Big name celebs coming this fall will cost $63,000

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Zach Galifianakis’ paycheck from Central Michigan University will be $40,000 for his show scheduled for 8 p.m. Oct. 16 at Finch Fieldhouse.

The “Hangover” actor won’t be the only big name getting a big paycheck from CMU, however.

For CMU’s Program Board, that’s just the beginning.

Bo Burnham, who is scheduled to perform a free show co-sponsored by On The Fly Productions and Program Board at 8 p.m. Aug. 28 in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium, will be receiving $10,000 for his performance. Actor Sean Astin, will be receiving $13,000 for his lecture, “Leadership and fellowship: What I learned as a Goonie, Rudy and a Hobbit named Sam,” at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 in Plachta Auditorium.

Obtained by Central Michigan Life via the Freedom of Information Act, the prices for all three include airfare and hotel fees.

Coordinator of Student Activities Damon Brown said with events such as Galifianakis, their main aim is to break around even.

“Our mind set going into every show is if we can break even or at least cover the cost of the contract then we consider it a success. Because we know we aren’t going to make any money off of our shows. Because the price we are charging our students, we aren’t trying to gouge the students,” Brown said. “Students have already paid a portion by contributing to the campus programming fund which is a part of tuition.”

Brown said the cost for the acts is large, but sometimes the ones who complain about prices of celebrities coming to campus don’t know all the background information about it.

“I think most folks don’t understand the cost of entertainers today. There is real cost associated to bring names campus and that’s not just here at Central, that’s everywhere,” Brown said. “If you want to bring someone in you have to be willing to meet their cost. At the end of the day it’s not about what Damon wants or what Student Life wants, it’s about what the students at Central Michigan University want.”

Kyle Dysarz, the student assembly chairman for Associated Students of Michigan State University, said when ASMSU brings big names artists to MSU, their aim is much the same as Program Boards. He said they could easily make a profit off of the events they plan, but don’t because they would rather make tickets affordable for students.

“(We could make a profit) by charging the students and taking more of their money, but we (see it as) investing their money,” he said. “We look to take a hit and not make revenue.”

Dysarz said sometimes ASMSU makes money, sometimes the break about even and sometimes they lose money by bringing different events.

“It’s a weird combination of the artist, venue and prices,” he said.

Brown said the student fees, which are included in tuition, are what helps put together these events, which is why they try to keep tickets cheap for students and listen to a lot of student input.

“We can’t bring The Fray or Usher or those kind of folks who are $200,000 or $300,000 to campus, we just aren’t there yet. But we’re slowly making strides to that,” he said.

Brown said a lot of thought goes into bringing these events and the money spent is really for the student.

“The students have said, ‘yep, this is what we want and not only are we going to say, this is what we want, but (we’re) going to back it up by getting a ticket,’” Brown said.

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