8:56 am February 6, 2012, by David Markiewicz
If you caught Madonna’s song and dance act during halftime of Sunday’s Super Bowl spectacular, you probably figured the Material Girl was getting paid big bucks for her relatively brief time on stage.
Surprise: She actually got paid nothing, according to Forbes.
And that’s not unusual.
Getting a chance to display your talents and everything else in front of so many viewers on TV and at the stadium is considered such a potential career boost that performers are willing to do it for free.
Entertainers with something new to sell _ a current album, a movie, a concert tour _ are more than eager to give it away in return for all that publicity.
And in Madonna’s case, she’s got a lot to sell these days. Her album, MDNA, is due for release in March. Her film W.E., which she produced and directed, opens this week. Also, a tour is upcoming.
Running the numbers, Madonna’s 12 minutes of stage time have a value that can be calculated at $84 million _ $3.5 million for each 30 seconds, the going rate of a Super Bowl TV ad spot.
She, like other top performers at the Super Bowl, also received countless perks including transportation and set-up costs, which could run into the millions.
It’s such a good deal, in fact, some entertainers might be willing to actually pay to get up there and perform.
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© 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
11 comments Add your comment
Rickster
February 6th, 2012
10:31 am
I’m just happy the coin toss landed heads – so I can get my free Papa John’s pizza!
chumps
February 6th, 2012
11:29 am
no pay? good decision–her lip synching act was mediocre–a bunch of dancers and special effects, but poor vocals. madonna needs to hang it up—she’s washed up
Fredrick Setser
February 6th, 2012
12:13 pm
Madonna is getting too old, just like me.
She tried but there is only so much the body can do. As John Glenn said “There is no cure for the common birthday”. She like all the rest of us is suffering from the common birthday.
Morpheena
February 6th, 2012
12:20 pm
The halftime show was awesome. Madonna was so-so but the stage and choreography were very impressive.
Roberta
February 6th, 2012
1:03 pm
I think Madonna put on a superb show last night! How many 50 year olds can move like she did and look that great at the same time?
billy bob
February 6th, 2012
10:41 pm
the audience should have been paid to watch actually
Nativeson71
February 7th, 2012
7:55 am
Does being older or in your 50’s mean one is supposed to stop living and working?
Nope.
I suspect women have it tougher than men with age discrimination.
A women’s reproduction stops where a man can reproduce his whole life.
Therefore, women’s sexuality stops too? Can a woman shimmy and shake it and be sexual post menopause?
Madonna is not ‘old’ you are old.
Bob in Atlanta
February 7th, 2012
2:02 pm
Please, watching Madonna for the Super Bowl half time was like watching a grandmother trying to pick up a 24 year old in a bar. It can be done, but why? It was just painful to watch. She could have been a MC type performer without trying for the sexy, enticing look. Come on, Madonna, let Gaga and Katy Perry take care of the sex appeal. You should go for the mature, confident look.
Lydia von S
February 7th, 2012
6:47 pm
Paul McCartney, at 69, is singing for the Queen of England later this year. Men don’t have to be sexy as they get older. I wonder if Madonna had offered a less sexy look she would have been given the spot?
hang it up
February 7th, 2012
8:11 pm
madonna—in her 50s, but acting like she’s 24. Get some young talent next year instead of this old washed chick.
rlm
February 8th, 2012
6:03 pm
Of older performers Cher seems to pull it off but agreed. Madonna has always had shock value like the unpopular girl in high school who tried too hard for attention. Yawn…