Marta Kauffman: Ridiculous Millions
on Saturday, September 21, 2019The Friends TV series creator Marta Kauffman saying that paying 6 cast members $1 Million per episode was absurd. Marta Kauffman said:
“A million dollars an episode, let’s be honest, that’s kinda ridiculous. That’s a lot of money. It’s inflated. And there’s something unrealistic about it” — Marta Kauffman
In this quote, Marta Kauffman is commenting on the very high salaries that some top television sitcom actors and show creators earn per episode of their hit shows.
She acknowledges that earning a million dollars or more for a single episode’s work is an “inflated” and “ridiculous” amount that is “kinda unrealistic.” Kauffman seems to believe such enormous paychecks are disproportionate to the actual work involved and represent an unsustainable inflation in the television industry’s economy.
Overall, Kauffman appears to be arguing that while success should be rewarded, the current pay levels for some in Hollywood have reached absurd heights that have lost touch with reason or moderation. She conveys a perspective that sees such extreme salaries as unrealistic and potentially problematic for the long-term health of the entertainment business model.