Pay Day For The Rich And Famous

Something relating to the subject of TV that you may have read or heard of in the media is this thing on if celebrities are paid too much. Now, I have noticed in newspaper articles and on shows on TV there have been discussions on the pay that Celebrities have allegedly been receiving and causing some kind of outrage.

Now to some of you that may hardly seem like surprising news really. You may expect anyone who's worked on TV to earn loads. But I think what it perhaps partly is, with the talk of 'credit crunch'(they could make a fortune selling that as a new breakfast cereal brand,TV celebs)people have perhaps considered that some TV celebs pay may be larger then they think it should be more-but it could be a belief they already held.

However, is it rightful pay for thier work in TV, or is it that these TV people should have their pay docked down a little(or a lot). Are some of these frankly huge sums we have been hearing about when describing their pay justified for TV work? OK, so I may not know the exact figures that each of these TV workers have been paid but what I thought I could do is give some ideas on celeb pay and maybe you may want to give your opinion on the apparent pay that they have have been suggested to earn-do you think it's too little or just right or too large(from going on what you know-well, it is worth remembering that, on extremely rare occasions *cough*, there have been times when perhaps the media for example newspapers,have wrongly reported a story).

In my opinion it really is like other situations in that the answer to this is different depending on the case. I mean, I don't know the exact figures of all celebrities salaries, but don't you agree the pay should vary-like with other jobs-depending on the exact TV job in question? I mean, look at the varying jobs there are on TV-newsreader, presenter, actor and journalist-these are just a few in the front of the cameras.

What about the directors, make up artists and researchers that all have put work in to make the show what it is. These people who may work on TV but not exactly be known as celebs. When, I wonder, have you ever heard or seen a complaint about what a behind the scenes TV worker has been paid? And do you have a feeling, like me, that maybe the behind the scenes workers salary has, not quite matched that of the 'in front of the scenes ' TV personalties-even if the job may of required more work? Each of these types of TV workers should be appreciated for the great work they have been doing, but how much should they be paid and what is too much? These behind the scene workers often should get, I believe,as much money or maybe more, then some of the front side of the camera workers, depending on what exactly the roles in question is-or it should be the other way round sometimes too.

Surely, you should then, be paid for the job in question, the exact role rather then, as I wonder if its been the case-paid more depending on the shows ratings-because, after all, bigger ratings for a show does not necessary mean that the show was better put together and the workers worked harder on it and was a more important show then something with more smaller ratings. I was wondering, how much has Mr Banker on Deal Or No Deal been paid(perhaps not as much as other bankers), seeing as his voice has been used in like all episodes of Deal Or No Deal but he has not been fully shown yet-as has Noel Edmonds appeared in each episode and presented it as well-who got the larger paycheck, huh? Or what about a show where there is more then one presenter like shows with Ant and Dec, I think there pay has been the same-a joint pay programe for shows like the hit Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, what about Richard and Judy?

Maybe they may have allowed there off-screen partnership to lend money to each other. But on those sort of shows those personalities have been on, with an on-screen partnership where perhaps they have done a similar amount of work on the show, it might make sense if their paid a similar amount of money,though maybe the idea is it goes on the individuals work of each of them-maybe it is that their pay is for the 'team' effort-that is something that I would be interested to know the answer to.

I can give you an example where I wonder about a show that has more then one very famous name - The X-factor or Britain's Got Talent-there's the thing of which judge got paid the most(remember Simon Cowell is more then a judge in that his responsible for more of the shows credits I believe on both X-Factor and Britain's Got Talent with producing credits in parts) and then I wonder about Dermot O'Leary's(the shows newest presenter)pay compared to judges-Chery Cole, Dannii Minogue, Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell's on X-Factor or on Britain's Got Talent-Ant and Dec's pay compared to judges Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell and Pierce Morgan. Recentley I read X-Factor's people plan on giving Cherly Cole for her judging role more money then Dannie Minogue (this wouldn't have anything to do with Cherly been voted FHM's most Sexiest 09......)

