So True? So False? Does Teen Mom's Amber Portwood Really Earn Six Figures?!

Rumor is, the reality show's biggest trainwreck is pulling in a salary of $280,000 per year. But is it true?

By Gina Serpe Dec 30, 2010 5:18 PMTags
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Before you go making your next eggnog a double (OK, fine, triple), let's run down a few facts.

It's not surprising that reality stars make laughably high amounts of money (see also: Situation, The). But just how much is Teen Mom's most infamous trainwreck Amber Portwood pulling down in exchange for her dignity?

There's a six-figured rumor floating around the Internet, but could MTV really be rewarding the felony-facing, boyfriend-attacking, anger-mismanaging 20-year-old that handsomely? Hold on to your GEDs, this rumor is...

So true! What a lesson for the kids. And what an explanation for the inevitable 2011 surge in teen pregnancies.

While in court this week to face up to the three felony and one misdemeanor charges argainst her for domestic violence and neglect (quite an example, eh, kids?), Portwood was asked some standard questions by the judge, including listing her occupation and salary.

Despite the objections of her attorney, Portwood was forced to reveal that she makes a whopping $280,000 per year for her MTV-airing shenanigans.

Let's take a moment and let that figure sink in.

Broken down, Portwood told the judge that she makes $140,000 per six-month contract with the cable net, and plans on working with them for the full year.

Which explains how she was able to post that $5,000 bail so quickly.

True, that kind of bank may undercut MTV's attempts at showing a real, struggling teen mom, but on the other hand, think of all the anger management classes she can afford! Win-lose.

Presumably (hopefully) the majority of the money is going into a fund for Portwood's 2-year-old daughter Leah, since she and her Teen Mom brethren at least appear to be broke or close to it on the show.

Or maybe they just haven't cashed the check yet? In any case, MTV knows a good thing when they see it, as Teen Mom is the second-most-watched show on the channel, behind (yep) Jersey Shore.

While earlier this year, reports circulated that the girls involved in the show made somewhere between $60,000-$65,000 per 11-episode season, that is clearly no longer the case. Or maybe Portwood finally managed to activate her infamy clause.