Ryan Seacrest Now Earns $55 Million Paycheck
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Ryan Seacrest is rolling in the dough.
The 36-year-old American Idol host's salary tripled in 2009 -- skyrocketing from $5 million a year to $15 million -- when he signed a three-year deal with FOX and CKX, and now the Hollywood Reporter estimates he earns $55 million a year.
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How'd Seacrest score such an enormous paycheck?
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In addition to his $45 million American Idol compensation, he hosts his own KIIS-FM radio show and produces the Kardashian reality shows for E! and Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution for ABC.
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Seacrest doesn't come cheap, but FOX can certainly afford him. Though operating costs for American Idol rose 17% in the last year, Forbes estimates the program earns $7.11 million every half-hour for News Corp.















Tell Us What You Think
12Okay, I like Ryan. BUT when they do their little IDOL GIVES BACK thing, instead of begging money from people who earn minimum wage, why doesn't Idol Really Give Back and Ryan shell out a few million and then hit up Simon for another couple of million?
wow, so many people bad comment about him
meant "or" really good material.
His radio show is awful. There is just no personality are really good material. You can tell people just hand him crap, he does no real prep for that show.
This clown aint worth that kind of money. I can't stand him. This guy has absolutely NO TALENT. ZERO. ZILCH.
I use to like him, but he's so over exposed for no good reason. I gave up on Idol a few seasons ago, Ryan irk'd me too much with his stupid saying...thissssss isssss American Idol. stfu lil boy! spread your wealth to the less fortunate, I dam sure would if I had that type of dough!
What the heck does this clown do to warrant the money - and why is he at the Met Gala?? Who is he really come on?!?!?!
ugh .........
Yes, I would Stephanie. NO ONE needs $55 million a year - NO ONE. It makes me sick that Hollywood tosses money like this around for a no-talent like this guy - not to mention all the others in that town - for pretty much doing nothing more than showing up and standing in place for an hour. That kind of money could do WONDERS for the poor in this country who are homeless and hungry. If someone handed me that money, I'd buy my dream house, a decent car, put some away so that I'd never miss a meal or go without health care and I'd give the rest to the people who really need it.
if someone offered you that salary, you'd turn it down?
The word "earn" doesn't belong anywhere near this item.
He's such a tool....