I was thinking of Paul O'Grady,a man who a couple of times had commented about how he can't believe his been paid for doing a show which his liked with the various people his got to meet and things his got to do. (If only we could get certain financial-related politicians dressed up as a fish finger on his show) Paul is a great presenter and entertainer, his show The Paul O'Grady Show is a great one in its genre on the box and I hope he has been paid well for it. But I think there's a good point there,though. Some people are in jobs which they may enjoy, maybe feel it in some way fulfilling and perhaps not just in it for the money-some may be in it purely for the money and not be 'into' the job itself.

If you think in the world of TV, most, maybe not all, of the TV people in question got into that job as its something they like, maybe have a talent for it. So, with this in mind is the idea that their paid more depending on how good they are at their TV role-or maybe how popular they are, not necessary how talented-after all, the networks want to put out a popular show with their viewers,right, and what's getting their ratings up. So the show in question may affect the cast's pay too, certain shows may pay more- the X-Factor is one where the pay could well be big money-I have a feeling you could use the earnings to buy a seat at a Barbara Streisand concert and have enough lefy for a little merchandise.

I guess another example of varying pay may be a Soap-a show you may of heard of called EastEnders,for example. Now, if this was an accurate report then some EastEnders cast members have a larger pay check then others. A report suggested that the cast that were playing the Mitchell family were the most paid family of Albert Square, and certain cast members within that clan got bigger pay then others and the Mitchell's have been one of EastEnders most popular families.

There's celebs like Jonathan Ross and Phillip Schofield where its been well documented of there stated earnings. It actually seems to be more of TV presenters then other TV roles that seem to have been under question for pay. For example, take two TV names in the same position, how about TV presenters. Let's take two presenters, how about Fern Britton and Davina Mcoll. Both have been TV presenters on different shows. Fern, as you may know has, among other programmes been the presenter for This Morning. Davina, as you may also know, has among other programmes been the presenter for Big Brother. So both have done TV presenting for those two shows and I think it works out for a close amount of time. Both these shows presenting positions are very different jobs. Why I do not know the exact figures they got paid for those 'gigs', I'm thinking it is a different amount for both.

Something I wondered is with interviewers, have they earned more depending on who they have interviewed that episode? For example, if it was say an interview with the President or Madonna -

people who may only do a very select few interviews-would that earn the interviewer a little bonus? Or is it supposed to go on the skill shown by the interviewer whoever their guest is? Is it fixed pay?

I suppose being on TV is one of the jobs where overtime is not paid with a bonus-I don't think that the BBC would like it if The One Show ran until 10:30pm one day because Adrian and Christine wanted a little extra money!

Now, something else that's been mentioned is a gender thing, where some have suggested that men have been paid more then women, for the same job based on purely there sex(as in if their male or female the other way I sure hope Pay distribution hasn't reached). Well, I would hope this is not the case, I don't know for certain, but I really would hope so.

However, I have read of celebs who have found themselves with a lack of money as a result of the credit crunch-yes could even TV's Celebs be affected by a Credit Crunch? Some famous TV people may have had their pay reduced, along with the shows budget too. Notice at the beginning of The Apprentice the money value that Sir Alan is quoted as having an 'estimated fortune' of has gone down. Having said that, we have been hearing of those who have been earning these huge sums and well, they don't sound like the credit crunch has effected their bosses paying them massively-yeah we may of heard that some celebs have had their salary docked-it was reported in The Sun about how Graham Norton's, Simon Cowell's, Ant and Dec's and Jonathan Ross' pay may be reduced(some may argue to a more reasonable amount)., but docked down to still such a large sum when it started of at such a large amount.

If you think some of the work that have gone into some TV personalities jobs and that there has been some great TV acts on show then you may want them to earn a fair bit-but the question is-have they been getting too much?

Well here, as I have tailored this article to a TV theme, I have wrote more of TV celebs pay but the same 'paid to much money' could be argued to a number of other celeb professions like singing and movie star acting and out of the 'celeb' tag too.

So there is some Celeb-Pay-Thoughts. Are celebs overpaied? Maybe some are, some are not and some are really overpaid. That may sound like a politicly correct answer, but it just so happens I think that may be the case. But what do you think? Feel free to voice your opinion whether your an overpaid celebrity or not.

Written by Ben Stuart
bloggedoncampaigns.blogspot.com