• Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock
Stock

He plays rich on screen but dreams of full-time work: ‘Why can’t I get a living wage?’

by July 12, 2024
written by July 12, 2024

Editor’s note: This is part of NBC News’ Checkbook Chronicles, a series of profiles highlighting the financial realities of everyday Americans.

Doug Sharp isn’t a rich man — but he has played one in Hollywood.

Sharp, 59, lives in Los Angeles and until recently got the bulk of his income by driving for Uber and Lyft while moonlighting as a paid extra.

It’s the chance to earn the spotlight and work with others who share his passion for acting that keeps him going after years of having failed to find any other kind of full-time work.

Primary source of income: Sharp says he struggles to make ends meet, having survived the past few years on a generous pandemic unemployment reimbursement.

He has begun taking delivery orders on UberEats, but he said the pay barely makes it worth it.

What keeps Sharp going is acting — a notoriously fickle endeavor but one he says has upside potential. He recently got a small speaking part in a coming production featuring at least two Hollywood A-listers — and saw his daily pay rate go from about $200 to nearly $1,200.

‘The money for background is good, and there’s always the possibility of being upgraded to principal,’ he said. ‘That has happened to me — I have not found a replacement for it.’

Still, it’s not consistent enough for him to obtain full Screen Actors Guild benefits, so his health insurance is through Medicaid.

Living situation: Sharp lives alone and said his housing situation is unstable. It includes periodically renting from a friend, as well as an unauthorized arrangement he wasn’t comfortable discussing on the record.

Economic outlook: After nearly a decade of making steady pay driving for Uber and Lyft, Sharp has effectively quit both platforms for now, in part, he said, because their base pay and regular rates are no longer enough make it worth it to use them, especially for what’s needed to live in Los Angeles.

Acting remains enjoyable — Sharp said he isn’t a celebrity hound and simply enjoys being around other people.

‘The older you get, the less parts there are,’ he said. ‘However, the pool of older guys is smaller — and shockingly I always play the rich white guy, because that’s what I look like. But I didn’t I know look like a rich white guy until I started playing one.’

Yet the gigs have hardly been steady enough to make a career out of.

‘What I can tell you is I barely work,’ Sharp said. ‘In May I worked two days, in April I worked four days, in March I worked two days, in February I worked two days, in January I worked one day.’

Budget pain points: Sharp struggles buying basic necessities, to the point that he found himself recently trying to return goods around his residence to Home Depot and Walmart for cash or credit.

He owns a car, a Fiat 500, but is trying to obtain a new one through a rental company so he can get back to driving for Uber and Lyft — even at the reduced rates. However, he’s not sure his credit score will be good enough for him to obtain the new vehicle.

Outlook: Sharp said he basically started his life over in his 40s, when he got a business degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. But he graduated in 2013, when the economy was still emerging from the global financial crisis, and he couldn’t land a job.

Uber, and later Lyft, provided a lifeline, and he enjoyed the work. But over the years, their rates got lower and lower.

Still, returning to those platforms remains his key financial objective.

In the meantime, Sharp struggles with depression and anxiety.

‘The one thing people hate are educated white men who look rich but who are poor,’ Sharp said. ‘They think, ‘Oh, he must be lazy or on drugs. What is his problem?’ I get this — I’ve watched my friend group move away.’

‘I am ashamed about where I am in my life as it relates to my finances and not knowing how to fix it,” he continued.

Finding a full-time job — even at a fast-food restaurant, and even in a labor market that the Federal Reserve says remains relatively healthy — has been a lot more difficult than one might imagine.

‘I do qualify for food stamps; I do qualify for [Medicaid],’ he said. ‘I’m not embarrassed about that, but when I’m willing to work — and bust my ass — why is it that I can’t get a living wage?’

Ironically, fast-food jobs are now quite difficult to obtain, Sharp said, not least because their hourly wages are higher than in many other industries thanks to California’s new $20 minimum wage for workers in the sector.

‘It’s embarrassing, because it seems like there’s a piece of the puzzle that I’m not telling,’ Sharp said. ‘I’m doing everything I can.’

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

previous post
NFL open to private equity team ownership of up to 10%, Commissioner Roger Goodell says
next post
Hungary’s Orban ditches NATO summit to meet with Donald Trump

related articles

YouTube to pay $24 million to settle Trump...

October 1, 2025

Charlie Javice sentenced to 7 years in prison...

October 1, 2025

Video game maker Electronic Arts to be acquired...

October 1, 2025

Nearly 200,000 BMWs recalled over potential fire risk

September 30, 2025

Trump says U.S. will impose new tariffs on...

September 29, 2025

Former Fed chairs warn that removing Lisa Cook...

September 27, 2025

Amazon to pay $2.5 billion to settle FTC...

September 27, 2025

The charm of watching movies in theaters is...

September 25, 2025

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder resigns, claiming parent company...

September 18, 2025

LimeWire acquires Fyre Festival, asking ‘What Could Possibly...

September 17, 2025
Enter Your Information Below To Receive Free Trading Ideas, Latest News, And Articles.


Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

Latest News

  • Israeli official vows ‘We have more surprises coming up’ for Iran following wave of airstrikes

    June 14, 2025
  • Iran tried to influence election by sending stolen material from Trump campaign to Biden’s camp, FBI says

    September 19, 2024
  • Why did VSee Health (VSEE) stock surge more than 200% today?

    August 2, 2024
  • ‘This is the turning point:’ TPUSA says campus chapter requests surge over 54,000 after Kirk’s assassination

    September 17, 2025
  • CBDD Stock Analysis: What to Expect in the Coming Years

    September 6, 2024

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Secret Service admits leaning on ‘state and local partners’ after claim it ignored Trump team’s past requests

    July 21, 2024
  • 2

    Five more House Democrats call on Biden to drop out, third US senator

    July 19, 2024
  • 3

    Elon and Vivek should tackle US funding for this boondoogle organization and score a multimillion dollar win

    December 4, 2024
  • 4

    Forex Profit Calculator: Maximize Your Trading Potential

    July 10, 2024
  • 5

    Biden calls to ‘lower the temperature’ then bashes Trump in NAACP speech

    July 17, 2024

Categories

  • Economy (829)
  • Editor's Pick (6,247)
  • Investing (634)
  • Stock (935)

Latest Posts

  • Trump said to lift all military restrictions on Israel on 1st day in office according to reports

    November 15, 2024
  • Iran talks with Europeans set for Friday; White House sees ‘substantial chance’ for renewed negotiations

    June 20, 2025
  • Meta’s head of AI research announces departure

    April 2, 2025

Recent Posts

  • IBM pledges $150 billion to boost U.S. tech growth, computer manufacturing

    April 29, 2025
  • Ethereum price is close to forming a new weekly high

    August 23, 2024
  • Is Putin stringing Trump along to sidestep US sanctions while bombing Ukraine?

    August 29, 2025

Editor’s Pick

  • Alphabet’s Q2 earnings preview: Revenue set to surge nearly 14% driven by AI and ad market revival

    July 22, 2024
  • Schumer-linked PAC accuses senator of stock ‘greed,’ but financial disclosure contradicts claim

    September 9, 2025
  • Musk not leaving yet, wrapping up work on schedule once ‘incredible work at DOGE is complete’: White House

    April 2, 2025
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Disclaimer: moneyrisetoday.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

Copyright © 2025 moneyrisetoday.com | All Rights Reserved

Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock