At the end of every year, we start bemoaning all the worst things that happened during the year and halfheartedly hoping that the upcoming year would be better. While it is true that a lot of awful things happened in 2017, as they do every year, 2017 also was the year that a lot of women found their voices. Whether it was supporting (or opposing) a political candidate, speaking up about sexual assaults, or fighting for equal pay for equal work, I can’t recall a time when women’s voices and opinions have taken center stage as much as they did in 2017.
The most recent woman to speak up is Catt Sadler who quit her long time position at E! News when she learned her male co-host was earning almost twice as much as she was with the exact same qualifications. Below is her story. It’s a bit lengthy, but I think it is something everyone needs to read.
WHY I LEFT E! ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION
http://www.thecattwalk.com
I know first hand that dreams do come true. For the past twelve years, I’ve been living mine out loud as one of the hosts on E television. For more than a decade I’ve walked through the doors at E and traveled into people’s living rooms around the world. I’ve reported from a royal wedding, the Olympics, and the Oscars. I’ve been to film festivals in France, movie premieres in Rio, and fashion week in Paris. I’ve gotten chased by the paparazzi on camera while shopping with Kris Jenner, co-hosted shows with Khloe, Kim and Kourtney, and interviewed Kendall and Kylie back in those early Keeping Up days when no one could remember their names. It has been unpredictable, intoxicating, rewarding and hard work. Five days a week since February 2006. First, for The Daily 10 and later for E News.
Then, this year happened. Daily Pop was born. I was named host which meant double duty. Hosting a live, two-hour daytime show while also hosting E News most nights. It was creatively challenging but genuinely one of the most fulfilling years of my professional career. Coincidentally, around this same time an executive from E brought something alarming to my attention — namely, that there was a massive disparity in pay between my similarly situated male co-host and myself. More recently, when E reached out to renew and extend my deal, I learned that he wasn’t just making a little more than I was. In fact, he was making close to double my salary for the past several years.
Information is power. Or it should be. We are living in a new era. The gender pay gap is shrinking, although admittedly we have a long way to go. And well, I learned this first hand. My team and I asked for what I know I deserve and were denied repeatedly.
RELATED LINKS: Catt Sadler Interviews With Teresa Giudice (After Prison)
Know your worth. I have two decades experience in broadcasting and started at the network the very same year as my close friend and colleague that I adore. I so lovingly refer to him as my “tv husband” and I mean it. But how can I operate with integrity and stay on at E if they’re not willing to pay me the same as him? Or at least come close? How can I accept an offer that shows they do not value my contributions and paralleled dedication all these years? How can I not echo the actions of my heroes and stand for what is right no matter what the cost? How can I remain silent when my rights under the law have been violated?
It’s scary. I am a single mother of two boys. The unknown can be terrifying, but it can also be the most beautiful gift. Countless brave women have come forward this year to speak their truth. Females refuse to remain silent on issues that matter most because without our voices, how will we invoke lasting change? How can we make it better for the next generation of girls if we do not stand for what is fair and just today?
It was my desire to stay at my job. To continue entertaining our loyal viewers around the world. To keep working alongside some of the best writers, directors, and producers in the game. Everyone from the studio crew, hair and makeup artists, to the security at the front door are true friends of mine. They have been my work family and I love them dearly. Unfortunately, however, my decision was made for me and I must go.
I will find more work. I will create content with meaning. I will continue to pursue my passions while making my children proud. The way I see it, I have an obligation to be an agent for change.
It was important for me to explain my departure. I did not want to disappear from your television screens and have you wonder why. Thank you for your precious time all these years. Thank you for the support. Thank you for the constant exchange of ideas on social media as well. This chapter is over and a new one begins.
Big big love,
Catt
After the open letter was posted across social media yesterday, women like Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, and Olivia Munn voiced their support. It would have been nice to see the female reality personalities on E! take a stand as well. So far that has not happened. Where are the Kardashians in all of this?
One reality cast mate from RHOOC, Meghan King Edmonds did make a public statement. Please read it below.
