NBC famously broke out the cash machine in order to woo former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly to their side at the end of her Fox contract. Now, recent reports suggest that Kelly's poor ratings have caused NBC execs to regret their gamble, and their three-year, $69 million deal with her. With that in mind, it might be interesting to take a look at the yearly salaries of the other top TV hosts in or around Kelly's sphere, which you can do at your leisure below. First, the Three Million Dollar Club:
Mike Myers / "Tommy Maitland" for The Gong Show: $3 Million
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Jamie Foxx for Beat Shazam: $3 Million
Alec Baldwin for Match Game: $3 Million
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If I were Myers I'd have a talk with my agent – after all, neither Jamie Foxx nor Alec Baldwin have to spend hours being outfitted in makeup and prosthetics to look like a fictional British entertainer in order to earn their $3 million a year.
Next up is the $12 Million Club:
Ryan Seacrest for American Idol: $12 Million
Conan O'Brien for Conan: $12 Million
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David Letterman for My Next Guest Needs No Introduction: $12 Million
Anderson Cooper for Anderson Cooper 360: $12 Million
Next we have the $15 million tier, which includes one familiar face from the previous level, which in turn proves the value of doubling up on regular TV gigs when you can:
Ryan Seacrest for Live with Kelly & Ryan: $15 Million
George Stephanopoulos for ABC News: $15 Million
Pat Sajak for Wheel of Fortune: $15 Million
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Jimmy Kimmel for Jimmy Kimmel Live: $15 Million
Stephen Colbert for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: $15 Million
Now, once you get past the $15 million mark in annual salary, things tend to spread out a bit and become less clustered.
Jimmy Fallon for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon: $16 Million
Robin Roberts for Good Morning America: $18 Million
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Kelly Rippa for Live with Kelly & Ryan: $22 Million
Katy Perry for American Idol: $25 Million
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Judith Sheindlin for Judge Judy: $47 Million
Ellen DeGeneres for The Ellen DeGeneres Show: $50 Million
