For fans of the Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills franchise, watching the latest season unfold around the legal drama of Erika Girardi, known as Erika Jayne, and Tom Girardi’s divorce has been a wild ride.
But while views wait with bated breath to see how she answers the incriminating accusations laid against her in the show’s explosive four-part reunion, the latest facet of her life in the spotlight is, well, her income.
For those in need of a refresher, Erika’s estranged husband, Tom, is fighting claims that he allegedly embezzled money intended for burns victims and the families of place crash victims, and instead placed it in Erika’s entertainment business. In fact, there’s an entire documentary about said claims, titled The Housewife and The Hustler.
Throughout the latest season of the reality show, many took insult to Erika’s unashamed display of opulence, from an entire hair and makeup team to ‘downsizing’ to rent a house that many will never be able to afford—all of which, she claimed was the result of having “zero dollars” to her name.
Of course, fans and sceptics weren’t having a bar of her claims that she was scraping by financially, with the most recent trailer for the show’s reunion special showing host and franchise creator, Andy Cohen, questioning her claims.
After telling Andy that her reason for not leaving Tom sooner was for financial stability, adding that she felt like a “captive”, Andy swiftly announced: “I know what you make on this show.”
WATCH BELOW: Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills Reunion Trailer
Well, speaking on how much salary the disgraced housewife earns annually, a lengthy exposé by The New York Times, reported that Erika made $600,000 (approximately AUD $817,689) for the current season of RHOBH, making her pleas for sympathy difficult to justify.
It’s important to remember that the “Xxpen$ive” singer joined the show back in 2015, and since each housewife earns a payrise with every additional season they’re on the show, it’s likely that her salaries have been lower in the previous years. However, with a lead role in the Broadway production of Chicago and countless tours and concerts for her music career, her income wasn’t purely due to the franchise.
As per Us Weekly, an insider revealed that if Erika chooses to return or has her contract renewed for season 12, her salary will grow significantly bigger.
“It’s going to be much more next season,” the insider said, given that Erika has been the “sole focus this season”, and has drawn in impressive interest and viewership into the show.
After being “put through the wringer and following producers’ orders,” the source reveals that there’s “no question” that Erika is going to “demand a higher paycheck” if she does return.
“The ratings were off the charts because of her story line and what she’s exposed,” the insider adds. “What she’s dealing with [regarding] Tom [Girardi] and the court is not over yet so you can only imagine what next season is going to bring.”
You can check out season 11 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills which is currently streaming on Hayu, including the first episode of the four-part reunion that premieres on October 14.
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