“As a reality tv personality on @bravotv , sister network to @eentertainment , I am outraged and disgusted that such a pay disparity between male and female exists, especially on a network that MAKES THE MAJORITY OF ITS MONEY OFF AND FROM WOMEN. For E! to dismiss @iamcattsadler request for equal pay is more than a shame, it shows us all how little they value women. I am proud of Catt for sharing her story of persecution based on her gender and for leaving the network. Bigger and better things are on the horizon for those who speak up and stand up! (Catt and Jason started at E! at the same time and generally share the same responsibilities however he makes almost double her salary. When confronted, E! refused to increase Catt’s pay to reflect her equal talent and service to Jason’s so she resigned.) #StandUpToThePatriarchy #equalWorkEqualPay”
I hope some smart network reaches out to Catt and hooks her up with something fabulous and pays her what she is worth. And not for nothing, I’m pretty sure it is illegal to blatantly pay the man twice as much as the woman with the exact same qualifications, so I’m betting on a lawsuit.
I’m betting you’re right about that lawsuit. If they’ve been doing that to her, there are probably quite a few other female staffers who are also being paid less than their male counterparts. I hope this plays out well for them.
I’d like to see the stars not give E! interviews to show their support
Yes!! While wearing their black gowns to awards shows, the stars should just walk right by the E! interviewers & cameras without acknowledging them.
Sadly, the only part of this that surprises me is that CATT SADLER IS SINGLE?!!! Are you joking? She’s gorgeous. I’m not surprised there was a sizable pay gap. Hollywood’s skeletons are falling out this year.
I sincerely hope they remember how outrageous this is when they’re doing the red carpet in the coming months. I won’t be watching E’s coverage and that is something I look forward to all year. I understand that they don’t get to necessarily choose which shows they appear on to promote their movies and tv shows, but they shouldn’t have to do the red carpet interviews if they don’t want to. Clooney has certainly been able to give Rancic the swerve since Mrs Clooney put her foot down.
I appreciate her outrage and believe that she did the correct thing in leaving. In the end, if she’s not satisfied with her pay, she was right to move on.
I disagree, however, that it’s as cut and dried as “he’s a man, so he makes more.” Many things go into salary calculations, including not only years and type of service but also measured performance over those years. She might be able to sue, but she will likely have a tough time winning her lawsuit.
Their resumes are nearly identical. They started there at the same time and progressed at approximately the same rate. She may have actually advanced faster. It’s a very strong suit and I hope it leads into a an investigation into all the salaries there.
Uh, huh. My late mom only complained to me, but she went through that stuff as a single parent of three kids and beyond. Despite being the leading actress at a regional theater, and winning awards for acting AND directing — she was paid less in both positions than lesser-qualified men. She taught acting to grad stoudents to tide us over, but we still had to scrimp on everything from bread (“day-old bread store”) to paper towels, to a/c and heat.
Years later, after moving to NYC, that same theater tried to woo her back with directing or acting gigs — always at bare minimum salaries that they never insulted any man with, including our (not quite as popular or successful) father.
Mom rarely raised her voice. She couldn’t afford to risk losing ANY job offers, you see, and, well, after complaining one or two times to her agent, he ghosted her for awhile. To teach her a Lesson, of course.So yeah: the gender thing is real.
As a 20 year HR vet let me tell you this. She is in a protected class not only as a woman but also over 40. And clearly the disparity was not over performance as she received what would be considered a promotion to host the daily pop. Not only will she will but she will get back pay wages and possibly (hopefully) offered her job back.
But here is the thing….SHE MUST SUE. If she does not and the law is not strengthened then what she did won’t matter. At a minimum she needs to file with the EEOC. If she doesn’t she may have hurt all of us.
Preach!
As a 20 year HR vet let me tell you this. She is in a protected class not only as a woman but also over 40. And clearly the disparity was not over performance as she received what would be considered a promotion to host the daily pop. Not only will she win but she will get back pay wages and possibly (hopefully) offered her job back.
