How far Ryan Seacrest has come from his mostly inert Nacho Years, as the spray-tanned dwarf-mogul has signed a deal with Fox that could earn him $45 million for three years of Gokey-wrangling and Cowell-sassing services.
The deal, about which American Idol producers FremantleMedia North America and Fox wouldn't comment, was reportedly in the works for "the past several weeks" and would triple his current salary, which sees him pulling in $5 million per year. (This stands completely separate from his cable deal wtih Comcast and E!.)
It's a sizable raise, but it doesn't come without strings attached: Seacrest has been ordered to up the awkwardness factor considerably. So if you liked seeing him attempt to high-five a blind man in Season 8, just wait until you watch him pressure an armless war veteran not put through to the semi-finals into playing Billy Joel's "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" on a grand piano in the lobby of the Orlando Hyatt.