Should Reality TV Stars Make More Money Than Actors like Jon Hamm of AMC's "Mad Men"?

Even if you don't watch reality TV shows, and I count myself among that group, you can't help but notice they're everywhere today. The sad, frustrating and shocking fact is that these Johns and Janes of the bug eating islands of Survivor, or those crass, sassy and wacky gals of The Real Housewives not only equal the same salary as big TV actors, but can eclipse them.

That's right. Hard working, talented and charismatic television actors and actresses, who often spend years training and perfecting an impressive performing craft, now play second fiddle come paycheck time. With the media's continued, constant and crazy coverage of the public debacle of Kate and Jon Gosselin, keep in mind that this darling, daffy duo make more per episode than many sitcom actors or actresses in top dramas.

Though often it's not made public what TV stars bring home, Jon Hamm of AMC's Emmy Award winning Mad Men makes $75,000 an episode. Jon has paid his dues in Hollywood, he learns pages of dialog each week, and performs complex scenes full of emotionally draining moments. On the opposite end of the entertainment spectrum, we have Heidi Montag of MTV's The Hills. This gal who just shows up each episode and lets cameras roll over her 'fascinating' lifestyle earns $100,000 an episode. You got it, my friends. The lead actor who helped make Mad Men a huge, Emmy scoring hit, and has wowed critics and audiences alike salary slums compared to Ms. Montag who basically projects a "look."

Granted, anyone who's featured in a TV show raking in millions of advertising dollars deserves a cut of that fat pot. The reason - I'd imagine, but can't say for sure because I've never watched - people love watching Jon & Kate Plus Eight, or Kate Plus Eight or whatever it's called this week, is that they love the 'stars.' So yes, pay Mr. Gosselin and Kate big bucks and remember to create a trust fund for the kids. However the notion these amateurs should get paid more than Hamm playing an engaging, mysterious Don Draper of Sterling Cooper agency in Mad Men, leaves me cold.

Mad Men is an appropriate label for how many of us feel about what's taking over Hollywood. Once Tinseltown was a place of bold stories and fond dreams. Now, with reality TV overtaking much of the feel good fun of Hollywood's fantasy landscape, it's a creaky, mundane mash of loud, untrained bug eating opportunists.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/02/reality-tvs-big-bottom-line-do-these-stars-deserve-such-big-pa/