courtesy of The News Tribune – USA Weekend Magazine

Q:…but 7 million a year is a huge sum, on any scale. Is it just that at a certain point making $3 million and making 7 million are virtually the same? I think most people think the money is an amazing unintended consequence of a marketplace we don’t fully understand. News people are the least economically savy people I know. Doing their expense accounts is a hilarious contortion. And when we go on the air to try and explain economic issues, we’re grappling a lot of the time. We all say. ” Good heavens! How did this happen? How did we deserve this?” Other professions deserve so much more.

Q: Do you ever feel guilty about that? No, because it is about a marketplace, a marketplace for commercial advertising and corporate decisions. We all know we don’t deserve as much as a great teacher or, in my mind, a great plumber. Why? Have you had some recent sink or toilet fiasco? No, but the gratitude you have when a plumber comes quickly when your toilet is overflowing and they’re supremely talented should be matched with dollars… Given a choice between Baryshnikov and a plumber, I would chose a plumber.