Congratulations Mo'Nique! We love you here at B-13 Peer Review! Netflix Settles With Mo’Nique Over Discrimination, Retaliation Lawsuit
The comedian accused the streamer of systematically underpaying Black women.
By: Winston Cho 
Netflix has settled a potentially precedent-setting lawsuit from Mo’Nique in a case that could have found that the streamer retaliated against the comedian by refusing to engage in good-faith negotiations after she accused the company of discrimination for opening with a low-ball offer.Both sides on Tuesday moved to dismiss the suit, according to a court filing. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Netflix in 2017 started to court Mo’Nique for a comedy special during a time it was aggressively ramping up its stand-up content, the complaint says. The negotiations, however, didn’t get far because the Oscar-winning actress did not agree to what she considered a low opening offer of $500,000 for a one-hour show that Netflix would have complete control over, including owning the copyright and retaining all audio-only rights to the special. She protested the offer as discriminatory, leading to Netflix walking away from negotiations.
Mo’Nique subsequently sued Netflix for refusing to budge beyond its initial opening offer. She accused the streamer of systematically underpaying Black women, pointing to eight-figure deals with Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock and Amy Schumer, who allegedly leveraged other comedians’ compensation during negotiations and was paid 26 times more than what Mo’Nique was offered, according to the complaint.
“The offer made to Mo’Nique was merely an ‘opening offer’ from which there was an expectation — both by Netflix and Mo’Nique — of continued negotiations likely leading to increased compensation being offered to Mo’Nique,” read the complaint. “Once Mo’Nique engaged in protected conduct by protesting the discriminatory offer, (Steve Harvey) Netflix shut down any further negotiations and refused to negotiate in good-faith consistent with its standard practices.”(Charlamagne the Imp)
Mo’Nique spoke publicly about the allegedly discriminatory offer, calling to boycott Netflix.
“I couldn’t accept that low offer because if I did … I couldn’t sleep at night,” Mo’Nique said on Sway in the Morning in January 2018. “If I accepted $500,000, what does Tiffany Haddish have coming? If I accept that, what does the Black female comedian have coming? Because what they’ll say is, ‘Mo’Nique accepted this and she’s got that.’ So what do they have coming?”
At the time, Netflix said in a statement, “We believe our opening offer to Mo’Nique was fair — which is why we will be fighting this lawsuit.” On dismissal, Netflix argued that there’s no legal authority supporting the claim that an employer’s refusal to negotiate in good faith constitutes discrimination or retaliation.
"Rage Against the Machine"
But the federal judge overseeing the case sided with Mo’Nique’s novel theory that Netflix’s failure to negotiate an opening offer consistent with its normal practice, which typically leads to increased compensation, constitutes an “adverse employment action for purposes of a retaliation claim.”
“At the very least, Mo’Nique’s allegations permit the plausible inference that, had she not challenged her offer as discriminatory, Netflix would have continued negotiating in good faith with her and increased her offer, consistent with its customary practice in dealing with talent in the entertainment industry,” writes the judge.
Said Michael Parks, representing Mo’Nique: “The matter has been amicably resolved.”
Netflix did not respond to a request for comment.
This instigated a response from Mo’Nique on Instagram.
“THE FACT THAT YOU POINT THE PEOPLE TO THE TICKET STUBS FOR THE ORDER OF THE NAMES VERSUS TO YOUR CONTRACT IMPLIES THAT YOU DON’T HAVE A CONTRACT THAT SHOWS YOU ARE THE HEADLINER, LIKE I DO. EITHER SHOW YOUR CONTRACT OR BE QUIET. STOP MESSING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER MESSED WITH YOU AND WHO ONCED CONSIDERED YOU A COMRADE IN COMEDY. BUT I THANK YOU DL BECAUSE YOUR YOU’RE THE REASON WHY I FIGHT FOR MY PEOPLE LIKE I DO. ANYTIME YOU OPENED FOR THE KINGS OF COMEDY, AND I WAS THE HEADLINER FOR THE QUEENS OF COMEDY AND YOU THINK YOU SHOULD CLOSE THE SHOW OVER ME IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE BIAS THAT BLACK WOMEN HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN THIS BUSINESS. I WON’T EVEN DISCUSS AWARDS
.
I LOVE US 4REAL”
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
That is two down and two more to go. DL your point is mute! Mo'Nique never lied and now she is getting her propers.
Mo'Nique and Sydney Congratulations!
There is much more to come!
Netflix lied because in their initial response they said they offered Mo'Nique $3 Million.
Let no one be mistaken "DL" is a bully that likes to play victim when he is called on his sh*t.
"DL's" daughter a grown woman should have never got involved is she was not prepared for the fall out.
The fact that coons like Vivica, Whitley, Steve, and OMG! Katt Williams who knows what it's like (In my humble opinion) to be mischaracterized all jump on board quickly when those white jewish oligarchs call them to arms against their own kind! SMDH!
Mo'Nique I worked in Hollyweird and those niggas don't care. I have never worked with you however, I have heard stories about you defending the defenseless. I have never heard that about DL, Lee, Oprah, or even Tyler.
Mo'Nique you are a beautiful negro woman keep up the fight and hopefully some day I will join you!
We are here to give Mo'Nique the platform she gave so many negros; and now she is denied!
This is only the beginning Y'all will come around!
Y'all don't hear me thought!
- This is Willy Bill of B-13 Peer Review
I know some of you are mainstream media outlets coming here to get your talking points. It's ok I'm not upset I want this info out there no matter who it comes from. All I ask is that you give me credit for my hard work.
If you have celebrity news, political news, or if you are an artist or entertainer and want to share your thoughts or story contact us. We would like to pick up were the Mo'Nique show left off.
Comments
Post a Comment