They may be in big trouble, but the White House party crashers are just eyeing the big bucks.
The desperate and broke fame-seeking duo has postponed their highly anticipated TV appearance with Larry King and are shopping interviews to the highest bidder — demanding “high six figures” for their story, sources said yesterday.
Michaele and Tareq Salahi became the “big get” since they sneaked their way into the supposedly secure White House state dinner Tuesday evening — getting face time with President Obama and leaving the Secret Service with a major black eye.
PHOTOS: D.C. COUPLE CRASHES WHITE HOUSE BASH
VIDEO: COUPLE CRASHES WHITE HOUSE STATE DINNER
But their bid for cash has shocked even seasoned television veterans.
“This being asked by relative nobodies is pretty ridiculous, and it’s going to be interesting to see where they end up,” said an industry insider. “Their people are aggressively shopping them around.”
The couple had been slated to appear on “Larry King Live” tomorrow night, but the Salahis “have postponed” the interview, a spokesman for King said.
Underscoring their value as interview subjects was a note left on their front door by a producer for Katie Couric, who said the CBS anchor was anxious to give them “the opportunity to tell their side of the story.”
The socialite couple’s lawyer, Paul Gardner, and spokeswoman, Mahogany Jones, have been doing the negotiating, but people close to the Salahis said it was not surprising they would try to exploit their ill-gotten fame for financial gain.
“Everyone who knows Tareq knows that he is one of the most aggressive, P.T. Barnum-type operators out there,” said a pal who has known them for years.
Jones and Gardner did not return messages.
The Salahis are heavily in debt, and have been involved in a vicious lawsuit with Tareq’s parents over the family winery in which they accuse Tareq of running the business into the ground with his profligate spending.
“They owe everybody a zillion dollars,” said a source close to them. “Doors are starting to get closed in their faces. Their money is running out, and they are on their last gasp. He was just spending his parents’ money recklessly.”
The couple had been banking on landing a role on the upcoming reality show “Real Housewives of DC,” to help pull them out of their financial tailspin, but may now have to rely on leveraging their short shelf life to broker interview fees.
The Secret Service — which has admitted that “established protocols” were breached — has said it was mulling criminal charges against the couple. Agents re-interviewed the Salahis yesterday after speaking with them for several hours Friday, said Michaele’s 82-year-old mother, Rosemary Holt.
Holt said she hoped when everything blew over, her daughter would decide not to go on TV.
“I’ll be very sad if, when this is resolved, my daughter does any TV appearances, because I am counting on the Secret Service to clear this up with dignity,” she said.
Additional reporting by Rebecca Rosenberg in Fairfax, Va., and Adam Nichols in McLean, Va.