THIS JOB WRITING FOR SMASH IS KILLING ME: That was an absolutely top-tier SNL episode which met impossible expectations, despite basically being packed with recycled concepts and minimal new material. It peaked not with anything Timberlake himself did (or that star-filled Five Timers Club sketch), surprisingly, but with a Stefon impression that left many of us cackling uncontrollably.
About that sketch, last night a few of us were kicking around the following question on Twitter: between Lorne Michaels, Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Dan Aykroyd, Paul Simon, and Jay-Z, how do the folks inside 30 Rock last night rank in terms of career earnings? what about current wealth?
An initial googling suggests Jay-Z might even surpass Michaels atop the pyramid, with Hanks and Michaels neck-and-neck (bravo on taking a percentage of the gross for Forrest Gump), Martin and Aykroyd being a significant gap behind (don't forget about the latter's money for selling the House of Blues clubs), and Simon shocking trailing even them by a decent amount. Martin's placement on the list likely depends on which metric you employ, because the value of his art collection is significant. I'm just a bit stunned that Michaels might not be on top.
For Jay-Z, you have to remember that there are a bunch of diverse income streams--product endorsements, film and music production, fashion, gambling, etc., in addition to the music.
ReplyDeleteSimon's stayed away from endorsements and such, the recent albums haven't been big sellers, and (either by choice or accident) the recordings don't get licensed that aggressively.
Art Garfunkel net worth $35 million, just $10 million less than Simon. Even if Simon hasn't been generating that much recent income, one would have thought he would have invested better.
ReplyDeleteI have both Alec Baldwin and Candice Bergen over Simon.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea there was big money in 1940's puppets.
What sources are you using? I'm not sure what the top Google hits are relying on for their estimates.
ReplyDeleteJay Z also owns part of an NBA team and a couple of nightclubs, so that brings up his income too.
ReplyDeleteHe only owns 1/15 of one percent of the Nets, actually. More of a front person. And he is down one 40/40 Club -- Atlantic City didn't succeed, shocker.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warning about Stefon; I was watching the first half hour in the Ohio State halftime and now I know I can skip half of Weekend Update.
ReplyDeleteSo, my humor runs a bit blue, and I don't expect others without similar preferences to agree, but I may have enjoyed the Moet & Chandon skit the best.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with that at all. "plastic bags!"
ReplyDeleteThat was the highlight of my night, too, though it helped that I hadn't seen the identical sketch for crystals.
ReplyDeleteThe highlight of the episode (in Chicago, anyway) was the broadcast of Billy Corgan's ad for Walter E. Smythe Furniture.
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