Schwarzenegger refuses payment to speak at UH graduation
Arnold Schwarzenegger has told the University of Houston that he will not accept the $40,000 to speak at the campus’s spring commencement, the university said Thursday.
His contract initially called for the university to pay $40,000 for the 25-minute address.
“Gov. Schwarzenegger wasn’t aware that a fee was arranged by his representatives to deliver this commencement address, and he has never asked for a speaking fee to speak to students,” said Daniel Ketchell, a Schwarzenegger spokesman, according to a UH news release. “He has asked his representatives to waive the fee, and he looks forward to his visit.”
The former California governor will stay in a kingsized room at a first-class hotel and will receive roundtrip limousine and firstclass round-trip airfare on UH’s dime, too, according to a contract obtained by the Houston Chronicle. Those costs were not available.
Schwarzenegger will give a 25-minute address and will receive an honorary degree at the May 12 event. He is permitted by contract to hold political fundraisers in Houston but cannot speak at a separate live, in-person public ticketed event in a 25mile radius of UH between now and the ceremony.
The university paid actor Matthew McConaughey’s $135,000 to deliver a speech in 2015. McConaughey donated $130,000 of the fee to the Just Keep Livin Foundation.