ABC's Gibson "Unnerved" by the Size of His $7 Million Salary

Friday’s Good Morning America devoted a segment to something called "bubble-sitting" in which homeowners sell their home, rent an apartment and hope for real estate prices to decline so they can buy back into the market at a lower price. Charlie Gibson was about to explain why he prefers owning to renting when GMA’s real estate contributor, Barbara Corcoran, zinged the modest Gibson.

Charlie Gibson: "I must say I'm an advocate of ownership, because I think there's a certain--"

Barbara Corcoran: "That's because you're rich, you can buy a good home. (laughter) It's true."

Gibson: "Well, I'm very fortunate in that I can--"

Corcoran: "Very fortunate."

Gibson: "It's all relative. But, but, but there's a certain psychic comfort in having, in walking into a place and saying 'I own this, it's mine.' It's not the bank's, it's not some guy down the street that I'm sending a check for, you know, a few hundred thousand dollars to every month. It's mine. So, I gather in this whole thing, you've unnerved me."

Corcoran: "I'm so sorry."

Gibson managed to finish his question: "In the overall scope of things you're, you’re not a believer in this bubble, bubble business?"

About 20 minutes later, Claire Shipman continued the joke as a transition out of the 8:00 news segment, "Forbes magazine is out with its list of the world's billionaires....And, Charlie, I guess if we're to believe Barbara Corcoran you're almost on that list."

Robin Roberts: "Claire, you were paying attention. (to Charlie) You are not going to be able to live that down."

A red-faced Gibson begged: "Let's get right to the weather."

So how much money does it take to embarrass Charlie? According to New York Magazine he was paid $7 million in 2005. He’s listed ninth from the bottom.