Comedian Trevor Noah received praise for his starring role in a viral tourism advert showcasing South Africa. However, controversy arose around his alleged R33 million paycheck for the promo video sponsored by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA).
Despite claims in September from the Portfolio Committee on Tourism that Noah scored that massive payday, the TBCSA now disputes that figure.
TBCSA CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhenga stated the organization never publicly confirmed the R33 million sum reported by the Committee. He asserted Noah received only “a very small amount” relative to his star power and international appeal.
Per Tshivhenga, Noah’s actual fee was “a gift to us” given his limited compensation to participate. He shifted blame back to the Portfolio Committee to clarify where the rumored R33 million figure originated.
While Noah’s earning for the advert remain ambiguous, the TBCSA made clear it did not pay the comedian anything close to the tens of millions claimed. The organization deemed Noah’s fee a bargain for fronting the viral tourism promotion.
Main image: The New York Times
