At $50M, Oprah Stars on Celeb Giving List

Taylor Swift donates $4M to Country Music Hall of Fame

(NEWSER) - Taylor Swift is donating a sizable $4 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the largest gift ever donated to the museum by an artist. It will fund the Taylor Swift Education Center, a new classroom and exhibit space opening in 2014, the AP reports. Swift proves that not all celebrities spend their dough on things like $12,000 Chanel bicycles and $18,500 olive trees , and Celebuzz rounds up 14 more who give freely of their money and/or their time. And while some are obvious (hello, George Clooney) many might surprise:

• Sandra Bullock: Has donated $1 million to relief organizations that give aid to those affected by 9/11, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, and the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Japan.
• Ellen DeGeneres: Her pet cause is, ahem, animal rights and rescue organizations, and her pet food line benefits charity.

Plus, Angie: hot or too skinny? It's anyone's guess.

(NEWSER) - Oksana Grigorieva may be carrying Mel Gibson’s love child, but she wants “to be judged by my art, by my music,” she tells Reuters in her first interview. “How can I be judged for falling in love? We live in the same city. I don’t control who I meet,” she says, adding that she did not start a relationship until she was “reassured” Gibson was not happily married. Elsewhere: More»

(NEWSER) - Angelina Jolie has dethroned Oprah as the world's most powerful celebrity, says Forbes in its annual top 100 list. Oprah may make more money, but Jolie's constant media buzz and string of blockbusters give her the edge. Here's the top 10:

1. Angelina Jolie
2. Oprah
3. Madonna
4. Beyoncé
5. Tiger Woods

Talk show maven edges out Tiger, Jolie

(NEWSER) - Forbes ranks the 100 most powerful celebs of 2008 (complete with tweens), and Oprah leads the pack for the second year running. Stars are judged on the size of their paychecks and media clout, including their showing on the Internet. Here's how the A-listers stacked up:

1. Oprah Winfrey
2. Tiger Woods
3. Angelina Jolie
4. Beyonce Knowles
5. David Beckham

Norway, Netherlands, Brangelina vow to help

(NEWSER) - Over 1,000 philanthropists pledged billions of dollars at this year's Clinton Global Initiative, where the ex-president annually brings together world leaders, corporate biggies and change-minded celebs. Angelina Jolie plans to educate 1 million children in conflicted areas; Brad Pitt pledged $5 million to build homes in New Orleans, and Norway and the Netherlands promised $1.2 billion to save the lives of pregnant women and babies in Africa. More»