On Wednesday, a report about NBC congressional correspondent Luke Russert getting a $500,000 bonus for his new role on MTP got picked up by The Daily Caller and NYP‘s Page Six, among others. The news originated from DC Gadfly Evan Gahr.
NBC, which doesn’t normally comment on talent wages, soon issued a statement. “This is absolutely untrue,” said spokeswoman Erika Masonhall.
Luke later had this to say about the “tabloid gossip”:
I don’t usually respond to tabloid gossip but sometimes the record needs to be set straight. I have not gotten a single cent frm NBC for MTP
— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) September 10, 2014
Even so, Gahr still questions Russert’s denial.
Gahr asked on his website, “Is he gong to post his contract online to back up his tweet? Washington public figures release their private sector contracts all the time.”
Luke’s tweet, not surprisingly, opened the floodgates for remarks — both positive and otherwise– about how he landed his job at NBC in the first place.
- “He had no vote on who his parents would be.”
- “How about cuz he was handed a network job when he had journalistic credentials of an intern.”
- “All name and no money. lol”