Once every few year a report on pop culture icons is made. You may find there most popular, impressive or simply famous people in the world…

Last report was made in 2003. It presents 200 pop icons and first place on the list is taken by…. Oprah Winfrey, a well- -known American TV star. Oprah is famous for few reasons. She is a clear example of self made woman, who was brought up in a poor Afro American background in the southern state of United States of America and became a great success after years of hard work. Now she is a host of the most popular TV program called “Oprah Winfrey Show” where she tells people’s life stories, solve problems, raise money for charity and invites the biggest celebrities of our times. On her TV coach Uma Thurman has admitted that she misses her husband, Ethan Hawk, who she had divorced, as well as Tom Cruise, who spent the whole program jumping on the coach and shouting how much he loves his present wife Katie Holmes. Talking of whom, Tom Cruise is number five on the pop icons list. He is one of the richest and most successful Hollywood actors. He started being famous after a “Top gun” movie and soon became “America’s sweetheart”. He has played in all action films but is usually associated with “Mission Impossible” series. Now he is also a hero of all the tabloids, because of few reasons. First he divorced his wife, Australian beauty Nicole Kidman. Than he had an affair with Spanish celebrity, Penélope Cruz and ended up as a husband of young Katie Holmes and a father of her child. Secondly he is an important member of a religious sect called scientology and this makes everybody think that he is insane. Nevertheless he is surely a person to watch. Just after Tom Cruise you will find pop icon number 7, actually the very top pop icon of music world – Madonna. She is the only singer who has been absolutely on the top of the music lists for almost 25 years! Born in New York, her favourite city, in a catholic family. Madonna soon became one of the most controversial artists ever. Although many people deprive her of talent, she is very gifted when it comes to trends and fashion. She was the first who opened our eyes onto electronic music and started practicing yoga. She also began the fashion on kabala and Jewish religion. Madonna finally made a big come back of music from 80s. The queen of video clips made one of the best and most remarkable clip ever – “Vogue”. Now, a mother of three children (one adopted), a proper wife, she still sings, write books and does controversial things. A question which drives everybody’s mind is: will Madonna ever get older? Hopefully not!
In the top ten of the pop icon list, there is also Superman – American hero, Elvis Presley – king of rock and roll, the greatest beauty Marilyn Monroe, basketball star Michael Jordan, princess Diana and Michael Jackson. You will find there a few presidents, like Bill Clinton, “Friends“ series, cartoon characters, like Fred Flinstone and even writers, like Stephen King.

Improve your vocabulary!

affair – romans
insane – szaleńczy, obłąkany
nevertheless – niemniej, pomimo to
deprive – pozbawiać