On Friday I forwarded a chain email in this blog that claimed I would receive some money within four days for doing so. The check below came on Saturday, well within the four day window. I hope it worked out better for those of you who also forwarded the message on.
It is a check for a penny. That's the residual I earned for an episode of "Dave's World" where I played a city clerk and overdubbed the voice of a duck for Shadoe Stevens. It is my participation in the DVD/Video sale. That's not per unit, it is my total payment for allowing them to sell my starring guest performance on DVD/Video. My agent has waved his commission.
Here is the deal. It cost 44 cents to mail me this penny, and next year they will spend 44 cents to mail me a W-2 accounting for that salary. So the producers will spend 88 cents to pay me a penny. That is why movies cost so much per ticket, and why Show Business is based on Voodoo economics.
AFTRA and SAG have officially merged. I am glad about that. It means I will continue to get these incredible residuals for some time to come. I am sure this is the smallest check I have ever received, the former record holder was a 3 cent check I got from the settlement of Orion Pictures bankruptcy.
I would like to thank the Academy, SAG/AFTRA and the Feng Shui chain email for this honor.
As you were,
Jay
A check for a single penny.
ReplyDeleteYou've got me beat. I got a check three weeks ago from Bank of America for legal settlement on one of their massive trespasses (No idea which one).
Forty-four cents.
Three years ago, I withdrew all my money from their bank and paid off my mortgage. I waited till I'd received a nice royalty check from my publisher, deposited it, then closed all accounts took my money to the credit union. Wanted to withdraw as much money as possible.
I'm not going to cash this check I've received just to make some slight trouble for them. It is likely they won't even notice.
Congratulations on your penny check, Jay!