Thread: Lingering Thoughts... (Cyg's Journal)

Overpaid Entertainers... RANT This topic will cover more than just sports, just so you know. However, if you're a sports fan and are knee deep in player stats and in love with one team or another, I would strongly advise you not to read this post. I shared this idea with a coworker and he got very angry with me. You've been warned. First I feel I should address the term Sports Fan. The word fan, as most of us know being the shorthand word for fanatic. 1. Marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion. 2. Synonymous with extremist, extreme or fanatical, rabid, radical, revolutionary, revolutionist, ultra I could see how this term would adequately suit a good portion of spectators of several major sporting events. But, look at what else the word fanatic is associated with. I don't think I really need to elaborate further. I've often thought the word enthusiast would be much more appropriate. 1. One who is ardently attached to a cause, object, or pursuit. I can, to a degree, understand rooting for your favorite player or even your favorite team, particularly if your city is where they call home. But I will never grasp the concept of being so attracted or invigorated by watching a sport being played. I can enjoy it, if I'm the one playing. Otherwise, the attraction is lost on me. Now, that having been said I'll continue on to my original point. Most of us are familiar enough with sports to know that players and coaches net a pretty hefty annual salary. But, let's not forget actors and actresses. They to pull in millions and often do so with just one film. Radio show hosts just sit and talk. Talk show hosts don't..really do much, do they? I've thought long and hard on this. Why? Why do they get paid so much? Whether it's an actor or a pro athlete or even a radio show host, they all fit into the same category. They are all entertainers. Now not all athletes get paid millions, the current lowest being Lane Kiffin of the Oakland Raiders whose salary is 1,250,000. The highest standing currently being Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts, with a base salary 15.8 million, not including endorsements. Not all actors get paid such massive amounts either, some make as low as 50,000year. Though, there are many that have made a name for themselves and make far beyond this. Johnny Depp for instance raking in somewhere around 20,000,000film. But I'm sure most of this is common knowledge. Then there's the talk show and radio show hosts, which make absurd amounts regardless. Granted with pro athletes and actors there is a chance of sustaining potentially permanent bodily injury. I get that much. The pay, to a degree, is compensation for taxing their bodies to such a degree that later in life it could present complications. Athletes throw their whole body into it. Actors have stunts to perform. Does this by any means justify such outrageous salaries? With radiotalk show hosts, I fail to see where any compensation is warranted. If that's the case what about law enforcement? What about fire fighters? They chose to work in those fields, like everyone else. Yet because they are not there to entertain us, they don't earn as much, is that right? They just put their life on the line nearly every day, that's all. It makes me angry. Not one entertainer really performs a necessary service that benefits anyone yet the remain grossly overpaid for the job they do. The people out there doing the real work get paid a pittance by comparison. I hope I'm not the only one that gets upset over this. Maybe one day it'll change but I won't hold my breath.