‘Vanderpump Rules’ Stars Jax Taylor and Kristen Doute Reveal Their 1st Season Salary

Jax Taylor and Kristen Doute are getting real about their starts in reality TV.

Nearly a decade after the first season of Vanderpump Rules premiered, two of the show's original stars are sharing how much they were paid to participate on the Bravo show.

"We had very little in our bank account," Doute shared on Thursday's episode of her Sex, Love and What Else Matters podcast. "It was $5,000 and if we became a primary, we got an additional $5,000."

For Taylor, the paycheck from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills spinoff was much needed as he tried to survive living in West Hollywood, Calif. 

"I had nothing at that time so whatever we got, I was rich," he shared. "$5,000? I was paying $100 a week to live so I [thought] I could retire. When we were filming, I felt like, 'This is awesome.'"

From modeling gigs to bartending at Lisa Vanderpump's restaurant SUR, Taylor said he spent years hustling and living paycheck to paycheck.

"I would do a lot of jobs," he explained, "but by the time I got my paycheck, I was so behind on my credit card bills."

While Taylor and Doute haven't been full-time Vanderpump Rules cast members since 2020, their return to reality TV may be coming sooner rather than later.

Back in June, a source told The Messenger that a Vanderpump Rules spinoff is in the works with Doute, Taylor and his wife Brittany Cartwright likely joining the cast.

VPR star Lala Kent appeared to confirm the spinoff was happening when she teased a new show earlier this week.

"It is fully happening, and I think they start this week,” she said on her Amazon Live. "It is so weird that they have a show and they aren't on our show. And as of now, we aren't on their show. We are all best friends and we should be filming a show together."

Vanderpump Rules premiered Jan. 7, 2013. It is currently filming its 11th season documenting the aftermath of Scandoval.