the-price-of-fame

In Money Matters, 'Mentalist' Simon Baker Keeps His Head

Simon Baker plays a not-quite-psychic sleuth on The Mentalist and a shady brokerage boss in the new film Margin Call. But in real life, he's not trying to read the tea leaves of Wall Street to manage his money: His working class upbringing made him a very conservative money man.

Penn Badgley: Investing Is 'Greek to Me'

The actor who stars in Margin Call, a film about high finance, reveals that he doesn't believe in investing, confesses his ignorance about "the system" and explains why he's taking up the Occupy Wall Street cause.

Investing in Comic Books for Fun and Profit: Super, Man!

Why not let a superhero save you from the evil economy? Investing in comic books can be a recession-proof path to steady returns, according to experts at last weekend's New York Comic Con. Just don't let ignorance be your kryptonite.

Should You Buy Shares in Your Favorite Sports Team?

The Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers got the NFL's approval this week to sell more stock to the public, but even the Pack can't compete with the buzz of another anticipated "football" stock offering: Manchester United. Certainly owning shares in a team makes for great pub talk, but is it a wise investment?

Can Basketball Fans Score During NBA Lockout?

After the strife-torn NBA cancelled the first two weeks of the basketball season, we wondered: Would this mean any financial relief for fans? Somewhere in the war between the wealthy players and owners, are there savings to be found for the ordinary people who spend money on NBA tickets and gear?

Celebrity Marriages: They Should Have Gotten the Prenup

"To leave hundreds of millions of dollars vulnerable does not seem like a wise choice," says one matrimonial lawyer. Still, many of the rich and famous keep heading down the aisle without a prenup. It's a choice some eventually live to regret.

Hollywood's Highest-Paid TV Actresses

When it comes to the small screen, TV actresses can make a lot less than their movie peers. But the top in their field are certainly raking in the dough. Tied for first place: a Desperate Housewife and a 30 Rock star.

Seven Celebrities Who Went from Hot Shot to Homeless

On the heels of the New York Post report this week that funk hit maker Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone was broke and living in a van, The Price of Fame presents a tragic list of seven other celebrities who ended up homeless, desperate, and on the streets.

The Most Powerful Women in Business

From PepsiCo to Avon to Xerox, these women are responsible for some of the biggest companies and brands that consumers touch and feel everyday. And this year, there's a new No. 1 on Fortune's list of the most powerful women.

How to Be 'The Biggest Loser' on a Lean Budget

Being fat isn't just bad for your health, it's also murder on your wallet. Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney (who has had her own ups and downs with weight) wants to help. She offers these five tips to help you control your budget and waistline at the same time.

Nightclub King's 7 Tips on How to Win in the Party Biz

So you want to own a nightclub? Take some advice from Peter Gatien, whose party palaces ruled the NYC scene in the '80s and '90s. With the documentary Limelight, chronicling Gatien's long reign, opening this weekend, he offered The Price of Fame seven ways to rule the night in a recession-proof business.

Yvonne Strahovski: How to Manage Overnight Success

L.A. has been exceptionally kind to Yvonne Strahovski, the long, blonde spy-babe on NBC's Chuck and the lone pretty face in the new film Killer Elite. But if you don't get the help you need after your big break, Hollywood can kill you with kindness, so Strahovski had to adapt fast.

Some Actors Say 'Action!' on Higher Taxes for Wealthy

Before President Obama outlined his strategy Monday for America's millionaires to shoulder more of the tax burden, The Price of Fame asked show business types at the recent Toronto International Film Festival this burning question: Should celebrities and other wealthy people pay more in taxes?

10 Star Athletes Who Excelled at Losing Millions

We learned last week that former NFL star Chris McAlister, a three-time Pro Bowler, is broke and living with his parents after just a year out of the league. But he's hardly the first sports icon to blow through the cash in a flash. In his honor, here are our 10 favorite professional asset-annihilating athletes.

Will LeBron Take Heat for 'Take a Sheet' Ad Campaign?

The Price of Fame enjoys a clever poop pun as much as anyone, but have the LeBron James-backed Sheets Energy Strips committed a foul in their ad campaign? Posters featuring people asserting that they "Take a Sheet" on the job are popping up in several major cities. Vulgar or brilliant: You tell us.