But here is the thing….SHE MUST SUE. If she does not and the law is not strengthened then what she did won’t matter. At a minimum she needs to file with the EEOC. If she doesn’t she may have hurt all of us.
I really admire her for taking a stand, and hope other networks don’t hold it against her in her future job searches. She’s a very good reporter and very quick with witty answers and observances. Here’s wishing her great success and equitable pay checks in the future.
Good for her. Outrageous with the pay disparity. 2018 will be the year of the woman.
I have to snark and wonder if Kim Z and Brielle are dumb enough to think Brielle might have a chance at the job.
Decades ago I was a member of a federal interdisciplinary team of scientists, & subjected to sex discrimination. I too quit, but not before filing an EEOC complaint to management. It took 3 years & a lot of malarkey & stress, but finally reached a settlement that, for the time, was pretty darn good. I wish the best to Catt. BTW I’m glad Meghan spoke up about this, just reaffirming that she is more than just the prettiest face on RHOC.
She does give good face.
On other sites people are saying that perhaps it’s not that she’s a woman, but maybe just not as valuable. It makes me nauseous.
I worked in a government job for 15 years where I supervised men who I discovered were paid more than me, without the supervisory position no less! When I complained, my job was “eliminated due to budget cuts”. As a single Mom, I moved on, not crying over spilled milk. I found out the next year that the job had magically re-appeared and had a man in the position. I was too intimidated to take on the federal government at the time.
I really do hope that Catt takes on this cause and files a lawsuit. This discrimination has been happening since women entered the work force. The only conscience these people have is directly connected to the wallet. We can gnash our teeth and wail to the high heavens about the injustice of it all, but in the end, the ONLY thing that will make change is if it costs someone money, or they fear it will cost them money.
I thinks it’s great that she is standing up for herself and I’m proud of Meghan for using her platform to support Catt!
Women of Hollywood better come through for Catt award season 2018 and avoid E! like the plague on those red carpets. This makes me miss Joan Rivers even more because she would went to bat for Catt! Those Kardashian women better speak the hell up! E! is basically the Kardashian network now so Kris and her Klan really need to show support but they probably won’t. Meghan makes an excellent point that this network makes its money off the back of shows by women and watched by women. That said, I think of my contribution to this mess knowing that both E! and Bravo are under the same NBC umbrella and I continue to drink the Cohen Coolaid by watching and commenting on the Housewives. Guess I now have more to think about :/
I’m proud of Catt Sadler! She knows her worth and E! And E! News has sucked for a long time. I always liked her over James Kennedy, Guiana Rancid, Maria Menounous and especially Ryan Seacrest. James Kennedy’s wife blasting Catt makes her and James look bad, since Catt specifically said she loved James like a brother and didn’t blame him. It not her fault people mean tweeted him for her going public about why she quit!
I hope she Sues the network!
Once upon a time in the early 1960s, I watched Candid Camera for the first time while we were on vacation with only one TV channel. When I asked why we didn’t watch it at home, Mom gave me my first lesson on inequality for women in the workplace. Producer Alan Funt consistently treated writer Joan Rivers like a second-class citizen, less pay than men and general a$$holishness. I loved Joan even more after learning she had stood up to him. We think this can’t still be happening. But it does. Obviously, E! was satisfied with her skills; she got plum assignments and was given a new show. So they can claim neither that her TV hubby was TWICE as good at that job, nor that he had more experience. They do it because they CAN! Meghan King Edmonds said it very well. NOT JUST A DUMB BLONDE! I hope the one woman who does have a voice powerful enough, Oprah, will speak out about this. In the meantime Catt, remember that Ellen dG lost her show when she came out and look at HER now. Living well is the best revenge and I hope Catt will live very well after winning a big fat lawsuit.
Jason Kennedy’s wife posted a statement regarding Catt Sadler leaving the network. She needs to stay out of it. Jason should be making statements not his wife. I wish Catt the best.
I want to know how much they are earning. Seems like a cushy job. Will she be able to get something elsewhere doing the same earning more?