Jimmy Kimmel Reveals How Much Oscar Hosts Really Get Paid
After a chat with Jimmy Kimmel, Wanda Sykes is now wondering if the Academy is stiffing her. On Sunday, March 27, Sykes will be joined by fellow funny ladies Regina Hall and Amy Schumer to act as joint emcees for this years' Oscars. When Skyes appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on March 22, she revealed that the trio will all appear in the opening monologue, but then break off to do the different introductions and bit parts during the ceremony.
"I was really excited," Wanda expressed. "Then I realized, out of all the jobs that I have, this one is actually gonna cost me money." And Kimmel confirmed this fact about the Oscars hosting gig. If you remember, Kimmel himself hosted the awards ceremony back in both 2017 and 2018. Then when the 2019-Oscars-Kevin-Hart fiasco happened, the ceremony has been left host-less ever since. This means that Sykes, Hall, and Schumer will be the first to return to the hosting position, per Entertainment Weekly.
So, how much did Kimmel get paid for his time and effort? And did Sykes get the short end of the stick?
Jimmy Kimmel says he got $15,000 for hosting the Oscars
During her interview to hype up the upcoming Oscar Awards, Jimmy Kimmel asked Wanda Sykes how much money she will be receiving for her part in the hosting trio. Although she wasn't sure of the exact number, Sykes estimated that she will be getting paid "scale." Sykes is a member of SAG-AFRTA, and being paid "on scale" means that she will be getting "the minimum pay rate allowed by the production company's agreement with SAG/AFTRA," per Topsheet.
Kimmel then revealed that he was given $15,000 for doing the job. "And there was one of me, you guys will probably have to split all that," Kimmel teased.
According to GQ, the hosts of the Golden Globes can earn over six figures, so it seems that the Oscars are certainly paying on the low-end. But Sykes has a plan for how she is going to get the money she deserves: "Well, I've already decided — I'm just going to steal an Oscar!"