The Kardashians

Know any toddlers that pull in a cool $3,000 a week? We might! According to entertainment finance expert Jo Piazza, author of Celebrity Inc.: How Famous People Make Money, Mason Disick — the adorable offspring of Kourtney Kardashian and boyfriend Scott Disick — likely rakes in $3,000 an episode for his role on Kourtney & Kim Take New York. That’s a lot of cash for someone who’s biggest expense is still an economy-sized box of Huggies!

Speaking exclusively with Wetpaint Entertainment, Piazza first explains why the Kardashians — who are known for their money-making abilities — would insist that Mason receive a salary as opposed to letting him appear for free. “Right now, there are limits to how many hours he can work because of child labor laws,” she says. For children under 2 years of age, the rules are strict, Piazza notes, but they’ll relax a bit when Mason celebrates his second birthday on December 14. No matter how many hours he may or may not be on set, however, it is in the family’s best interest to make sure Mason receives compensation for his time. “The point of him getting paid a salary for being on the show isn’t really the money he’s making now,” says Piazza, “It’s to set him up for even bigger deals down the road.”

How did she arrive at $3,000? “It’s based on what the rest of the family makes and what kids on other hit reality shows have been paid in the past,” explains Piazza. “It’s a fact that the Kardashians don’t make a whole lot of money off their salaries from these shows. Kim and her sisters, for example, make between $30,000 and $40,000 per episode. The real money comes in through product placements. Companies pay the Kardashians big bucks to use their products on air. Nothing they do on their shows is an accident. Every beauty product they use, every hotel they stay at, every restaurant they eat in, you can bet they’re being paid to do so. A lot of them, especially Kris Jenner, also get paid for their producing roles. And the success of their various shows leads to major endorsement offers and ancillary deals for the whole family.”

“Now let’s take the Gosselin kids. At the height of their success, each one was being paid an estimated $10,000 an episode. But the entire show centered on them and their interactions and activities. That’s not the case with Mason. Mason isn’t onscreen that much and when he is, he doesn’t really speak.”

“Given all those factors, my estimate is that he makes around $3,000 an episode,” Piazza continues. A great number for a kid his age for sure, but even better is what it means in terms of Mason’s future. “Now,” notes Piazza, “whenever any new offers come in for Mason, whether it’s a role on new show or a bigger role on an existing show,  the family can negotiate a higher salary for him using that number as a starting point.”

“The Kardashians realize that every member of their family, no matter how young, is an asset to their empire. Mason may not be a big moneymaker now, but he could be in a couple of years. And don’t forget, Kourtney’s pregnant again, so now that they’ve established one Kardashian baby’s worth, you can bet the next one is definitely going to come with a huge price tag as well.”

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