Surprise! The answer is not simply “ALL OF THEM.” At least not this time. I mean, feel free to conduct your own independent research, and all that.
The Los Angeles Times put together a nifty little slideshow that figures out (using “math” and “stuff”) how much TV’s highest paid stars are actually paid per actual viewer. Like if someone is getting paid one hojillion dollars but delivers his network 10 hojillion viewers, that’s actually a pretty good deal. On the other hand…
…there’s Chelsea Handler.
Chelsea Handler makes a skull-blastingly ridiculous $12 million a year. Her show has ratings of 0.718 million. That means she’s getting paid $16.70 per viewer. Hrrrmmm.
Compare that with the second-most overpaid star, our own Silver Fox Anderson Cooper. He makes $6 million, delivers ratings of 0.443 million, or $13.54 per viewer.
The entire thing is most definitely worth clicking around, and there are endless sub-arguments to be had. Jon Stewart (ranked #4) makes $8.24 a viewer, but films four shows a week, year ’round (which he also helps write and produce and is not “just” the guy reading cards at a desk). Snooki (#23) is bargain-priced at 16 cents a viewer, but Jersey Shore only airs about 9 to 12 episodes a year (which mostly involve cameras following drunk people around while they do drunk-people things).
Oh, and also: Judge Judy makes $45 million dollars a year, you guys. FORTY-FIVE MILLION. Holy freaking crap.
About Amy Corbett Storch
