SkimIt
I don't know whether to blame Tax Day, the start of the Major League Baseball season (and the nine-figure contracts that come with it), or that $640 million Mega Millions jackpot. But for some reason, April is a popular time to gripe about other people's money. Lately I feel like I've been seeing the same done-to-death "Most Overpaid Athletes" and "Most Overpaid Musicians" columns that seem to regularly pop up online this time of year.
Television stars don't escape the scrutiny, either. At risk of falling in with the whiny masses, here are some TV celebs whose salaries have made the news recently:
(ABC)
And you thought the name of the show only hit the mark in describing the not-so-nuclear structure of ABC's funniest family. But what is more modern than holding out for more cash? According to the Hollywood Reporter, five of the hit sitcom's stars -- Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara -- will be seeking raises that would bank each of them $200,000 per episode for Season 4, up from the $65,000 per show they make currently. Ed O'Neill apparently isn't part of that group, but since he already makes a reported $105,000 per episode, naturally he'd be due for a raise if the others get what they want. And what about the kids? They bring just as much to the comedy table as their pretend parents, so they shouldn't be left out.
The show is racking up awards (and advertisers) left and right for ABC, and Vergara is EVERYWHERE you look these days, so it's perfectly understandable that the cast wants to see some of that good fortune. But hopefully this doesn't end like The Practice, another great ABC show that suffered and eventually died when frustrated network execs slashed the budget. Modern Family is producing much better ratings than The Practice ever did, but if it becomes too costly to pay the cast, who knows what the suits will do.
