Pauly D Paid $2M Per Year for 'Jersey Shore,' Lawsuit Claims
"Jersey Shore" star Pauly D has been sued by his former talent agency for back due commissions. Among the fun allegations in the lawsuit, the most sickening (if true): Pauly D's salary was $2 million for the show's 5th season. That's just ten kinds of nuts.
It's crazy enough that "Jersey Shore" is a ratings magnet. But paying a guy millions to over-tweeze his eyebrows and trash apartments is mental.
However, the wacky revelations don't end there.
ICM, Pauly D's ex-agency, claims to be entitled to a 10 percent cut of the star's earnings, The Hollywood Reporter reports. The agency wants $370,000 of Pauly D's earnings based on his wages from the first two seasons of the show.
Pauly D inked his first deal with MTV in 2009. He hired ICM in 2010.
The agency claims to have negotiated a series of raises for the star. This includes getting him paid $100,000 per episode by season 4 and a $400,000 signing bonus, the lawsuit alleges.
Even though ICM is no longer representing Pauly D, the agency still wants a chunk of his season 5 earnings. They cite standard industry practice entitles talent agencies to "post-termination commissions on all deals they negotiate for their client."
In essence, ICM is saying the only reason Pauly D is making the kind of scratch he's getting now is due to their efforts.
Pauly D's attorney, Hillary Hughes, has denied ICM's allegations and claims they've already been paid in full for their services.
The "Jersey Shore" star recently launched his own spin-off show, "The Pauly D Project," on MTV. His estimated net worth is $3.5 million, Wetpaint reports.
So even though Pauly D has been sued, his rising salary indicates things are still looking up for him.
Related Resources:
- How Much Does Pauly D Make? Former Agency Sues Star, Reveals Salary (Wetpaint)
- Latest Pauly D Headlines (Findlaw's Legal Pulse)
- Contract Law (FindLaw)