ventures, but Joey Essex certainly doesn’t seem to mind.
It may annoy the hell out of you, but it would seem that the reality star is here to stay. Their ardent thirst for fame and wealth will always keep us entertained and their accountants happy. With copycat shows springing up all over the place it is obvious that there is scope for an unlimited flutter of fame-hungry wannabes ready to make their name – when will it all end ?