With Wanda Sykes working as an Oscars host this weekend, former host Jimmy Kimmel told her she might need to hold out for a bigger payout for the job.
Sykes recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where she discussed the gig, which she’ll share with two other hosts for this year’s Academy Awards.
When Kimmel brought up how much he got paid to host several years ago, he suggested that Sykes is getting “robbed” in terms of her pay because there are three hosts.
Wanda Sykes and Jimmy Kimmel discuss Oscars hosting
This Sunday marks the 94th Annual Academy Awards show, with actor and comedian Wanda Sykes one of three hosts selected for the ceremony. She’ll be joined by Regina Hall and Amy Schumer for this year’s Oscars.
While speaking with Jimmy Kimmel about the upcoming event, the 58-year-old Upshaws star brought up how busy she’s been and said she felt this was something she couldn’t turn down.
“You have to say yes. So I’m really excited about that,” Sykes shared, adding, “But then I realized out of all the jobs that I have, this one is actually going to cost me money.”
When asked how much she’s getting paid for the show, Sykes said she wasn’t sure, mentioning “it’s like scale probably.” Kimmel told her it’s even less than that, though.
According to US Magazine, scale is a term used for members of the union, SAG-AFTRA, and the rate this year for a small-budget film is $686 per day or $2,382 per week.
Kimmel shared that he got paid $15,000 when he hosted the show, and with three Oscars hosts this year, they’re probably splitting that.
“It sounds like a lot for one night, but it’s months of work,” Kimmel said. “You’re getting robbed. You know what? Hold out right now because they need hosts.”
Sykes joked she’s just going to steal an Oscar to make up for being paid such little money.
This year will be the first that the Academy Awards have had any hosts after three years. The last person to host the event was, in fact, Jimmy Kimmel for the 90th Academy Awards ceremony in 2018.
Sykes spoke about what to expect during Oscars
Wanda also revealed how things will go with her, Regina Hall, and Amy Schumer working the show together as the hosts. She said they’d share a monologue at the top of the show, but after that, their appearances will vary throughout the night.
“You’ll see us together..might be two of us. Might be one of us. Who knows?” she shared, joking, “To be honest with you, it’s like whoever gets drunk is gonna be the one that’s backstage.”
“So if you see Amy and Regina out, you could just go, ‘Wanda’s drunk, she’s backstage drunk,'” Wanda said, adding she planned to have a drink or two after the first act was over.
“I’m here to have some fun. It’s not like I’m getting paid,” she told Jimmy with regards to the hosting gig.
She went on to say that if they want “sober Wanda” as their host, they’ll need to “add some more zeroes and move that comma,” otherwise they’re getting “free Wanda.”
The jokes continued when Jimmy asked Wanda if she was bringing a lot of her family to see her at the Oscars. She revealed it’s just her wife she’s bringing, and she wasn’t flying anyone else in, not even her mother.
“I said, ‘First of all, it’s not like you’re gonna get a good seat.’ I said, ‘I’m gonna be on stage working…You know if I thought you were gonna be like sitting next to Denzel Washington, then I would fly you in, but you’re gonna be up in the bleachers sitting next to the guy with COVID. That’s not good,'” Sykes shared she told her mom.
Viewers can watch to see what else Wanda Sykes has to say about the event when she co-hosts the Oscars this Sunday at 8/7c on ABC.