WIGGLES’ SALARY WARS!
Blue Wiggle Anthony Field banks millions every year but the four new ‘woke’ Wiggles will be paid just a fraction of that amount
They’re the most successful children’s entertainment group in the world, bringing joy to millions of kids and their parents, but The Wiggles is also a money-making machine – and the new-look supergroup is designed to cement its world domination.
“There’s a reason everybody wants to be a Wiggle – the band rakes in more than $20 million a year from tours, TV shows, new releases, merchandise and sponsorships,” explains one music insider. “It’s a non-stop river of gold.”
But the new Wiggles announced last week won’t get their hands on a piece of that fortune after signing strict contracts, with starting salaries estimated at just $150,000 per year – falling way short of the $750,000 that Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins earns!
And Emma’s massive salary even pales in comparison to the earnings of the only remaining founding member, Anthony Field, who owns a majority share of the supergroup worth an estimated minimum of $50 million, on top of the millions he earns in royalties and performance fees each year.
“Don’t get me wrong, these new members aren’t complaining because they
know the power The Wiggles has to transform their lives,” says the insider. “It's still a great paying gig that so many other singers would kill for, particularly in the current climate.”
WIGGLES 2.0
The Wiggles announced last week that the band was doubling in size, with four new members representing gender equality, ethnic diversity and non-binary qualities to reinvent the supergroup for a new generation. Wiggles 2.0, as it has been heralded, is politically correct, but insiders say the carefully orchestrated new line-up has been designed to help the band grow even richer and more influential, particularly in the billion-dollar US music market. The new members announced last week are Tsehay Hawkins, who will wear the red skivvy, Evie Ferris, who will be blue, Kelly Hamilton, donning yellow and John Pearce, who will put on the famous purple top.
“This is the future of The Wiggles,” Anthony, 58, said last week.
“It's the first step towards shaping The Wiggles for the next 30 years, taking us in a direction that truly represents and serves our community more inclusively."
And yet while inclusivity is certainly a main factor behind the move, our industry insider also hints at an ulterior motive.
“This is a really clever and shrewd move to capitalise on the explosion of ‘woke' values in the US on the back of President Joe Biden's election,” says the source.
“If you thought the Wiggles were successful before this, wait and see what this does to their numbers in the US.
“It's always been a very slick and tightly controlled machine, and The Wiggles have always moved with the times and stayed on top of cultural changes. And the band does a lot of good in terms of education, but make no mistake, this is mainly about increasing the bottom line.”
FAN BACKLASH
The announcement of the new members has created uproar among fans, with a plethora of mostly adult followers taking to social media to slam the new line-up, writing, “They're messing with the innocence of youth to tick a box amongst warped parents!”
“Left wing ideology has even infected The Wiggles!!,” another incensed fan wrote.
Senator Matt Canavan also put in his two cents, saying it was the beginning of the end for the iconic children's entertainment group.
“The Wiggles are free to do what they like. It was nice while it lasted. But you go woke, you go broke,” he warned.