Bobby Lee has an estimated net worth of $10–16 million in 2026, earned through stand-up tours, television and film roles, podcasts, and real estate. He rose to fame on MADtv, building his financial foundation through salary and residuals.
His earnings grew through national stand-up tours and films like Borderlands and The Lost Book of Creation. Podcasts such as TigerBelly and Bad Friends added recurring revenue from ads, sponsorships, live shows, and merchandise.
Now, let’s break down Bobby Lee’s earnings from stand-up, podcasts, Movies and TV shows, and real estate, and see how each contributes to his net worth while comparing his financial growth to peers like Joe Rogan.
Primary Income Sources Behind Bobby Lee’s Net Worth
Bobby Lee generates most of his income from three core areas: stand-up comedy, acting, and podcasting. Together, these sources explain the stability and continued growth of his net worth.
Stand-Up Comedy and 2025–2026 Tour Earnings
Bobby Lee relies on stand-up comedy as a primary and consistent income stream. Live performances generate revenue through ticket sales, appearance guarantees, and venue-based profit splits.
Key earnings attributes of his stand-up work include:
- Regular bookings at mid-to-large comedy venues
- Revenue tied directly to ticket volume and sellout rates
- Higher per-show earnings compared to earlier career stages
Club and Venue Tours Through March 2026
Bobby Lee continues to tour comedy clubs through March 2026, with scheduled appearances at established venues. These venues attract consistent audiences and offer predictable revenue structures.
Notable venue-related income drivers include:
- Improv Comedy Clubs
- Wiseguys Comedy Clubs
These clubs support earnings through:
- Fixed performance fees or percentage-based ticket splits
- High audience turnover, enabling multiple shows per weekend
- Strong regional demand for recognizable comedians
Touring through recognized comedy clubs increases short-term cash flow and reinforces long-term earning potential by maintaining audience demand across major U.S. markets.
Acting Career and Film & TV Residual Income
Bobby Lee earns acting income through a combination of episodic salaries, upfront film fees, and long-term residual payments. Film roles contribute lump-sum payments, with additional residuals tied to distribution performance.
Earnings From MADtv
MADtv represents the most documented and transparent acting income period of Bobby Lee’s career. Salary figures are confirmed through statements made by Bobby Lee on TigerBelly during the episode 500 reunion.
Confirmed MADtv salary progression:
| Career Phase | Salary per Episode | Context |
| Early seasons (2001) | ~$4,000 | Entry-level cast pay |
| Final seasons (2008–2009) | ~$20,000 | Negotiated increase after cast departures |
MADtv remains the strongest contributor to Bobby Lee’s acting-based wealth. Bobby Lee’s acting earnings resemble patterns seen in other actors, like the actor net worth breakdowns of Cillian Murphy.
Recent Film and TV Roles Driving Income Growth
Bobby Lee continues to earn acting income from modern television appearances and supporting film roles. Exact figures are not publicly disclosed, but industry-standard ranges provide realistic estimates.
Television guest appearances such as:
- Magnum P.I.
- And Just Like That
typically pay $10,000–$50,000 per appearance for established comedians, depending on episode count and role size.
Film projects such as:
- Borderlands
- The Lost Book of Creation
Podcast and Digital Media Earnings
Bobby Lee earns a substantial and recurring portion of his income from podcasting and digital media. Podcasts generate predictable revenue because advertising rates scale with audience size and episode consistency.
TigerBelly Revenue Breakdown
TigerBelly functions as a long-running digital asset within Bobby Lee’s income portfolio. The podcast has released 533+ episodes, ranks within the top U.S. comedy charts on Apple Podcasts, and averages 100,000 to 500,000 views per episode across platforms.
Industry-standard revenue drivers include:
- YouTube advertising, generating approximately $10,000–$25,000 per month, based on CPM ranges of $2–$5
- Merchandise sales tied to podcast branding
- Live podcast shows, contributing ticket and appearance revenue
Bad Friends Podcast Income
Bad Friends, co-hosted by Bobby Lee and Andrew Santino, operates at a significantly larger commercial scale. The podcast maintains approximately 1.8 million YouTube subscribers and regularly exceeds 1 million views per episode, placing it among the top comedy podcasts globally.
Primary income attributes include:
- High-CPM advertising, estimated at $20,000–$50,000 per episode, split between hosts
- Merchandise sales, reportedly exceeding $1 million annually
- Live podcast tours, which generate additional ticket-based revenue
The podcast produces roughly double the revenue scale of TigerBelly, making it one of the strongest contributors to Bobby Lee’s current earnings.
Bobby Lee Net Worth Growth Timeline
Bobby Lee has increased his net worth as estimated growth from $8M in 2020 to $10M–$16M in 2023–2026, combining earnings, podcast revenue, film fees, and residual income.
The passive income comes from 9 real estate properties, valued at approximately $8M, supporting long-term wealth. Personal challenges, including rehab-related splits, are offset by loyal podcast audiences and recurring live bookings.
Bobby Lee’s career demonstrates steady diversification, where income from multiple streams compensates for fluctuations in any one category. Tour residencies through March 2026 (28+ shows) and podcast consistency continue to drive net worth growth.
Bobby Lee vs Joe Rogan Earnings Comparison
Bobby Lee and Joe Rogan occupy the same comedy, podcast ecosystem but differ in scale and financial strategy. Bobby Lee prioritizes diversified mid-tier stability, combining touring, acting, podcasts, and passive real estate income.
Joe Rogan leverages centralized mega-scale, focusing on The Joe Rogan Experience with an exclusive $100M+ Spotify licensing deal, producing a confirmed net worth of $250M.
Comparison of key podcast-driven revenue and scale:
| Comedian | Podcast Scale | Annual Earnings | Notes |
| Bobby Lee | TigerBelly + Bad Friends | $450K–$1M combined | Mid-tier, multiple shows, merch, live events |
| Joe Rogan | The Joe Rogan Experience | $100M+ | Mega-scale, exclusive Spotify deal |
Bobby Lee’s net worth emphasizes sustainable growth and risk mitigation, while Joe Rogan demonstrates maximum scale with concentrated platform exposure.
FAQs
Acting provides lump-sum payments and residuals, while stand-up offers direct, predictable cash flow, making tours his most consistent short-term income source.
Bobby Lee uses diversified mid-tier streams (tours, films, podcasts, real estate), while Joe Rogan relies on centralized mega-scale via exclusive podcast deals.
Yes, live shows tied to TigerBelly and Bad Friends supplement ad and sponsorship revenue, adding both short-term and long-term income.
Events like rehab splits temporarily reduce earnings, but consistent touring and loyal podcast audiences stabilize his net worth growth.
