Former Real Housewives of New York star, Bethenny Frankel, is looking out for reality tv stars that are not being compensated appropriately.
The entrepreneur took to TikTok to share “ten terms that I propose subject to modification” to support the next generation of reality tv talent.
Bethenny’s caption stated, “This is a union.”
“I’ve defined fair & reasonable terms & consider those making $0 on the bachelor to a housewife making millions. This is a 1st pass & how I’d negotiate, w/ my institutional knowledge & wisdom in this industry w/ over a decade on 8 tv, w/ 10 books, 5 podcasts, multiple businesses & what was the fastest growing spirits business in history. I know a contract.”
“Looking into traditional TV residuals is like looking inside ‘a beautiful mind.’ Content used later with no profit sharing & l exploitation of hard working talent is as archaic as calling empowered independent women ‘housewives,’ a term setting back women 100 years then using them for drama.”
“This is the REALITY RECKONING aka THE REALITY REVOLUTION. The is the new BETHENNY CLAUSE.”
“Reality TV has existed for decades & sustained entertainment during the last strike & exploded.”
“This isn’t for people like me, who have thrived & succeeded and clawed their way to the top despite the odds. This is for the next generation.”
“These are broad stroke terms subject to modification. This fight is just getting started. We’re rogue & nimble & not entangled & unwieldy. The intention here is to affect change, get things done, and make history.”
“I’ve listed some names who have contacted me & want to get involved.”
“People not on this list are Vanderpump rules talent & the Kardashians, ironically the most powerful entities in entertainment right now, with the most leverage. They should fight for others who paved the way & for those after them. Shows like Summer House and others in production should stand down. Viewers should not watch this content.”
“This paves the way for nurses and teachers, essential workers, production members & glam teams that will be inspired to create a model of their own reckoning.”
“Change takes courage. I’ve alienated this industry & burned bridges with the entire network and streaming community in one fell swoop. This is not for the faint of heart but it’s for the greater good.”
Bethenny shared, “I didn’t buy the idiot guide to starting a union in 24 hours, but these are fair. These are ways that talent can understand compensation without having to try to audit a multi-billion-dollar, powerful company that hides money in different places and tries to pretend that equals a show expense, so you never get any of the gross.”
- “For unscripted talent with shows that make it to air, the minimum should be $5,000 per episode. Talent should receive a 10% raise each season. If the show is a huge success and ratings have increased, it’s subject to negotiation. The talent can walk away. It is, in fact, their real lives. So, for networks and streaming services to be trapping people, not allowing them to do other things, and forcing them to expose their real lives on reality television is unconscionable.”
- “Talent gets 10% of their last negotiated talent fee. That means, if a network has a season and decides to re-air that season, talent gets 10%. If a streamer decides to keep that on, talent gets 10% of their talent fee each additional year.
- “Each additional entity airing that show, i.e Peacock, will also pay 10% to the talent.”
- “On-shoot and promotional days, talent gets a per diem of $100 per day. It’s retroactive starting right now.”
- “Series talent that have not been paid for shows that are airing with no compensation, should receive $5,000 per season retroactively from each distributor. So, I should be paid $5,000 per year from streamers and networks for shows that have aired since the original season.”
- “If they don’t want to pay moving forward, the content should be taken down. The content should not be watched or consumed – it should be boycotted.”
- “Talent is not required to give any proceeds of their business to the network or streamer.”
- “Talent should not be prohibited from promoting specific brands on their social media so the networks and streamers can try to garner that income for themselves.”
- “Talent shall receive a percentage of proceeds from ancillary merch from the gross. 5% if it’s a solo act. 2.5% if it’s an ensemble.”
- “For other properties, like YouTube which the networks and streamers make a lot of money off of those clips using your name and likeness and talent’s intellectual property, talent should receive a percentage of the gross.”
“These are specific, but subject to modification. They are fair.”
@bethennyfrankel This is a union. I’ve defined fair & reasonable terms & consider those making $0 on the bachelor to a housewife making millions. This is a 1st pass & how I’d negotiate, w/ my institutional knowledge & wisdom in this industry w/ over a decade on 8 tv, w/ 10 books, 5 podcasts, multiple businesses & what was the fastest growing spirits business in history. I know a contract. Looking into traditional TV residuals is like looking inside “a beautiful mind.” Content used later with no profit sharing & l exploitation of hard working talent is as archaic as calling empowered independent women “housewives,” a term setting back women 100 years then using them for drama. This is the REALITY RECKONING aka THE REALITY REVOLUTION. The is the new BETHENNY CLAUSE. Reality TV has existed for decades & sustained entertainment during the last strike & exploded. This isn’t for people like me, who have thrived & succeeded and clawed their way to the top despite the odds. This is for the next generation. These are broad stroke terms subject to modification. This fight is just getting started. We’re rogue & nimble & not entangled & unwieldy. The intention here is to affect change, get things done and make history. I’ve listed some names who have contacted me & want to get involved. People not on this list are Vanderpump rules talent & the Kardashians, ironically the most powerful entities in entertainment right now, with the most leverage. They should fight for others who paved the way & for those after them. Shows like Summer House and others in production should stand down. Viewers should not watch this content. This paves the way for nurses and teachers, essential workers, production members & glam teams that will be inspired to create a model of their own reckoning. Change takes courage. I’ve alienated this industry & burned bridges with the entire network and streaming community in one fell swoop. This is not for the faint of heart but it’s for the greater good. This is correct. We will be sending these terms by email with the subject line: “Reality Reckoning” starting emails with: #imwithbethenny ♬ original sound – Bethenny Frankel
