Saved By the Bell’s Syndication Deal Sucks

I always wondered what Lisa’s turtle looked like when it wasn’t stuffed in a pair of pants that were probably tailored by Memphis Design. But not anymore. She ended up with the short stick later on in life. Her looks have vanished just like the promise of being able to live off of Saved By the Bell residuals. Honestly, now I understand why Screech was all too willing to swallow tobacco spit for $20 and Slater was begging for free food in exchange for promotion. With an exception of a few from the show, the rest of the cast can’t cover the costs of their studio apartments with the checks coming in from syndication. Mario Lopez tried to parade himself as a fading actor turned Instagram influencer, but in reality he was just another virtual panhandler making promises he couldn’t keep. It’s times like these that make you wish The Surreal Life was still cutting checks.

Unlike the cast of Friends, Saved By the Bell alums are apparently no longer raking in money from the hit ’90s show.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar made an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Tuesday night, where he said that the stars of Saved By The Bell aren’t getting paid very much from the show’s syndication deals.

“We made really bad deals,” he said. “Poor deals, back then. It is what it is. You move on, you learn. Great experience.”

I believe most deals are meant to shaft the main talent. I’ve heard the kid from A Christmas Story gets paid in peanuts. Hollywood needs to look into making a Weinstein women’s shelter and struggling sitcom actor GoFundMe foundation. Perhaps an adopt a Dustin Diamond program. If a few dollars a month keeps Dustin from doing Marlboro loogie shots for money, I wouldn’t mind donating.