Jay Leno Takes A Pay Cut To Help Save The Tonight Show

Watercooler

By Nads | Monday, August 20, 2012 | 4:15 pm | 10 Comments
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Posted in: Watercooler

Since the watercooler section has become and obituary blog these days, I thought I’d change up the mood a little. So here we go…I think?

Jay Leno is giving back to his show by taking a pay cut. Recently, The Tonight Show had to let go of 20-25 staffers due to budget cuts, but since Jay is such a nice guy, he’s agreed to reduce his salary down to $20 million/year. It’s rumored that he makes somewhere between $25-30 million (his salary from when he was in prime time)…so it’s really nice of him to take a pay cut.  Aside from Jay, other senior staff members of the show have also agreed to take pay cuts to keep the show afloat. Isn’t it crazy that The Tonight Show is the number one show on late night and is barely breaking even? It’s because Jay is grossly overpaid, and also since Comcast took over NBC, their business model has changed–they’re actually in the business of making money. On another note: I’m curious as to when Jay is finally going to retire? And when he does, who will take his place? We all know the Conan move didn’t work, I fear that if they move up Jimmy Fallon the same thing will happen. In any case, it’s a long time away, but just looking ahead at the future of late night. 

 

 

About

Although comedy is her profession, Nadine has accomplished a lot in her young age. She is a national champion black belt, a world-class soccer player, and an avid snowboarder. She started playing soccer at the age of 4, and continued playing through college where she majored in Biology, but quickly realized her destiny was to tell jokes, not to wear a lab coat. So she decided to be funny while finishing her Bachelors Degree in biology and continued on to get her M.B.A. Nadine’s comedy style is much like her athleticism, fearless. She’s made her way up the comedy ladder very quickly, and has become a club favorite at many of the country’s top comedy clubs, including the Improv chain. Performing in the Boston Comedy Festival and being noted as the “one of the youngest and brightest up and comers” and traveling to the Middle East to entertain the troops are just a few of her notable accomplishments. These days Nadine splits time between the stage, a radio studio, her computer blogging, and a television studio. Nadine’s TV, Radio, Writing credits include: national commercials, talking head roles on E! Entertainment, Showtime’s Hot Tamales Live, The Skinny: Fat Free News, The Sunny Side of The Truth: Real World Hollywood, TVgasm, Zazreport, Daddy’s Girls, Jerseylicious, celebrity interviews on Mania TV, a weekly half-hour television show that syndicates to colleges across the country for National Lampoon and a nightly radio show on XM Satellite Radio.

10 Comments

  1. 1
    CynTV CynTV
    Posted August 20, 2012 at 4:26 pm

    Jay is too scared to retire. This is all he has. So many people in the business think he’s a weasel. Anyone see the episode of people with weird sex fetishes where this guy was literally in love with his car? That’s Jay. And I understand that 25 employees were laid off BEFORE Saint Jay decided to take a pay cut. I wonder how much of a pay cut? I’ll bet it was something like $100 a week. Technically, that’s a pay cut, I guess.

  2. 2
    See-Jay
    Posted August 20, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    CynTV nailed it. Jay will never retire because the only thing he has outside of the show is his vast collection of cars. Guy won’t even take vacations. He’s a workaholic. If taking a pay cut means he can keep his career alive, then of course he’ll oblige.

  3. 3
    labowner
    Posted August 20, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    He now is making $20M down from $25-$30M.

    What is with the attitude CynTV? You don’t know him so why do you care? If you have an issue with how business works I suggest you call NBC and tell them they did it wrong or who ever the production company is.

  4. 4
    lindaw205
    Posted August 20, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    I don’t really care for talk shows. I used to watch Johnny Carson sometimes for his monologues and bits but I never much liked Jay Leno and have never cared for the “celebrity guest” circle jerks that they all do. So, what’s my point? I guess to say yeh, I don’t care that he’s only making 20 million now.

  5. 5
    KartofflMuter
    Posted August 20, 2012 at 9:04 pm

    I don’t watch late night unless someone very special like Paolo Nutini is going to be on. I watched 4 years ago when Letterman booked McCain and Olbermann stood in the wings and they had the mock-up with his bus-route. It was fun. Otherwise-no. One more book plug or movie promo. I DVR Craig Ferguson.Now there’s a man with a skeleton I can understand. But I have to agree with Lab here,CynTV-what is your problem? Do you know Jay? I’m guessing-no. Stable marriage of 32 years. He has a lot of money. He abides by the usual immigrant rule-work hard. Scottish mom and Italian father,so when he’s not working,since he doesn’t drink or smoke or gamble. So Cyn-can he have his car collection without asking permission from the peanut gallery?
    I live on a hill and the hill across from my house has just one estate on it.The house is probably only double the size of ours but it has a 45 car garage. Boys with toys. This is the Silicon Valley, not Hollywood. He’s not vain. He gives to charity. He volunteered to cut his salary. It’s very wrong to insinuate he would promote himself and then actually take a $100 pay cut. That’s what a cigar costs. No-I don’t know him either. But when I read the headline, I was glad to see some good news for a change and a role model of prominence.

  6. 6
    sarcasatire sarcasatire
    Posted August 20, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    Jay took a pay cut, yes, but 20-25 peole still got laid off. Had it been Conan, he would’ve paid them out of his salary..i mean it’s not like staffers get paid $1 million dollars each. Even if it’s $100,ooo each, how good would it had made him look if the headline said. “leno is donating a portion of his salary to save the jobs of his staffers.” It’s all about spin..

  7. 7
    JudgyWudgy JudgyWudgy
    Posted August 20, 2012 at 10:00 pm

    You know what Conan O’Brien would have done? Fair enough.

  8. 8
    sarcasatire sarcasatire
    Posted August 20, 2012 at 10:10 pm

    I know what Conan DID. He gave his salary to pay for those who lost their jobs when he lost his show to Jay Leno. So…um, yea. Now you know, too.

  9. 9
    snowshoecat snowshoecat
    Posted August 21, 2012 at 6:33 am

    20,000,000— 30,000,000. Hey, a guy’s gotta eke out a living somehow.

  10. 10
    Libithina
    Posted August 21, 2012 at 7:08 am

    Leno is garbage. This guy doesn’t even touch his Tonight show salary and hasn’t for years, he lives off the money he makes doing standup. Hey Jay, while its great you took a pay cut of money you don’t touch, it would have been far more impressive if you kept all those workers and reduced the salary you don’t use. I’ll just assume that those 20 some workers that were laid off were really awful and that I can expect to see a real turn around in the quality of your show. Eh, who am I kidding. I’ll still never watch your hack show.

    http://www.uproxx.com/tv/2012/08/about-that-pay-cut-jay-leno-is-taking/

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