Each year, Parade magazine releases its annual "What People Earn" survey, offering a look at the income of some of the biggest boldface names of 2009, as well as those of everyday folks.
And "The Early Show" and Parade offered a look at the earnings of some of 2009's biggest names. Although Tiger Woods ended the year embroiled in a sex scandal and lost roughly $30 to $40 million in endorsement cash, he still managed to swing earnings upwards of $110 million.
Photos: What Celebrities Earn
Nicole "Snookie" Polizzi, star of reality TV's "Jersey Shore," grabbed headlines, but not much money. She made just $2,200 dollars in 2009.
The real money was in Hollywood. "Twilight" series actress Kristen Stewart got a $16 million payout last year. But the brains behind the project made three times that -- series creator and author, Stephenie Meyer, made $50 million.
However, the king of Parade's list is the 25-year-old who started an experiment in college that became Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg, founder and chief executive officer, got a whopping $3 billion payday in 2009.
Parade's executive editor, Lamar Graham, said on "The Early Show" that, when they compared the 106 "regular" people's salaries to the celebrities in the magazine, they discovered a "jaw-dropping" fact: The celebrities made more than 450 times the "normal" folks' salaries.
"We've been doing this for 27 years, and every single year it's clear famous people make substantially bigger paychecks than the ordinary guy," he said. " ... It's very astonishing, the amount of money Americans are willing to spend to be entertained versus the amount they'll pay for the important things - health care, child care, defending our country."
Parade compiles its list by garnering celebrity salaries based on public information available, such as endorsement deals, movie deals, and other earnings. Then, several months before the magazine is published, the magazine discusses which celebrities -- particularly ones that have been in the news -- will appear in the issue.
Graham said, "This year we included Jay Leno, who was also in the headlines a lot, and Ellen DeGeneres, who added to her talk show duties with her spot as a fourth judge on 'American Idol.'"
As for selecting the everyday people to feature in the magazine, Graham said it can be a bit "tricky."
He explained, "After this issue is published, thousands of people will call, write, e-mail saying they want to be part of next year's issue. So we'll hang on to their info, then six or nine months from now, we call and see if they're still interested. Once we start asking for salary information, a photograph, etc., we get a lot of cold feet, but we have an elaborate research process. The aim is not to have a scientific survey; it's a snapshot of how people are doing across the country. We want all 50 states represented and good range of people. Gender, age and income are all important."
How Does Your Pay Stack Up Against the Stars'?
Actress Kristen Stewart poses for the cameras at "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" premiere in Westwood, Calif., Monday, Nov. 16, 2009.
AP Photo
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