You ASSUME a lot...
While residuals do get smaller over time, the pay scale is a negotiated figure and affects your initial pay and residuals a great deal depending on your billing. Both myself and Chris Cook were granted "Co-star" status, which bumped up our pay and scale considerably... background,extra, featured extra, co-star, star,,,not the same payouts.
In response to your comment on DVD sales...MOST of the residual checks I've received from "See Arnold Run", have been in DVD sales...
I've featured in commercials and made over 50K...(if they run national)...
Of course, I'm sure you knew all this...
The sad thing is that most actors gripe about how shitty the pay is unless you're a star. But if you mix actor with bodybuilder, you get a bad actor who lies badly.
You cited all of the money you've made off of Malcom in the Middle and I called BULLSHIT. Do you really want to get busted...again?
Okay...here we go...
1. 'Extras' and 'background' don't get residuals at all. PAY for a background actor (all of the other non-speaking bodybuilders) for that episode of 'Malcolm' was about $120.
2. If you were upgraded to 'Performer', your pay was $695. That's correct. $695. No 'K'. Less agent (10%) and manager (10%) and business manager (5%) and attorney (5%) and taxes (20%). So about what an elevator operator makes in a day.
3. Actors don't get residuals from DVD sales for TV shows like 'Malcolm' so your DVD residuals for 'Malcolm' box sets and Itunes downloads are ZERO. Nice try though, trying to pull the bait and switch. I'm sure you've made millions from the 'See Arnold Run' residuals. Far more than my actor friends who have appeared in theatrically-released movies and also get pathetically tiny residual checks.
4. Based on what I know about residuals (which I'm sure is far more than what you know), your total pay for that single episode of 'Malcolm' is most definitely less than $2500. Or in other words, about what Steve Blechman paid me to interview you and your pals at the Arnold Expo in 2007.
5. You can BS most of the elevator crew here, but with me you'll surely get the shaft.
But seriously, if you really wanna brag about how much money you've made off of your pathetic acting resume, post some paystubs big boy. We have all day, my friend...
http://www.sag.org/files/documents/theatrical-tv.pdf