MTV
Welcome to the American dream. Jersey Shore star Mike Sorrentino stands to make $5 million this year, thanks to endorsement deals and business opportunities that came as he capitalized on his reality-TV fame. “The Situation,” plays a key role on a show that pulls in the biggest ratings MTV has seen in seven years. Sorrentino and his famous abs have 175,000 Twitter followers, and he’s synonymous with “GTL”—the catchphrase that stands for “gym, tanning, laundry.” He now makes $60,000 an episode, plus $15,000 to $50,000 to make appearances. And he’s got several products coming down the pike, including an ab workout video, a chewable supplement, and an autobiography that pulled in a six-figure advance. Then there are the endorsements, which include Vitamin Water, Reebok, a clothing line with Dilligaf, and a top-shelf vodka. His manager says Sorrentino has expanded his 15 minutes of fame to 17.