Among internationally famed Olympic skaters, one duo stands out. Ice dancers Charlie White and Meryl Davis gained popularity after nabbing a gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Games — on top of a silver medal in the previous Winter Olympics, five Grand Prix Final titles, three Four Continents figure skating titles, and six U.S. championship titles. If you've ever wondered about Charlie White's net worth, specifically, it's nothing to sneeze at.
The decorated ice dancer is worth at least $500 thousand dollars, according to the website Celebrity Net Worth. Of course, there's no way to tell exactly how much money White's earned over the course of his celebrated career. According to the Minnesota Gazette Review, White owes a sizeable amount of his net worth to on-air appearances, particularly reality TV shows. White has earned income through performances on Stars On Ice, as well as specials like the hour-long How To Raise An Olympian on NBC.
That's not all: for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, White was selected as one of the 89 commentators for NBC's substantial coverage of the games. It's unclear how much NBC is paying White for his skating analysis. We do know that compensation for NBC commentators started at $70,000 almost a decade ago; given that NBC raked in more than $900 million in ad sales for the 2018 PyeongChang games, the rate for commentators today may be much higher.
White's career began almost 17 years ago when he partnered with Davis to compete in ice dancing. But White's interest in the sport dates back to when he was merely a five-year-old, according to the website Golden Skate. He began trying out for individual skating events and participated in the 2004 U.S. Championships in the novice category. While speaking to Golden Skate at the time, White said, "My mom started me skating so if I went to the rink with friends, I’d be able to skate. I started playing hockey as a center in midget A and I’m still playing. Our team was the state champion a few years ago."
In the decade-plus since then, White and Davis became famous for their impressive and absolutely mesmerizing choreography on the ice. But the duo is not competing in PyeongChang. White told NBC Sports that he found it strange that they wouldn't be competing for any gold medals this time around, but the reason the duo is sitting out the competition is pretty relatable. They want a break from the stress of competitions:
"It’s still really weird to say that out loud. I’m not really sure what tone to use. It’s not like we’re celebrating it. It’s a little bit disappointing, but at the same time, it’s nice to finally come to a decision."
White hasn't limited himself to the world of ice dancing, either. He's pretty opinionated when it comes to politics and isn't afraid to speak his mind on social media. In an interview with ESPN in February, White said he wasn't pleased by the results of the 2016 presidential race. But he said he decided to use that dissatisfaction to speak out and play a role in improving things:
Following the election, I wasn't happy with the result. I understand the way politics work, as a living, breathing organism in our society, and that so often, change is revered for the sake of change. I got it. But I did, at that moment, recognize that being upset with the way the election turned out, I could really only hold myself accountable, as I hadn't participated as a vocal, active citizen in the process.
White added, "I determined that if I want to be able to be at peace with myself, I have to take a larger role." Perhaps with his break from ice dancing competitions, he'll have the space to do so.
