Matthew McConaughey Will Make $135,000 for That Commencement Speech

Plus travel expenses, plus a $20,250 fee to Celebrity Talent International. Just in case you were in the market!

The AP reports that the University of Houston decided to just go ahead and reveal the amount it paid to have Matthew McConaughey deliver its commencement address this May. Presumably because somebody in the press office is familiar with the Streisand Effect and realized that Celebrity Talent International’s attempt to block the release of ANY information about the gig was just making everybody involved look like a bunch of shady assholes.

According to the AP, Matthew McConaughey will donate the money to his foundation, the “jk livin foundation,” which is of course “dedicated to empowering high school students by providing them with the tools to lead active lives and make healthy choices for a better future.” Which is a nice gesture. And frankly, in this age of collegiate administrative bloat, universities have probably spent more money on dumber shit than commencement speeches by Oscar winners. (Though if I were a student I might very well have preferred a school-subsidized case of Miller Lite to drink in a field somewhere.)

But let’s go back to CTI and their $20,250 cut. Because, it turns out, that deal is pretty fucking weird! Houston Press says that actually, the company does not represent McConaughey, and McConaughey knows precisely fuck-all about these guys:

Until recently, McConaughey’s photo — and suggested speaking fees — was on CTI’s “talent library,” suggesting that the agency had something to do with the actor. But McConaughey’s photo was removed last week.

“Neither CTI nor Richardson represent McConaughey in any capacity, nor does Richardson have any right to speak on McConaughey’s behalf,” Bonnin stated in his email. “The University engaged the services of CTI to help identify and connect with an appropriate Commencement speaker and to assist with the logistics of finalizing a contract.”

Why Richardson wrote the AG remains unclear — Richardson did not respond to multiple requests for comment. McConaughey’s talent agency, CAA, was also tight-lipped, but McConaughey’s publicist, Nicole Perez, told us in an email Tuesday that the actor “has never met, heard of, spoken to, or worked with anyone named” Glenn Richardson.