Reality TV can be entertaining, but how must it feel to be the entertainment? If we have learned anything from the folks who have starred on these shows, it’s that the fame is a bigger sacrifice than ever expected. Whether we are talking about televised breakups à la The Bachelor or public cheating scandals like in 90 Day Fiancé, oftentimes reality TV contestants get way more attention than they bargained for. So, what exactly do they get back?
Unfortunately, not all shows pay equally, if at all. And even then not all stars earn the same amount, since some talent is, well, just more talented than the rest of the cast. In the case of Jersey Shore and its twin show Floribama Shore, that is certainly the case. Read on for details:
The Cash Flows On The More Popular Shore
At this point, it may seem obvious to point out that television networks like MTV tend to pay for results. In the case of their hit show Jersey Shore, the most popular cast members were the highest earning cast members. Plus, with the success of each progressive season, the wild twenty somethings who were partying on screen started earning more and more cash.
This dynamic is particularly evident in the case of Ms. Nicole Polizzi (yes we mean Snooki). The reality star basically stole the show with her big personality and even bigger personal marketing plan. In 2009, Snooki kicked off season one of the show earning just $2,000 per episode, according to a report by Cosmopolitan. By the time she progressed to the final season, she was bringing in $150,000. Talk about building her brand!
Viewers should still keep in mind that all Jersey Shore stars were being paid like Snooki, though. Less popular cast members were receiving way less money. Even during the show’s last season, late-comer Deena Cortese was earning $40,000 per episode. That’s less than a third of what Snooki was making!
Understanding The Floribama Connection
Even though MTV clearly doesn’t pay all reality stars the same amount of money, the Jersey Shore payrolls can help clue us into the salaries of the Floribama Shore cast. The current reality stars are probably making more than the $2,000 per episode that Snooki was earning back in the day. But they are definitely not nearly popular enough to be bringing in those large, six figure numbers that we were seeing from the last season of Jersey Shore. At least not unless they seriously get on that personal marketing train!
What we do know for now is that contestants are making money on a sliding salary based on their popularity, just like in past shows. Reports of Floribama Shore net worth still estimate that most cast members keep their bank accounts well below the 100k range.
But those new stars can definitely change that by getting some drama started and attracting new viewers.