life rights

You Don’t Have to Believe Reports Ricky Martin Is Getting $20 Million For His Coming Out Story

It would be absolutely lovely if Ricky Martin could secure $20 million for the book and movie rights to his life, particularly his coming out story, as Puerto Rico’s newspaper El Nuevo Dia reports. But it’s simply not true.

No publisher has $20 million to hand out — as a preliminary payment! That is, an advance — to any star, let alone a non-ex-president. Bill Clinton got a rumored $12 million. Sarah Palin got a rumored $11 million (a figure she denies). And while Martin may have a wider international audience than these two political figures, any serious deal of this caliber would be tied to results. Martin, as a gay public figure, has not been tested in the entertainment market. Publishers, filmmakers — they just don’t know how well Martin’s story can really sell. So while Martin could end up earning many, many millions for his life story, the idea that he’s going to pocket $20 million — which is probably close to what he took in personally from music recording and touring through his entire career — just for signing it over screams of fantasy.

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