Tammy Faye Messner was a well-known American evangelist, singer, and television personality. At the time of her death in 2007, she had a net worth of $500 thousand. Born Tamara Faye LaValley in International Falls, Minnesota in 1942 to parents who divorced shortly after her birth, she moved with her mother who remarried to form a family of nine children.
For higher education, Messner went to North Central Bible College in Minneapolis where she met Jim Bakker. Together they worked at Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network before co-founding California’s Trinity Broadcasting Network. After moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, they debuted their own talk show called “The PTL Club” in 1974.
Person Name: | Tammy Faye Messner |
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Net Worth: | $500,000 |
Date of Birth: | 1942 |
Place of Birth: | International Falls, Minnesota |
Gender: | Female |
Profession: | Evangelist, Singer, Television Personality |
On “The PTL Club,” Messner gained recognition for discussing issues considered taboo by other evangelicals including issues related to the LGBTQ community. Her most notable interview was with gay Christian minister Steven Pieters during the height of the AIDS epidemic while urging viewers to show compassion towards those affected by the disease.
The Inspiring Legacy of Tammy Faye Messner: More Than Just Net Worth
However, “The PTL Club” came under investigation by the FCC for misusing funds raised on air which continued until news broke that nearly $300,000 of its funds had been used as hush money to silence secretary Jessica Hahn who alleged that Jim Bakker had raped her. This incident opened up a flood of media scrutiny that resulted in Bakker’s indictment and imprisonment on multiple counts of fraud.
While her husband was in prison in 1992, Messner filed for divorce and married Roe Messner the following year. In 1996, she was diagnosed with colon cancer which drew renewed media attention.
Messner passed away at her home near Kansas City, Missouri at the age of 65 but not before becoming one of America’s most iconic cultural figures. Her exaggerated emotional personality and scandalous marriages endeared her to audiences while her compassionate attitude towards the LGBTQ community garnered respect from those who always felt ostracised.
Her life was the subject of a 2000 documentary titled “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” and a 2021 film starring Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield as Messner and Jim Bakker respectively. Several stage productions have also been produced about Messner including “The Gospel According to Tammy Faye,” “Big Tent,” and “Tammy Faye’s Final Audition.”
Conclusion
Net worth is a term used to describe an individual’s financial wealth by calculating the difference between their assets and liabilities. Tammy Faye Messner had a net worth of $500 thousand at the time of her death in 2007, which was significantly less than what she had earned during her prime years as a televangelist and TV personality. However, her legacy did not solely depend on her net worth but rather on her personality and actions towards marginalized communities. Despite the scandals surrounding her husband and their ministry, Messner’s compassion towards the LGBTQ community has made her an inspiring figure even today. Her story has been adapted into various forms of media, including documentaries, films, and stage productions that showcase her life journey from being a successful televangelist to being diagnosed with cancer.