David Hasselhoff Still Rakes $4 Million a Year for Baywatch Reruns, While Pam Anderson Makes $4K
It seems that the glass ceiling remained intact throughout the time the show was on the air.
Baywatch, an immensely popular show in the 1990s, raked in millions for the networks and commanded the attention of countless viewers. However, it's now largely forgotten, except for two things - David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson in those iconic red swimsuits.
While both stars significantly contributed to the show's success, Hasselhoff managed to negotiate a far more lucrative deal, leaving Anderson in the dust in terms of how much money she made off the show.
Some reports suggest that Hasselhoff is still profiting from Baywatch, allegedly earning a staggering $4 million per annum from reruns. Astoundingly, the star seems to be making more from reruns than the show's creators, a fact rendered even more extraordinary given that Hasselhoff was arguably not the show's biggest draw.
Pamela Anderson was the true heart of Baywatch, despite only featuring in five seasons. At the height of the show's popularity, she earned $300,000 per episode, accumulating nearly $30 million for her 110 appearances on Baywatch. However, it appears that the studios and producers weren't pleased with Anderson's early departure in season five, resulting in her earning a paltry sum from future reruns.
Sources close to Anderson allege that she earns a meagre $4,000 per year from Baywatch, in stark contrast to how much Hasselhoff rakes in, which is a thousand times greater! Understandably, fans were aghast at this revelation, accusing those in control of the series' rights of sexism. However, it seems that Anderson's son, Brandon Lee, believes his mother was exploited during the show's production, as well.
‘[She was a] young girl making a bad deal on a big show and she was the biggest star at the time. A lot of people made a lot of money off that, people are going to have their day when we come knocking … when she makes $4,000 a year off of Baywatch? That's a crime,’ Lee said.
Although Anderson's net worth is a comfortable $20 million, she would undoubtedly welcome the opportunity to double it, much as Hasselhoff does from time to time.
Source: Radar.