Heavy/Getty/NBCUniversal A "Vanderpump Rules" star is speaking out about his salary.
Former “Vanderpump Rules” star Max Boyens is speaking out about his experience on the show — and how much money Bravo paid him for his first and only season.
Boyens, who worked as a manager at TomTom, says he made about $4,000 for his role on season 8 (he appeared as a guest on season 7).
“They paid me little to nothing,” Boyens said on the August 29, 2023, episode of the “Up and Adam” podcast. “As a new cast member, you don’t make episodic pay. You don’t get paid per episode, it is just a flat rate. It is not a lot at all, it just gets you by,” he continued, adding, “it was around $4,000.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Max Boyens Says He Was Paid a Little Bit at a Time
When Boyens inked a deal to appear on “Vanderpump Rules,” it wasn’t like he hit the lottery. In fact, he says that he was paid in small amounts throughout his time filming.
“They give you half the check to make sure you stick around and film and then they give you the final check toward the end. It is not all up front. It is basically your rent and some groceries and then another check for rent and groceries,” he said on the “Up and Adam” podcast.
“It was tough because I was spending a lot of money. I had to buy a lot of clothes because I don’t want to be wearing the same f****** clothes every episode,” he said, adding that he also paid to travel with the cast and when it was his “turn to buy drinks”? That also came out of his pocket.
Elsewhere in the podcast, Boyens said that he will be a part of the new “Vanderpump Rules” spinoff series featuring Jax Taylor and Kristen Doute.
“Jax has asked me to be on the show and film with him,” he said.
Max Boyens Was Fired From ‘Vanderpump Rules’ After 1 Season
In July 2020, after filming for season 8 had wrapped, TMZ reported that Bravo decided to part ways with Boyens. The report indicated that production went in to re-edit scenes in an effort to cut Boyens out of as much air time as possible months after controversial tweets from 2011 and 2012 were uncovered.
In a statement sent to Entertainment Tonight in January 2020, Boyens issued an apology for the tweets.
“I want to sincerely apologize for what I tweeted in 2012 — it was wrong on every level. It is not a representation of who I am. I am shocked I ever tweeted that — and I am disgusted and embarrassed — I am truly sorry,” he said.
About six months later, however, the Bravoverse found out Boyens’ reality television fate. Lisa Vanderpump issued a statement following the decision.
“I love and adore our employees and I am deeply saddened by some of the lack of judgment that has been displayed. As many of you know, after watching me for 10 years, I have always been an equal rights activist and ally – my family, my businesses and I condemn all forms of cruelty, racism, homophobia, bigotry and unequal treatment. We’ve never tolerated it in the workplace or our lives,” Vanderpump said, in part, after Boyens and other cast members, including Brett Caprioni, Stassi Schroeder, and Doute, were let go.
About a year later, Boyens resigned from his position at TomTom, according to Us Weekly.
READ NEXT: Kyle Richards Quickly Deletes Instagram Post After Fans Notice Something Strange
