Is Marriage Costing Mariah Carey Serious Money?

The pop star's fortunes on the charts have gone south since her union to Nick Cannon. Coincidence?

By Leslie Gornstein Oct 04, 2008 3:01 AMTags
Mariah CareyLester Cohen/WireImage.com

Mariah Carey's first single from E=MC² was a smash, but two follow-ups—released after her marriage to Nick Cannon—bombed. Is marriage costing her?
—Estian, Cape Town

No. It's your tiny, tiny attention span. It's ruining everything. That's why "Bye Bye" only peaked at 19. It was all you. "This year, it's been harder for big superstars to keep the spotlight shining on them after the run-up to their album is over," Idolator editor Maura Johnston tells me.

"Look at the way singles by Usher and Madonna have performed—you'll see a similar pattern," Johnston says. Usher's "Love in This Club" went to No. 1, but its follow-up single, "Moving Mountains," peaked at No. 67. As for Madonna, "4 Minutes" peaked at No. 3, while "Give It to Me" only reached No. 57.

I hope you're pleased with yourself.

Why does Rosie get her own show—again—after she blew it so badly on The View?
—Kate, Washington

Take comfort; it's only a one-shot variety show special. That is, unless you tune in. Then it balloons into a series. See the above referral to "all your fault."

New Orleans, France...the Brangelina clan is always moving. What's going to happen with their kids' educations? How are these kids ever going to learn?
—Erin

By going to a chain school. Maddox reportedly attends the Lycée Français, a network of more than 400 schools worldwide. Kind of like the McDonald's of schools. If McDonald's had elephant topiary in the front yard.

Everyone says Miley is the next Britney Spears. Why are people saying that? People need to leave her alone.
—Christine from Connecticut

You can't ignore the similarities. Teenage megastardom. Publicly proclaims her virginity while dating a host of slick, sexy dudes. Scandalous photos, authorized and otherwise. Stage parents. And if Miley wanted to be left alone, she'd stop posing for photos flashing that oh-so-original V-sign. Quit wasting your sympathy on a billion-dollar teenager who has craved fame since she was a fetus.

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