When it comes to what pays on US television, talk doesn’t come cheap — nor apparently does a loud mouth.

Financial magazine Forbes on Thursday published a list of the highest-paid TV celebrities, with daytime talk show host Oprah Winfrey leading the way by earning an $260 million between June 2006 and June 2007. Nobody else came close.

Second in the list was Jerry Seinfeld earning $60 million.

Winfrey was joined at the top of the list by another talk show host, David Letterman, who landed at No. 4 by raking in $40 million in the same period from his “Late Night with David Letterman.”

Simon Cowell, the arrogant and harshly critical judge on top-rated talent show “American Idol” earned $45 million to land at No. 3, and Donald Trump, whose boisterous exclamation “You’re Fired” from reality show “The Apprentice” became part of the pop culture lexicon, was No. 5 with $32 million.

The list shows that in the media arena, it pays to own and produce either all or part of your shows, like Oprah.

That notion becomes abundantly clear in the No. 2 slot, where Jerry Seinfeld sits with $60 million earned mostly from reruns of his co-owned 1990’s sitcom “Seinfeld.”

Despite the fact that prime-time TV shows win awards and critical acclaim, Forbes Senior Editor Lea Goldman noted that daytime TV and news is where stars rake in the dough.

“Daytime personalities dominate our list of TV’s top earners, with most competition among morning and afternoon talk show hosts,” said Goldman.

Barbara Walters, another star who owns and co-produces her daytime show “The View,” landed at No. 18 with $12 million.
The remaining top 20 is as follows;

6. Jay Leno, $32 million
7. Dr. Phil McGraw, $30 million
8. “Judge” Judy Sheindlin, $30 million
9. George Lopez, $26 million
10. Kiefer Sutherland, $22 million
11. Regis Philbin, $21 million
12. Tyra Banks, $18 million
13. Rachael Ray, $16 million,
14. Katie Couric, $15 million
15. Ellen DeGeneres, $15 million
16. Ryan Seacrest, $14 million
17. Matt Lauer, $13 million
18, Barbara Walters, $12 million
19. Diane Sawyer, $12 million
20. Meredith Vieira, $10 million

The American TV personality lent his words of wisdom after the troubled starlet’s recent run-in with law following her arrest for drunk-driving and cocaine possession on July 23.

Dina slammed Trump reminding him of his brother who died of alcoholism and his own vodka company.

“I’ve always had a great admiration for your business sense and I’ve read all your books and learned from them. Your own brother died of alcoholism and you own Trump Vodka?” Contactmusic quoted Dina, as writing on her website.

“You say Lindsay needs new parents? Such a rash statement without backing it with fact?” she wrote.

She insisted that rather then passing opinion on her parenting skills, he should have got a background check before speaking out.

“I am a single mother of four children doing what I can during this difficult time! Do a background check of both parents and you will find the truth! Shame on you… so many families suffer from this, yours included. We need solutions not opinions!” she added.

The actress’ dad Michael Lohan had spent much of Lohan’s preteen years in prison for securities fraud. In 2005, he was sent back to prison for “aggravated unlicensed driving” and attempted assault.

Later in 2005, Lohan’s parents settled their divorce case.

In an episode that aired March 18, Schwarzenegger hosted five of the show’s contestants in his private conference room at the state Capitol.

The governor denies any link between the donation and the television appearance, but some political watchdog groups are skeptical.

“He’s clearly using his personal friendships and his celebrity to pay off his campaign debt, and that’s just wrong,” said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a group that tracks campaign donations.

Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Julie Soderlund said the April 20 donation was not connected to the governor’s appearance on the NBC prime-time show. The taping took place earlier in the year, but she was unsure of the date.

Trump could not be reached for comment Saturday at his company’s headquarters in New York.

The donation was Trump’s first to Schwarzenegger, whom he described as great friend when he told a group of contenders that they would meet California’s governor as a reward for winning a competition. The show features Trump and contestants vying to work for him.

Will Donald Trump put his hair where his mouth is?

Donald Trump and World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon will pick a wrestler each to represent them in the ring April 1 at Wrestlemania 23 at Detroit’s Ford Field.

If their pick is beaten in the “Battle of the Billionaires,” the loser will get his head shaved after the match, the Detroit Free Press reported Monday.

WWE spokesman Gary Davis said the date of the event had prompted speculation that it was a hoax. But it’s not an April Fool’s Day joke, he said.

“If Trump loses, he shaves his head,” he said.

The announcement of the match was made on a WWE television program that aired over the weekend. I am sure the outcome would be pretty interesting as no one likes Donald Trump’s hair. By the way, Trump has no experience in wrestling

In the interview, which will air on “Larry King Live” apart from talking about his daughters’ potential suitors, Real Estate mogul Donald Trump also uttered a few words in Paris Hilton’s praise, calling the self-confessed ‘dumb’ hotel heiress “smart like a fox”.

“Paris said she wants to build a brand just like Donald Trump. And I don’t know if she’s done it the same way but she is smart like a fox,” the TMZ.com quoted him, as saying.

“People say, ‘Oh, she’s not smart, she’s not this, she’s not that.’ She’s done a very good job,” he added.

Meanwhile, he also talked about his daughter Ivanka’s love-life, telling the show’s host Larry King that she is not dating Lance Armstrong and that the two are “very good friends.”

“They talk,” Trump said. “I don’t think that would be for her and perhaps not for him but he’s a great guy but they are friends. I know that and they do talk,” he added.

HILTON AND RICHIE ARE BACK!
It seems that the cold war between socialites Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie has finally come to an end.

‘The Simple Life’ co-stars sparked off reports of a reconciliation after they were seen dining together at a Los Angeles eatery.

Their feud began a year and a half ago for reasons that have not been fully disclosed. One rumour says Richie played the sex tape Hilton made with ex-boyfriend Rick Solomon at a party that had supposedly gathered to watch Hilton host “Saturday Night Live”.

Another rumour said that Richie’s growing fame eclipsed her role as sidekick on ‘The Simple Life’, and that she was no longer happy playing second fiddle to Hilton, reports E!Online.

However, sources suggest that it was the new season of ‘The Simple Life’ that brought the two back together. Apparently Hilton and Richie both balked at the fifth season’s original premise-to stick them on a desert island-and banded together in protest. Instead, the new season will feature the two as camp counsellors.

Last April, Hilton openly aired her animosity towards Richie, daughter of singer Lionel Richie.

“It’s no big secret that Nicole and I are no longer friends. I will not go into the details of what happened. All I will say is that Nicole knows what she did, and that’s all I am ever going to say about it,” she said.

The feud was so bitter that the two shot their reality show segments separately last season for E!