Padma Lakshmi paid $1000 to get off stage!

Padma Lakshmi was paid $ 1, 000 by the audience to get off the stage at The Moth's storytelling event at Cooper Union on Tuesday night. A spy told the New York Post that the Top Chef star was so "grating" as a host that a guest in the front row stood up and pledged to give the non-profit Moth 1,000 dollars if she left - and she did. "She was rambling," the source said. She told a long story about wanting to try a hot dog and later begged guests to donate 20 dollars each. The man stood up and said, "I will donate 1,000 dollars if you get off the stage right now." Lakshmi's rep said, "She was not intoxicated but having fun in an unscripted format ... The person offered 1,000 dollars and Padma said she'll take that offer." The Moth's Catherine Burns added, "Padma curated and hosted a wonderful evening that the audience overwhelmingly loved ... we were extremely moved by her generosity."