[Steely Tom]

Chrissy Hinds of The Pretenders tried to do the same thing against Rush when he rolled a wheelbarrow full of money up to her to get the permanent rights to “Back to Ohio”, his theme music.

She donated the money to some animal rights cause and then tried to say “Ha-ha, I made Rush donate to animal rights.”

I believe that Rush pays a (hefty) royalty to PeTA every year for the use of Back to Ohio.

Chrissie Hynde set things up so the money goes directly to PeTA. Her idea of a joke.

After all, she did write the song, and he was free to not choose it as the theme for his show.

I seem to recall the amount was $500K/yr, but someone else may know better.

[Carlucci]

That’s what she wants you to think.

Here’s the explanation from Rush himself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZNyJ2R6WBk#t=25

and Wikipedia agrees that SHE, not Rush, donates the proceeds to PETA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZNyJ2R6WBk#t=25

But I did get some stuff wrong. Her name is Chrissy Hynde and the song is titled “Back to Ohio.”

[Carlucci]

Whoops, here’s the link to the wiki article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_City_Was_Gone

[a fool in paradise]

I seem to recall the amount was $500K/yr, but someone else may know better.

That sounds "like a lot" but figure it out, the theme plays at the top of the hour, each hour, 3 times a show. I don't recall if the theme is also played at the bottom of the hour.

The show airs 5 time a week (sometimes even more with repeats on the weekend or time-shifted rebroadcast).

The show airs 52 weeks a year.

That is $671 per time the theme is used.

Paul Anka got rich just off the Tonight Show Theme ("Ba-dant-da-da-daaaaa") alone.