One 'Catfish: The TV Show' Fan Thinks the Participants Earn $10,000 — Is This True?
Published May 18 2021, 12:31 p.m. ET
Hosted by seasoned investigator duo Nev Schulman and Kamie Crawford, Catfish: The TV Show captures the lengthy and aggravating process of unveiling a catfish's true identity.
A follow-up to the 2010 documentary, Catfish, the unscripted reality TV show offers a rare glimpse into the moral and emotional challenges those being catfished and those doing the catfishing are bound to face. So, how does Catfish: The TV Show work? Do participants get paid to appear?
A fan believes that 'Catfish: The TV Show' stars get paid as much as $10,000.
There's no shortage of fan theories about how much the participants of Catfish: The TV Show get paid.
A Redditor named OatmealCremePie666 claims that one of their friends received $10,000 for appearing on the show. Another person, asuka_is_my_co-pilot, argues that those appearing on the show can't earn more than $200-$300. In other words, viewers have vastly different ideas in mind about the salary of Catfish: The TV Show contestants. But what's the truth?
MTV has yet to disclose details about how much the people who appear on Catfish: The TV Show get paid. As previous casting calls posted by outlets like Auditions Free or Backstage indicate, those agreeing to appear in front of the camera are likely to receive at least some financial compensation for their efforts.
According to a widespread theory, the casting process of Catfish: The TV Show is quite unlike what some viewers might expect it to be. Per Screen Rant, it's predominantly the catfish who applies.
As casting calls posted by MTV and other sites show, however, the creators tend to encourage people who pursued online relationships or have friends who found themselves wondering about the real identity of their partners to apply for the show.
Under any circumstance, everyone appearing in front of the camera has to sign a waiver — which means that they likely have a faint idea of what's coming their way. Although the show isn't scripted, the producers likely have varied responsibilities. Some of the edits can also help bring more attention to certain aspects of each storyline.
The salary of the 'Catfish: The TV Show' hosts is also subject to widespread speculation.
Fans have long been fascinated by how much the participants of Catfish: The TV Show might make and the same applies to the salary of the show hosts as well. MTV has yet to disclose how much Nev and Kamie earn. Some people think that Nev might pocket $100,000 per episode. Others, however, claim that it's $100,000 per season.
Some outlets state that Nev's net worth might fall somewhere around $500,000. Others claim it's more like $2 million. In other words, estimates do vary greatly.
Kamie hasn't shared further details about her salary either. Her estimated net worth is $2 million, per Nicki Swift. Before joining the cast of Catfish: The TV Show, she also appeared in Hell's Kitchen. She first skyrocketed to fame after winning the Miss Teen USA 2010 competition.
Catch new episodes of Catfish: The TV Show every Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST on MTV.