The World Wrestling Federation may have 'STONE COLD' STEVE AUSTIN and 'BAD ASS' Billy Gunn, but the truly bone-crunching, back-slamming action takes place in a much tougher arena: HOLLYWOOD. This year the competition has been especially BRUTAL -- at least for space in these pages -- with producers like Rollickin' Scott Rudin and Jerry 'the Rock' Bruckheimer rising to title contenders, while stars like Kevin (It'll Cost Ya) Costner and BRAD 'NOT SUCH A HIT' PITT took it on the chin. Even 1999's championship-belt winner -- SUMNER 'HE'LL CARVE YOUR HEADSTONE' REDSTONE -- needed help from a new tag-team partner (Mel 'Bad Karma' Karmazin). So sit back, slip into some boxer shorts, and get ready to rummmmble, as EW referees its 10th year of celebrity death matches. Among the HEAVYWEIGHTS to pin your hopes on: FIGHTIN' MICHAEL CRIGHTON, Hammerin' Cameron Diaz, Mike 'the Zipper' De Luca, To Helen and Back Hunt, MAIMIN' MATT DAMON, and HARRISON 'NO COMPARISON' FORD.
And, oh yeah, MADONNA.
1 Sumner REDSTONE and Mel KARMAZIN CHAIRMAN-CEO-REIGNING MEDIA CHAMP; PRESIDENT-COO, VIACOM INC. Last Year 8/16 AGES 76/56 Poor Sumner Redstone. For all his wealth (estimated at $9.4 billion) and power (as head of Viacom, he oversees MTV, VH1, Paramount Pictures, and Blockbuster Video), he's never been able to find what he's always longed for: True Love.
But in August, something extraordinary happened: This media Methuselah looked up from his spreadsheets to find the soul mate of his dreams -- CBS CEO Mel Karmazin. After a brief corporate wine and dance, the duo announced their engagement -- and now top EW's 10th annual Power list.
With Viacom's purchase of the Tiffany net, Redstone adds a $37 billion behemoth (160 radio stations, syndie giant King World) to his holdings. He also creates a media empire to rival Disney and Time Warner, which could generate an estimated $11 billion in ad revenues. But the real dowry may be Karmazin, who's perfectly cast to play Redstone's Mini-Me.
A workaholic (he arrives at the office at 6 a.m. and sometimes answers the phones), Karmazin is as ruthlessly ambitious as Redstone. He began as a salesman at CBS Radio, left to create radio giant Infinity Broadcasting (championing Howard Stern along the way), and returned triumphant in 1996 when CBS acquired his company. And, like Redstone, he knows the value of a dollar...and a penny (he claims to travel coach and scrutinizes employee expense reports).
''Mel seduced me,'' Redstone dreamily told reporters and investors after the merger was announced, sounding for all the world like a blushing bride. Certainly Wall Street couldn't be prouder: Viacom's stock surged. The only one who might object to the union is the FCC, but so far the feds are holding their peace.
Yet, for all the rice throwing, skeptics insist this media marriage won't be happily ever after. For one thing, Viacom and CBS cater to different constituencies (MTV viewers are hip; CBS' need hip replacements), which could make for an awkward honeymoon. For another, there's Redstone's romantic track record (just ask ousted Viacom president and CEO Frank Biondi -- or Sumner's wife, Phyllis, 74, who has filed for divorce). And did we mention that Karmazin is ambitious? Could Redstone find himself prematurely ejected from their wedding bed?
