Hosting a huge event on television creates big exposure, however, when it comes to the actual pays, they tend to be underwhelming. That was the case with those that hosted the Super Bowl in the past. Given all the stressful prep, performers like Rihanna walked away with nothing, while the likes of Ben Affleck and J-Lo made millions for their 30-second commercial spots.
However, one can argue that the hosts get so much more from the exposure, which includes a spike in record sales.
As we'll reveal in the following, it is a different story for those that host the Oscars. They do receive a certain pay, but it is very underwhelming in comparison to their net worths. We'll take a look at how much Jimmy Kimmel made for the show, and what other hosts have made in the past.
It seems like most hosts are in the same range, and some have taken shots at the low pay given out, despite all the effort it takes to successfully host the prestigious night.
How Jimmy Kimmel Really Feels About Hosting The Oscars And Why He's More Prepared Than Usual This Year
Jimmy Kimmel seems to be a little more prepared this year for the Oscars and a major reason for it stems from last year's disaster, featuring the Oscar slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock.
Kimmel revealed with Rolling Stone, "But this is a group of human beings running a television show, and as much as you can be prepared for, I don’t think this is something that anyone could imagine would happen. I’ve had this thought: I’ve been hosting these live award shows, and there’s very little protection as far as the stage goes."
"Anyone who’s in that building can walk right up onstage. I almost hesitate to say this because I don’t want to encourage people to do that, but there are going to be some dingbats in a room full of 3,500 people, and the fact that it hasn’t happened more surprises me."
Kimmel would go on to reveal that the Oscars crew apparently had a meeting and discussed the fact that they are prepared for anything.
"They were saying they “ran through a bunch of scenarios” and are “prepared for everything,” and I would have loved to have been in that meeting because I can’t imagine what those scenarios were," Kimmel said.
Kimmel would spill more behind the scenes' news about his time with the Academy and among the topics of conversation included his pay for the show.
Jimmy Kimmel Revealed That His Salary For Hosting The Oscars Was $15,000
Speaking alongside Wanda Sykes, the two discussed the actual pay for hosting the Oscars. Sykes initiated the conversation, stating that she wasn't making much for the hosting gig.
"I was real excited about [the gig], but then I realized, out of all the jobs that I have, this one is actually gonna cost me money."
When asked how much she would be making, Wanda still wasn't exactly sure. "I don't even know it's, like, scale probably."
Jimmy Kimmel would then reveal his actual salary and what he made. Given the number Kimmel said, it was a lot less than fans expected, especially given all the preparation involved in such a show.
"I got paid $15,000 to host the Oscars. And there's one of me!," he said. "You guys will probably have to split that."
Kimmel continues, "You're getting robbed. You know what? Hold out right now because they need hosts, you know?" he said. Sykes would hilariously reveal that she would steal an Oscar as compensation.
Jimmy Kimmel Wasn't The Only Person To Make A Comment About Their Oscar Salary For Hosting The Show
Back in 2013, Alec Baldwin would also take a jab at the pay given out by the Oscars. Baldwin hosted alongside Steve Martin, so we assume his pay was even smaller than what Kimmel made.
Alec told THR at the time, “They don’t pay you any money; the Oscars pay you like chicken feed,” Baldwin told the publication in 2013. “It’s all about the honor of helping to extol film achievement.”
According to Yahoo News, it seems like the standard pay for hosting the Oscars is $15,000.
"Baldwin didn’t cite an exact salary, but in 2013, The Hollywood Reporter revealed the average Oscars host fee was $15,000-$25,000. Seth MacFarlane hosted that year and was reportedly paid above the $15,000 SAG-AFTRA minimum."
It isn't a huge number, especially given the net worths of the celebs that have hosted the show in the past. However, it does give the host lots of exposure, which can really boost their careers.