They amount to soliciting unpaid labor from experts in order to lend legitimacy to a meaningless list used to support clip packages and to sell ads.

WSJ: Why Roger Ebert Loathes Top 10 Film Lists

Last year, Louboutin launched a Web site called stopfakechristianlouboutin.com, which features a list of authorized retailers, alongside a video clip of a bulldozer plowing through heaps of fake shoes.

NEWYORKER: Sole Mate

Shortly after the clip's selection it entered the app's "popular now" list, signalling it was one of the product's most viewed videos.

BBC: Twitter's Vine app gets adult rating on Apple store

While achieving celebrity is no longer the out-of-reach goal one can only dream about, care of reality TV and the Internet, the stars on our list offer far more than a reality show crown or a must-see YouTube clip.

FORBES: Magazine Article