Lady Gaga   (Photo: Patrick McMullan)

$100,000+

Who gets it: Kim Kardashian, Fergie, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé.
Who pays it: Las Vegas nightclubs (Tao, Lavo).

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Lea Michele   (Photo: Patrick McMullan)

$25,000+

Who gets it: “It” girls like Ashley Greene, Lea Michele, Camilla Belle, Zoe Saldana, Leighton Meester, Blake Lively.
Who pays it: Nightclubs in New York (Greenhouse, SL) and Miami (Mansion, Mokai), fashion houses during Fashion Week.

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Vanilla Ice

$10,000+

Who gets it: Upper-echelon Real Housewives (New York, Beverly Hills), Jersey Shore stars, Vanilla Ice (yes, Vanilla Ice).
Who pays it: Corporations hosting events, resorts, nightclubs in the middle of the country.

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$5,000+

Who gets it: Nineties sitcom stars (Alfonso Ribeiro, Dennis Haskins), eighties movie villains (Billy Zabka of The Karate Kid), minor Real Housewives (Atlanta, New Jersey).
Who pays it: Small corporate events, consumer-product launches, chain bars.

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Joslyn James   (Photo: Patrick McMullan)

$2,500+

Who gets it: Celebrity mistresses (Joslyn James, Jamie Jungers, January Gessert).
Who pays it: Strip clubs (Sapphire in NYC), adult-video conventions (AVN Awards).

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Mandi Moyer   (Photo: Courtesy of MTV)

$500+

Who gets it: Nonwinning Biggest Losers, Survivors, andAmazing Racers; long-forgotten Real World cast members (like Mandi moyer).
Who pays it: Malls, car dealerships, salons.

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The Dictator’s Birthday Party

Hilary Swank wasn’t the only star flown in for an October bash for Chechnya’s brutal president—Jean-Claude Van Damme and Seal were there, too. Nor was she the first to take an easy payday from a war criminal—Mariah Carey and ­Beyoncé both once made seven-figures performing for the Qaddafis. As did Nelly Furtado—now that Libya is in new hands, who’ll pay $1 million for “I’m Like a Bird”?

Related:

• Archive: “Cover Story”
• Articles by Kyle Buchanan
• Table of Contents: Feb 6, 2012 issue of New York | Subscribe!