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Tyler Perry a next-generation billionaire
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Forbes magazine has named writer-actor-director Tyler Perry among its next-generation billionaires. At 38, the Atlantan was the oldest person on the list.
Perry made $125 million last year and “earned more than Jennifer Aniston, Tom Cruise and Bon Jovi combined,” according to Forbes.
While becoming a billionaire in the entertainment industry is extremely rare, it isn’t impossible, especially when one diversifies the way Perry has. Steven Spielberg, who directs as well as owns part of DreamWorks, is worth an estimated $3 billion. George Lucas has an estimated $3.9 billion that has been accumulated through his films as well as ventures such as LucasFilms, motion picture visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic and LucasArts, which develops video games.
In addition to his movies, Perry has his television show, “House of Payne,” and is building a 30-acre space near Greenbriar Mall for his new studios.
One other notable name on Forbes list was Tiger Woods. The magazine predicted the golfer could reach the level “as soon as 2011 because of Tiger’s lucrative endorsement deals.” (To see the full story, click here.)
Do you think Perry or Woods will become billionaires? Are there others you think are missing from Forbes list?
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How to right customer service wrongs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ever had a contractor paint a room in your house the wrong color? Or have you ordered flowers for Mother’s Day and the bouquet never arrived?
We’ve all had our share of consumer horror stories and more often than not, we suffer in silence or don’t get the problem solved.
But that doesn’t have to be the case. An Atlanta lawyer and admitted serial letter-writer, wants to help right consumer service wrongs.
Rupert Barkoff , a lawyer at Kilpatrick Stockton in Atlanta, is collecting consumer horror stories for a book. AJC reporter Bill Torpy writes about Barkoff’s mission to collect 1,000 customer service stories.
The “self-appointed expert” on customer service has also created a website to collect stories for the book and to offer advice how to correct the problems.
Barkoff said most people don’t know how to complain in a way that gets results. Constructive complaining is a lost art, he said in the article.
Have you ever had extremely poor customer service? What did you do about it and did you get the results you wanted?
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Can you tell the two Birminghams apart?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Those crazy Brits.
Once again, officials in Birmingham, England, have confused their city with its Southern namesake. In this instance, they handed out 720,000 leaflets that have a photo of Birmingham, Ala., rather than Birmingham, England. As this story details, the two cities have similarities — but their skylines are not one of them.
So what do you think? Innocent human oversight or is there some city envy going on here?
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As Madonna turns 50, we stroll down memory lane
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The constantly evolving Madonna has done everything from singing and acting to writing and designing. Well, at least she’s tried to do everything.
Through many, many loves and losses, she has remained a pop superstar at heart. And while reading headlines about her and A Rod make it easy to forget sometimes, she has supplied her fair share of hits.
So what’s your favorite song by Madonna? Do you remember the wild ways of “Like a Virgin” or do you prefer the rebellious yet serious “Like a Prayer Days”?
Of course there are plenty out there who couldn’t care less … just remember it’s her birthday (Aug. 16) and we want to be nice.
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Bigfoot located in Georgia?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The search for Bigfoot, the maybe-mythical half-man/half-gorilla beast also known as Sasquatch, may have ended in Georgia.
According to a press release issued by “Searching For Bigfoot,” a California-based web site, two men have not only found the corpse of a 7-foot-7, 500-plus pound man-monkey, but they’ve also found a tribe of his brethren living at an undisclosed location in the North Georgia mountains. The men are to appear at a press conference in California with “DNA evidence and photo evidence” this Friday.
According the the press release, one of the discoverers is Matthew Whitton, a police officer on administrative leave for being wounded in the line of duty. The AJC recently reported a police officer with the same name was shot during the robbery of a Krystal restaurant, but we’ve been unable to contact Whitton to see if they are one and the same.
Curiously, Whitton, along with fellow big-game hunter Rick Dyer, a former correctional officer, are co-owners of bigfoottracker.com and Bigfoot Global LLC., a company that offers Bigfoot expeditions. The men are working with allegedly famous Bigfoot hunter, Tom Biscardi, and Biscardi’s Searching for Bigfoot, Inc., to present and conduct the scientific study of the evidence and information on this body, according to the press release.
What do you think? And is there any way the Atlanta Falcons can get one of these guys to play defense?
Latest comments
I think that Tyler Perry should do what he wants to do with his money. If his heart guides him to give to New Orleans, then give to New Orleans. If it does not, then don’t! There is no comfort or reward in doing something out of compulsion. It... read the full comment by Mechelle | Comment on Tyler Perry a next-generation billionaire Read Tyler Perry a next-generation billionaire
To jflreming: You come shut me up. When i smell garbage is say it stink no matter what color it is. Nizzles kill me saying that because you don’t like a black person’s work that you are hatin. I don’t strive to be an entertainer. And all... read the full comment by Shareef | Comment on Tyler Perry a next-generation billionaire Read Tyler Perry a next-generation billionaire
Stop hatin on TP cause he has became a success story. Thats whats wrong with people these days anyway downing people for what they have struggled hard to accomplish. That man deserves everything he has worked hard for. Stop hatin and congradulate…………... read the full comment by blackbutterfly | Comment on Tyler Perry a next-generation billionaire Read Tyler Perry a next-generation billionaire
I meant to say Vision instead of Verison! Thank you... read the full comment by people need to grow up | Comment on Tyler Perry a next-generation billionaire Read Tyler Perry a next-generation billionaire