Money Talks: 10 Toronto celebrities who command five-figure speaking fees
Money Talks: 10 Toronto celebrities who command five-figure speaking fees
Earlier this week, Wayne Gretzky was in town talking, oddly enough, about investment strategy. Apparently, The Great One isn’t only adept at stickhandling behind the net (his office, so to speak); he can also manage your stock portfolio. After all, in this age of Ted Talks and corporate retreats, one of the quickest and easiest ways for the famous and voluble to get even richer is through speaking engagements—and the topics they cover don’t even have to be married with the reason they’re famous in the first place. Gretzky, for example, clocks a $50,000-a-pop speaking fee and a staggering $1 million per annum from TD Bank to talk about money management. And he’s not alone. Here, Gretzky and nine other Toronto notables who are cashing in on the speaking circuit.
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- <strong> Fee:</strong> <a href="http://www.celebritytalent.net/sampletalent/2408/alex-trebek/">$100,000 and up</a><br /><br /> <strong>Famous for:</strong> Hosting <em>Jeopardy!, </em>being loved by grandmothers everywhere (and, of course, his slightly acerbic tone)<br /><br /> <strong>Speaks about:</strong> According to <a href="http://star.txstate.edu/node/2235">one account,</a> he’ll happily take questions from the audience for most of his allotted time<br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck:</strong> We’ll take "Worth Every Penny” for $100,000, Alex<br />
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- The Game Show Host: Alex Trebek
- The Game Show Host: Alex Trebek
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- <strong> Fee: </strong>Received $80,000 to address a trade group of dental-supply companies, <a href="http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/52014/">according to <em>New York</em> magazine.</a> He has also (allegedly) been <a href="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/11/malcolm_gladwel.php">on Bank of America’s payroll</a><br /><br /> <strong>Famous for:</strong> His eloquent brand of pop sociology, detailed in the pages of the <em>New Yorker</em> and multiple best-selling books<br /><br /> <strong>Speaks about:</strong> <a href="http://www.leighbureau.com/speaker.asp?id=77">His profile</a> from speakers’ agency <strong>Leigh Bureau</strong> is thin on specifics, but promises to deliver “provocative ideas that are taking the business world by storm”<br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck:</strong> The president of the dental supply trade group <a href="http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/52014/">assured</a> <em>New York,</em> “There wasn’t one person afterwards who said he wasn’t worth the money”<br />
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- The Ideas Man: Malcolm Gladwell
- The Ideas Man: Malcolm Gladwell
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- <strong> Fee:</strong> <a href="http://athletes-celebrities.tseworld.com/sports/hockey/wayne-gretzky.php">$50,000 and up</a> per speaking engagement; he also <a href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/article/1265106--nhl-lockout-wayne-gretzky-talks-hockey-and-money-in-toronto">reportedly earns</a> as much as $1 million a year from a contract with TD Bank<br /><br /> <strong>Famous for:</strong> Undisputed hockey greatness (and being <strong>Paulina Gretzky’</strong>s <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/daily/hype/telling-tales-hype/2011/12/01/paulina-gretzky-twitter/">disapproving dad</a>)<br /><br /> <strong>Speaks about:</strong> Pretty much anything, most recently the <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Gretzky+optimistic+teams+back+Year/7329743/story.html">NHL lockout,</a> <a href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/article/1265106--nhl-lockout-wayne-gretzky-talks-hockey-and-money-in-toronto">saving for retirement</a> and <a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Bank+cash+avoid+equities+Gretzky+says/7328864/story.html">investing in the stock market</a><br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck:</strong> Sure, he's expensive, but just think: he can satisfy sports fans and personal finance buffs at the same time
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- The Hockey Legend: Wayne Gretzky
- The Hockey Legend: Wayne Gretzky
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- <strong> Fee:</strong> <a href="http://www.celebritytalent.net/sampletalent/373/margaret-atwood/">$25,000 to $50,000</a><br /><br /> <strong> Famous for: </strong>Being Canada’s pre-eminent wordsmith, and a <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/daily/informer/gravy-train-wreck/2011/08/03/margaret-atwoods-criticizes-fords/">noted Ford critic</a><br /><br /> <strong> Speaks about:</strong> In keeping with her <a href="http://www.thelavinagency.com/speaker-margaret-atwood.html">varied interests,</a> she’ll talk about literature, social activism, political engagement, the creative process, the artist’s role in society, technology and art, and (naturally) her own work<br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck:</strong> Although her books are riveting and her tweets are amusing, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXEXX8bkLDI&feature=related">her delivery</a> can be a little, er, flat<br />
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- The Literary Queen: Margaret Atwood
- The Literary Queen: Margaret Atwood
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- <strong> Fee:</strong> <a href="http://www.celebritytalent.net/sampletalent/1338/jeff-rubin/">$25,000 to $50,000</a><br /><br /> <strong> Famous for:</strong> An uncanny ability to predict oil prices, which served him well as chief economist at CIBC World Markets<br /><br /> <strong> Speaks about: </strong>His main talk is <a href="http://www.thelavinagency.com/speaker-jeff-rubin.html">titled</a> “Oil and the end of globalization” (spoiler: when oil reserves go, international trade’s going too)<br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck:</strong> He’s a veteran on the speakers’ circuit (just look at that headshot), so we bet he knows how to work the crowd<br />
