'Jersey Shore' Kids Drive Hard Bargain
'Jersey Shore' Kids Drive Hard Bargain
The "Jersey Shore" kids didn't fall off the pizza delivery truck yesterday -- TMZ has learned they have rejected MTV's salary offer for Season 2.
Sources connected with the negotiation say MTV offered Snooki, Pauly D, "The Situation" and the others each a $10,000 signing bonus and $5,000 an episode.
We're told the cast rejected the offer and made it clear -- they were negotiating "Friends" style ... everyone would get the same amount and it had to be a lot higher than MTV's offer.
Sources say MTV came back and doubled the offer -- $10,000 an episode. The cast hasn't responded to the offer.
It's still a bargain. The season finale of "Jersey Shore" was off the charts with 4.8 million viewers.
And, with some members of "The Hills" scoring north of $100,000 an episode, the "Jersey Shore" kids, frankly, should be holding out for a hell of a lot more than $10k.
We've also learned MTV has a contractual hold on the cast for another year, so technically Snooki and company have no right to renegotiate -- but it's done all the time with hit shows.
An MTV spokesperson would not comment on the negotiations and said the network has not made a decision on bringing the show back for Season 2. We're also told MTV has received thousands of tapes from would-be Guidos and Guidettes.