"Raymond" salary wars (1 Viewer)

[Malcolm R]

I also don't think his character is important enough to the show to wield such "bargaining power." I like the show, but I know I wouldn't really miss him that much if he were to honeymoon permanently.

 

[GordonL]

BTW, Garrett was already offered a significant pay raise and a cut of the syndication profits. He turned it down for more.

It's all part of the negotiation process. This occurs even for "regular" jobs. Ask for something outrageous and you'll probably get what you really want.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

It's all part of the negotiation process. This occurs even for "regular" jobs. Ask for something outrageous and you'll probably get what you really want.

He was offered something outragious and declined it for something even more outragious.

 

[Lew Crippen]

No, I wouldn't. I would honor the contract I signed, knowing that it's worth more than many make in a lifetime.

This is an area where I disagree with your logic, Adam (and with others who have made similar statements).

The reasonable comparison is not to what the mainstream makes, but what your peers make. This is especially true in the entertainment industry (to include sports) for those with equivalent jobs. Don’t forget that a good many actors work for very low salaries for long periods before catching the brass ring.

The ‘other people make less in their lifetime’ really starts to break down when you consider salaries in the States, Japan, western Europe to places like India, the Philippines and Eastern Europe. There are a lot of people in the States in the IT industry that make more than an Indian programmer can hope for in her lifetime.

Or put another way, mothers used to tell their children to eat their food by comparing the starving children in China.

 

[Peter Kim]

Wonder what will become of the supposedly collegial atmosphere after all has been said and done...and that the cast of Friends really did it right, by agreeing en masse to contracts during the latter seasons.

Great for all those around...for the cast members, since no one felt abandoned once the show, and subsequently, the salaries skyrocketed. The all-for-one, one-for-all approach landed each of them $20 mil for the season plus syndication profits.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

You make valid points, Lew. I think it would certainly be fair to go for all you can get when your contract is up for renewal or the network offers to renegociate. My point was, if you sign something, you should be satisfied with it. Hey, if he can get away with this stunt and still keep his job prospect open, more power to him. My guess is, however, this very public breach of contract will be an incentive against further hiring.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

The ‘other people make less in their lifetime’ really starts to break down when you consider salaries in the States, Japan, western Europe to places like India, the Philippines and Eastern Europe. There are a lot of people in the States in the IT industry that make more than an Indian programmer can hope for in her lifetime.

In a perfect world you would be correct. Unfortunately the cost of living in the US is substantially higher than India

 

[Lew Crippen]

In a perfect world you would be correct. Unfortunately the cost of living in the US is substantially higher than

True Jeff, but not for everything. Check out the cost of housing in Mumbai for example. For anything close to what an middle-class IT guy would live in here, the cost would probably be higher than in NYC. Plus, if you want to take a vacation abroad (a not unreasonable expectation for a programmer here), then the costs in India are no longer applicable.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Evidently, "Nobody Loves Bradley".

 

[GordonL]

Adam,
Your point of fulfilling a contract is well and good but it really depends on how the contract is structured. While it is true that all contracts spell out the terms of payment, a well written contract will allow the contractor the right to refuse to perform the services for unforseen circumstances. As an IT contractor, I usually have that clause put into my contracts because I have no idea what will happen in the future that could prevent me from fulfilling my obligations. It would seem that Garrett has something similar and he simply chose to exercise that option. Don't you think that if the studio's could sue for breach of contract, they would have done so?

 

[Brian Perry]

a well written contract will allow the contractor the right to refuse to perform the services for unforseen circumstances. As an IT contractor, I usually have that clause put into my contracts because I have no idea what will happen in the future that could prevent me from fulfilling my obligations. It would seem that Garrett has something similar and he simply chose to exercise that option. Don't you think that if the studio's could sue for breach of contract, they would have done so?

What were the unforseen circumstances--that the show became a big hit? If an entertainer can use that as justification for demanding a new contract, then perhaps management should be able to nullify a contract if the show or movie is a bomb. I don't think the actor's guild would stand for that...

 

[Chris Lockwood]

> perhaps management should be able to nullify a contract if the show or movie is a bomb.

Don't they basically have that now? If the show gets cancelled, I wouldn't expect the actors to get paid for episodes they never made.

 

[GordonL]

perhaps management should be able to nullify a contract if the show or movie is a bomb.

I'm sure the studios have clauses which releases them from any obligation if a show gets cancelled. What makes you think they don't?

According to this, he's settled for a salary of $250k per ep, retroactive to previous seasons (didn't say how many), and a piece of the syndication profits.

 

[Brian Perry]

I'm sure the studios have clauses which releases them from any obligation if a show gets cancelled. What makes you think they don't?

I guess I was thinking more along the lines of poor ratings as opposed to outright cancellation. I see it as similar to a pro baseball player who demands to renogotiate a contract after a successful season. While you see that occasionally, you never see ownership demand that players who have a poor year renegotiate downward.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I guess I was thinking more along the lines of poor ratings as opposed to outright cancellation. I see it as similar to a pro baseball player who demands to renogotiate a contract after a successful season. While you see that occasionally, you never see ownership demand that players who have a poor year renegotiate downward.

Actors get dropped from shows, successful or not on a routine basis. I am not familiar with the details of their contracts, but I don’t read that they continue to get paid after being dropped. To be fair, they may well get some kind of payoff, to include their full salary. Anybody know?

 

[GordonL]

I am not familiar with the details of their contracts, but I don’t read that they continue to get paid after being dropped....

Maybe not their full salary, but the smarter ones manage to get residuals. I'm sure there are cases where a highly bankable actor can get a guaranteed contract. Heather Locklear maybe? It seemed like she was in everything being produced by Aaron Spelling.

 

[Brian Perry]

Didn't that happen to Darryl Strawberry?

If memory serves, they may haved tried to void his contract for violating the terms (drug use, etc.). I don't think it was strictly based on reduced performance on the field.

 

[Lew Crippen]

If memory serves, they may haved tried to void his contract for violating the terms (drug use, etc.). I don't think it was strictly based on reduced performance on the field.

In the sports world, baseball players get their money (with possible exceptions like Strawberry). On the other hand in some sports like football when a player is cut their salary stops. So you could have signed a 5-year deal—but if you are dropped after two years, you don’t get the last three. The player would keep any of his up-front bonus money, even if it were deferred.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Sawyer Sweeten, who played Ray and Debra's son Geoffrey on "Everybody Loves Raymond", committed suicide at age 19

He was a few weeks shy of his twentieth birthday. He is survived by his twin brother Sullivan (who also played his twin brother on the show) and his older sister Madylin (who also played his older sister on the show). Madylin put out a statement: “At this sensitive time, our family requests privacy and we beg of you to reach out to the ones you love.”