(MONEY Magazine) – You probably heard that institutional investors just snapped up $55 million worth of 7.9% 10-year bonds backed by the estimated future royalties of rock icon David Bowie. Turns out the offering may be the harbinger of a trend. "The bond set a precedent in the entertainment industry, which could be imitated," says Charles Sawyer of the Minneapolis law firm Dorsey & Whitney, which specializes in asset-based securities like the Bowie bonds.

So which celebs would you like to invest in--if any? Small investors appear to favor talk show queen Oprah Winfrey and filmmaker Steven Spielberg, but they want no part of mama Madonna. These are the findings of a nationwide survey sponsored by Dorsey & Whitney, which asked 1,000 Americans to pick the celebrities they thought would be the best investment. Some 27% went with Oprah, while 19% put their money on Spielberg. You can already invest in Oprah by buying shares of her talk show's distributor, King World Productions (ticker symbol: KWP; recently traded on the New York Stock Exchange at $37.25). But you can't own Spielberg--yet. He has relied on private investors to raise an estimated $2 billion for his DreamWorks partnership. Other poll results: Golf phenom Tiger Woods hooked an impressive 15%, outscoring Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan (14%). By contrast, a paltry 2% picked the Material Girl.

If you do get a shot at a celebrity deal, don't confuse Return of the Jedi with return on equity. Warns Steve Bohlin, managing director of $1.7 billion mutual fund operator Thornburg Management: "Just because a star's music or movies are in demand today doesn't mean he is a good financial risk. Popular taste is fickle."

--Gary Belsky