Hosting the Oscars is a big deal. Some of the biggest comedians in the world have done it, so when late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was selected he was probably feeling pretty good about himself. Given the pedigree of the the Academy Awards, one would think the pay for hosting would be top tier. Turns out that’s not the case.
Kimmel appeared on Southern California’s KROQ for an interview on the “Kevin & Bean” show, where he revealed he’ll only make $15,000 for the honor. “I'm not sure I was supposed to reveal this,” Kimmel quipped, “but nobody told me not to. I consider this their fault.” He went further by joking, “I think it’s illegal to pay nothing.”
For reference, the late night show host reportedly makes $10 million per year for his main gig. Of course, Kimmel can’t be too upset with the amount if he’s agreed to do the show, and the exposure can only help him. Poor pay for big TV events like this isn’t confined to the Oscars; two years ago Katy Perry was infamously asked by the Super Bowl committee to play for free.
Either way, we can look forward to Jimmy Kimmel’s usual brand of good-natured prodding on Oscar night.
[via Yahoo]