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Hugh Laurie, Charlie Sheen, Matt Lauer, Ryan Seacrest and Oprah Winfrey are among TV’s highest-paid entertainers in various categories, according to a newly released breakdown of star salaries from TV Guide. Even in a time of financial crisis, it’s nice to know that some of us are still able to make money (please excuse the dripping sarcasm)
Though TV studios have been cracking down on paydays overall to keep costs in line amid sinking broadcast ratings, key performers still draw stunning paychecks. It is incredible when you look at this list, the income that some are receiving given the declining ratings of their shows. Most notably, Hugh Laurie star of House M.D. has experienced declining ratings in his series since it peaked 3 years ago yet he ranks as the top drama earner with over $400K per episode. In terms of actors, far and away the highest earner is Charlie Sheen and side kick Jon Cryer with their show Two and a Half Men still rating very well after 7 seasons. By far the biggest money earner is the Oprah. The talk show host rakes in a massive $315 million per year.
It’s interesting that someone like Gordon Ramsay who has many programs running concurrently like Hell’s Kitchen and the newly broadcast MasterChef would not rank. With the growing popularity of MasterChef, Gordon may find a ranking on this list next year. With Fox hoping for a similar ratings bonanza as MasterChef in Australia, Gordon has his work cut out for him. Here is a snapshot of the biggest money earners in the entertainment industry for 2010.
Comedy actors (per episode, US dollars):
Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men) $1.25 million
Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) $550,000
Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives) $400,000
Tina Fey (30 Rock) $350,000
Jeremy Piven (Entourage) $350,000
Steve Carell (The Office) $297,000
Adrian Grenier (Entourage) $200,000
Ed O’Neill (Modern Family) $100,000
Johnny Galecki (Big Bang Theory) $60,000
Drama actors (per episode):
Hugh Laurie (House) $400,000+
Christopher Meloni & Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU) $395,000 (each)
David Caruso (CSI: Miami) $375,000
Marg Helgenberger (CSI) $375,000
Laurence Fishburne (CSI) $350,000
Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy) $250,000
Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice) $200,000
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) $175,000
Lauren Graham (Parenthood) $150,000
Nathan Fillion (Castle) $100,000
Jon Hamm (Mad Men) $100,000
Alex O’Loughlin (Hawaii Five-0) $100,000
Anna Paquin (True Blood) $75,000
Talk show hosts (per year):
Oprah Winfrey $315 million
Judge Judy Sheindlin $45 million
David Letterman (The Late Show) $28 million
Jay Leno (The Tonight Show) $25 million
Conan O’Brien (The Conan O’Brien Show) $10 million
Ellen DeGeneres (The Ellen DeGeneres Show) $8 million
Reality TV (per year):
Ryan Seacrest (American Idol) $15 million
Joel McHale (The Soup) $2 million
Piers Morgan (America’s Got Talent) $2 million
Kate Gosselin (Kate Plus Eight) $250,000 per episode
Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi (Jersey Shore) $30,000 per episode
News (per year):
Matt Lauer (Today) $16 million+
Katie Couric (CBS) $15 million
Diane Sawyer (ABC) $12 million
Bill O’Reilly (Fox News) $10 million
Wolf Blitzer (CNN) $3 million
Tags: Entertainment, general, news, Television
Posted in Entertainment · September 4th, 2010 · Comments (0)
MasterChef (premiered at 9/8c on FOX) is a program that is a cross between American Idol and Hell’s Kitchen. Amateur chefs compete for $250,000 and the chance to have their own cookbook published by having their own recipes and signature dishes cooked on each show. Starting with hopeful chefs, the home cooks will be whittled down from 50 to 30 in the first 2 episodes by controversial British culinary mastermind Gordon Ramsay, the sharp-tongued star of Hell’s Kitchen. Hoping for a ratings bonanza similar to that of MasterChef Australia (over 25% of entire Australian population tuned into the final episode), FOX and Ramsay (who is also producing the show) will be gunning for a show that will rejuvenate audiences to the tired elimination ‘reality’ television format. Aimed at the 18-49 age category, this show has already placed third behind Bachelorette and the other Ramsay show Hell’s Kitchen after it’s premiere. So it appears to be faring the way that Ramsay and FOX would have liked.
With a range of dishes and the topic of food which is a common hot topic for all, this program is bound to continue to resonate with audiences across the country. I personally will be hoping that the show will be more encouraging than Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen and may gather an audience sick of shows that are about crime, murder, discouraging and humiliating people.
So what does it take to become a MasterChef? Well Gordon Ramsay gives some of his tips for the amateur chefs. Let’s see if they adhere to this by the end of the competition and whether or not Gordon Ramsay will also be less sharp tongued as he has promised to be on this program.
Here, he gives us the recipe for creaming the competition.
1. Cook with amore! “What we’re really looking for is someone with an overwhelming passion for food,” says Ramsay. “That’s the main ingredient!”
2. Get creative. “In one challenge, I’ll ask the contestants to make a stunning dish using just one egg. Only the most creative contestants will survive.”
3. Know thy pantry. “A Master Chef needs to have the most amazing palate and food knowledge. They must be able to identify ingredients by taste, smell and sight in order to truly master them.”
4. Simplicity rules. “Many contestants tried to serve complex, pretentious dishes that just ended up being a bloody mess. The key is to keep it simple, fresh and delicious.”
5. Keep it real. “A MasterChef will always be true to [his] own culinary roots—authenticity is key. We judges will often push contestants out of their own cooking comfort zones to learn about other cuisines and flavors. But without a doubt, the best dishes are always the ones that come straight from the heart.”
Tags: Entertainment, general, news, Television
Posted in Entertainment · September 3rd, 2010 · Comments (0)