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Sadly, books of humor do not sell. Even a famous name like Dave Barry sells a fraction as many copies of his books as a crappy novelist like Jackie Collins or Judith Krantz. I wrote a book of humor a few years ago that was brought out by a top NY publisher. It took two years to write, got national publicity, was praised and profiled by everyone from "Inside Edition" to "Playboy," and I made exactly $4,250 off it, before taxes. I wish could afford to visit New York at all, much less stay in a palatial $90-a-night hotel like the Pennsylvania.

Books and newspaper columns.

TV Pays money. Newpapers and Books make unemployment insurance look like a big raise.

If he is very lucky his books pay him about 4 bucks a copy and he has sold a few hundred thousand. But like recording contracts the book deals are in the details. Pubishing companies have little items in the contract that charge things against the royalties. It may say four bucks but it ends up being a lot less.

If you want to make money on a book you have to be big enough so they know your first book will be a success. Then you can negotiate a contract that makes you big bucks. Rush for instance made a couple of million on his two books.

But I doubt if Barry got a very good deal. I doubt very much that he is even close to being rich.

If you want to be rich in the media, get a major Radio or Tv show and make it a hit. Then you can negotiate the second contract for big bucks. Larry King worked for many years on his first contract with CNN for 50 grand a year. That is what Ted Turner offered a 35 grand a year Mutual radio talk show host and that is what Larry took. He was tickled pink to get a long term 50 grand deal.

Larry's last renewal was for about 8 million a year. But Barry is not within 30,000 miles of where Larry King is.

Pubishiers sign people to long deals small bucks and not much else but the fame. The woman that created and wrote the origianl Nancy Drew books just passed away. She was paid a total of one hundred twenty five dollars for each book she authored. And that was it. She wrote 7 books and earned a total of less than a grand. Her books earned the publisher millions. She got less than a grand ... total for 7 hit books.

In the movies, reporters, columnists and authors make big bucks. But in real life....... .