9. Oprah. I am no fan of the big O. And I certainly don’t make mention of this in public, lest I be tongue-lashed into a bloody pulp by a cadre of ardent fans who will swear that she changes water into wine daily. It’s probably her enormous wealth and her wide-reaching influence that makes her a target. As for me, I care about neither. If you want to take weight loss advice from a chronically overweight person, or listen to words of wisdom on how to raise your children by someone who has never had to change a dirty diaper, be my guest. I expect the experts I consult to have more, shall I say, expertise. It will be interesting to see if her endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama nets any measurable results. She may prove not to be Jesus incarnate after all.

8. Kimora Lee Simmons. I love the fabulosity (her word) of the ex-wife of rap mogul Russell Simmons and creative director of urban clothing empire Phat Farm and Baby Phat. She lives in a 40,000 square foot mansion complete with a golden toilet, maids, cooks, all kinds of personal attendants, and two beautiful and precocious children, all of whom are featured on the Style Network/E! Channel reality series, aptly title, Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane. I don’t hate but congratulate this St. Louis-born, self-styled diva and former Chanel model who doesn’t take herself too seriously and who seems to be having a blast. Like Kimora, I am a legend; but unlike Kimora, it’s only in my own mind.

7. Condeleezza Rice. In the waning hours of the Bush administration, we don’t hear much from or about the Secretary of State. You would think that a classy, intelligent, and powerful black woman would garner some respect from her community, just because, and that they would take pleasure in seeing a black woman occupying such a powerful position on the world stage. But from the time she joined the Bush cabinet, the Alabama-born former Stanford University provost has endured nothing but ridicule from blacks – not about her foreign policy positions but her appearance (namely her hair) and party affiliation. The cheap shots lead me to wonder if this group of haters will ever be satisfied. Will any black person ever be good enough to satisfy their little known or understood unrealistic demands? Can anyone say, “Obama drama?”

6. Tyra. I still watch the former Victoria’s Secret and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model’s mega-hit, America’s Next Top Model (ANTM), although I don’t really feel that it serves as a platform to launch nascent careers. In the four years that ANTM has been on the air, only two of its participants have had something remotely resembling “success” – Eva “The Diva” Pigford (now Marcille, producer and host of the now-defunct BET series, My Model is Better Than Your Model) and Toccara, a plus size model. The show may not have made stars of its participants but it has certainly made a mogul out of Tyra, who has a hit syndicated talk show, The Tyra Banks Show, and is set to expand her empire with a new deal recently struck with Warner Brothers.

5. Beyonce. The “unbeweaveble” singer and dancer puts the Energizer bunny to shame with nonstop concerts and promotion of everything from her clothing line – a joint venture with her mother Tina – to DirectTV. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if she started her own line of feminine hygiene products called “Irreplaceable” – the title of her recently Grammy-nominated song.

4. Karrine Steffans. I am surprised to find her name on the list because I can’t think of anyone who is remotely ambivalent towards this former video vixen and bestselling author who also goes by the name Superhead. (Please don’t ask me to define the word. And no, it doesn’t refer to her intellectual ability.) In her first book, a memoir called Confessions of a Video Vixen, she chronicles her life as a featured “performer” in rap/hip hop music videos and her “relationships” with famous artists. Oddly enough, despite or perhaps because of, its graphic nature, Steffans insists that her life, as she once lived it, is a cautionary tale. She has even appeared on Oprah where she talked to young women engaged in risky sexual behavior. Seeing her on set made me think that the mighty O had bumped her head or that her producers sold her another bill of goods a la James Frey, and A Million Little Lies… I mean “Pieces”. The one-time arm candy of comedian Bill Maher had another book this year on the New York Times bestsellers list, The Vixen Diaries, although briefly, unlike her first book, which remained on the list for several weeks. Sex sells but perhaps not like it used to.

3. New York. It’s not the city but the over-the-top star of the reality series I Love New York on VH-1. New York began her “career” as one of the “beauties” vying for the affections of the wizened former rapper Flavor Flav of Public Enemy in the VH-1 reality series, Flavor of Love. Well, New York won Flav’s heart. She was such a hit that VH-1 gave New York her own show where male suitors vie for her affection. Now in its second season, I Love New York delivers the crazy like Domino’s delivers pizza. I have neither the time nor the patience for her antics and clearly don’t see the appeal. I guess it a matter of taste, or the lack thereof.

2. Kim Kardashian. Hers is another “career” created as a result of a “leaked” sex tape. The daughter of the late O.J. Simpson trial attorney, Robert Kardashian, and star of the E! series, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, is the celebrity of the second. Although has she has some assets (emphasis on the “ass”), Kardashian has no apparent talent. Her star seems to be fading as fast as cheap hair dye.

And the winner is…