Mo’Nique Settled Her Discrimination Lawsuit With Netflix

Way back in November 2019, Mo’Nique sued Netflix for discrimination. She accused the streamer of systemically underpaying Black women. Netflix offered Mo’Nique $500,000 for her hour-long comedy special, which is peanuts compared to the eight-figure deals they offered comics like Amy Schumer ($13 million), Chris Rock ($40 million for two specials), Ellen DeGeneres ($20-25 million), and Dave Chappelle ($24 million). The Hollywood Reporter says that yesterday, the lawsuit was finally settled, but the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Hopefully, Mo’Nique got more than $500,000!

Netflix began negotiating with 54-year-old Mo’Nique to do a stand-up comedy special back in 2017. Their opening offer was $500,000, and Mo’Nique found that number insulting, especially since Netflix would have complete control over the special, own the copyright, and retain all audio rights. She accused Netflix of discrimination, and the company walked away from negotiations. In early 2018, the comedienne took to social media to call for a boycott of Netflix due to their color and gender bias. A few days later, Wanda Sykes tweeted her support for Mo’Nique and shared her own experience with Netflix:

.@moworldwide, thank you for speaking out. @netflix offered me less than half of your $500k. I was offended but found another home. #EPIX

— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) January 21, 2018

The same month Mo’Nique went on the radio show, Sway in the Morning, and said that if she accepted Netflix’s offer, she wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night, via The Hollywood Reporter:

“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?”

She sued the following year, accusing Netflix of refusing to budge from its initial opening offer:

“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, Netflix shut down any further negotiations and refused to negotiate in good-faith consistent with its standard practices.”

Netflix responded by saying that they believed their opening offer was fair, and that they’d fight the lawsuit. On dismissal, the streamer argued that “there’s no legal authority supporting the claim that an employer’s refusal to negotiate in good faith constitutes discrimination or retaliation.” But a federal judge sided with Mo’Nique, and said that Netflix’s failure to open with an offer “consistent with its normal practice” (which usually leads to way more money), 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.

Mo’Nique’s rep, Michael Parks, confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter that “the matter has been amicably resolved.” Netflix has yet to comment. Now that she’s settled with Netflix and made up with Lee Daniels, Mo’Nique’s shit list has been pared down to just D.L. Hughley, Oprah, Charlamagne Tha God, Tyler Perry, and Steve Harvey. Hey, that’s that shortest it’s ever been!

Pic: Dave Longendyke/startraksphoto.com