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- The Economist: Jeff Rubin
- The Economist: Jeff Rubin
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- <strong>Fee:</strong> $40,000 and up<br /><br /> <strong>Famous for:</strong> His book <em>The Rise of the Creative Class, </em>hosting <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/daily/style/from-the-print-edition/2012/06/11/richard-rana-florida-dinner-party/">great parties</a> with his wife <strong>Rana</strong><br /><br /> <strong>Speaks about:</strong> <a href="http://www.thelavinagency.com/speaker-richard-florida.html">His talks</a> are mostly based on applying his Creative Class concept for community leaders, executives and commercial companies<br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck: </strong>No need to pay tens of thousands to hear Florida’s ideas—he’s a <a href="https://twitter.com/Richard_Florida">devoted Twitter user,</a> so just follow him<br />
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- The Urbanist: Richard Florida
- The Urbanist: Richard Florida
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- <strong>Fee:</strong> <a href="http://athletes-celebrities.tseworld.com/sports/baseball/paul-molitor.php">$15,000 to $30,000<br /> </a><br /><strong>Famous for: </strong>Hitting his way to World Series MVP when the Blue Jays won in 1993<br /><br /> <strong>Speaks about: </strong>Overcoming substance abuse problems early in his career<br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck:</strong> Maybe he can command those fees in Milwaukee, but he was only a Blue Jay for three years. Sorry, Paul, we’re passing<br />
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- The Blue Jay: Paul Molitor
- The Blue Jay: Paul Molitor
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- <strong> Fee:</strong> Received $28,000 for one gig, according to <a href="http://www.fm96.com/channels/newsinfo/localnews/Story.aspx?ID=1702241">a news report from May</a><br /><br /> <strong> Famous for:</strong> A booming yet reassuring delivery as CBC’s chief correspondent<br /><br /> <strong> Speaks about:</strong> What it means to be Canadian, according to Toronto-based <a href="http://www.thelavinagency.com/speaker-peter-mansbridge.html"><strong>Lavin Agency.</strong></a> But if that’s not your thing, “drawing on the world leaders he's interviewed, he can also talk about leadership”<br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck:</strong> He managed to draw 1,300 people to an urban planning meeting in London, Ontario. Compare that to the usual turnout of 100 to 200 people. That’s power<br />
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- The News Anchor: Peter Mansbridge
- The News Anchor: Peter Mansbridge
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- <strong> Fee:</strong> <a href="http://www.brickenden.com/speaker/Jian-Ghomeshi ">$10,000 to $20,000</a><br /><br /> <strong> Famous for:</strong> Hosting <em>Q </em>on CBC Radio, being <strong>Richard Florida’</strong>s <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/daily/informer/ford-focus/2012/07/27/quoted-richard-florida-ranks-rob-ford/">dream mayoral candidate</a><br /><br /> <strong> Speaks about:</strong> Among <a href="http://nsb.com/speakers/view/jian-ghomeshi">the talks he’s currently shopping around</a> are “Moments behind the microphone” (anecdotes about his career); “Rethinking the Canadian identity: Where do I fit in?” (musings on being dual-identity in Canada); and “Current events and pop culture with Jian” (pretty much anyone’s guess)<br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck:</strong> With a regular hosting gig and a sideline as a musician, we know he’s a good performer—but, then again, we can listen to him for free on the radio whenever we want to<br />
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- The Radio Personality: Jian Ghomeshi
- The Radio Personality: Jian Ghomeshi
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- <strong> Fee:</strong> <a href="http://athletes-celebrities.tseworld.com/sports/olympics/donovan-bailey.php">Up to $15,000</a><br /><br /> <strong>Famous for:</strong> Being the world’s fastest man—<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/17/sports/track-and-field-greene-breaks-world-record-in-the-100-meters.html">until 1999,</a> at least<br /><br /> <strong> Speaks about: </strong>According to his <a href="http://www.speakers.ca/bailey_donovan.html">speakers’ agency,</a> “The world of amateur sport and what can be accomplished through hard work and dedication”<br /><br /> <strong>Bang for buck:</strong> Decent value, though his schtick sounds like the standard inspirational fare. Still, Bailey comes (relatively) cheap for a household name
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- The Olympic Star: Donovan Bailey
- The Olympic Star: Donovan Bailey
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Jian???? give me a f**ing break!!
TED isn’t actually allowed to pay speakers.
Gotta agree with ‘Zoltar’ on Jian Ghomeshi. Even the cutline on his photo makes the (obvious) point that we can listen to him every day on the radio, where he routinely injects commentary (depending on the guest) on the very subjects he’s charging people to speak about. What, the public teat not rich enough? Then again, the money’s out there, and if suckers wanna part with for the supposed ‘cred’ these people bring to their annual meeting of the International United Association of Industrial Shampoo Bottlers or what have you, then more power to them.
How, exactly, do Toronto Life’s editors define “Toronto celebrity?” Paul Molitor played in Toronto for three seasons (the last of which was 17 years ago) in a 21-year career, so I suppose he could loosely be called a Toronto celebrity. Alex Trebek, as far as I understand, lived in Toronto for maybe a year as a teen. Gretzky was born and raised in Brantford, which isn’t even in the GTA. And he never played at any level as a member of a Toronto-based team.
Writing for SEO can make you look stupid if it’s factually incorrect.