Oprah Winfrey Gets Sued For “Racial Bias”

[Natee471]

May 18, 2007 -- CHARGES of racial bias have hit Oprah Winfrey's Broadway hit, "The Color Purple." Shawnique Hill, the show's ex-stylist and dresser, charges in a federal lawsuit that she was axed after complaining there were too few "people of color" working behind the scenes. The complaint alleges discrimination, breach of contract and wrongful termination. "My client is a true heroine . . . for the rights of all people of color who are underrepresented and mistreated behind the curtains on Broadway even when the most powerful black woman in America is the key investor," said Hill's lawyer, Christopher Serbagi. Winfrey's rep referred us to the show's rep, who said, "We are confident there has been no violation of the law."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05182007...m_pagesix_.htm

[suede]

Oh good God.

[blissfullyunaware]

You can't satisfy anyone these days. These lawsuits are getting ridiculous.

[kingcap72]

This should be fun to watch. Oprah in the hot seat. I wonder how she'll spin this one?

[Honey]

Oh dear, how pathetic

[Sleuth]

ridiculous ... that woman needs to get a life and learn to see people for more than just colour. Does she realise how racist she sounds just by pointing out something so trivial?

[HWBL]

Hmmm, I smell a rat. I mean, more and more people are complaining about the big O's bias towards blacks (first), minorities (second, after a pause of about ten lightyears) and then whites (and then only rich whites first). And now she's being sued because she doesn't have ENOUGH blacks or colored people working for her????? I mean, after her "good white people" statement, should people still be surprised if she employs more whites than colored people? It's like reversed affirmative action, isn't it? Man, she makes me sick.

[Born In A Brothel]

^I agree and do think Oprah's comments on race are distasteful.

One thing about this lawsuit, this woman said there aren't enough blacks working on the set. Maybe not many applied for the positions. Yes, it's a reach, considering Oprah's attitude, but still. Imagine if a white person complained there were too many blacks working on the set and not enough whites. People would start calling the worker a racist. Why isn't this worker a racist? Just because Oprah "prefers" white people? I still don't think that excuses this woman's comment.

[darksithbunny]

Another frivolous lawsuit clogging up the legal system. People should start being fined if they do this and they lose.

[sputnik]

i don't care for oprah but i hate people that file retarded lawsuits even more. i agree with darksith, they should face some kind of punishment for this. a fine seems too light. personally, i think a good caning, singapore style, is in order

[Mira]

I think there is likely truth to this allegation, but filing a lawsuit you can never win is rather foolish. Not that you shouldn't win it, just that you can't. I mean, how's she gonna prove it? Who's going to come out and give a deposition and support her story? Nobody who wants to work again in that business - any part of the business. She should know that. Probably does, but it gets to her more than it does other folks. Showbiz is showbiz. Lawsuits like this rarely come out on the side of the principled underdog.

[mad1]

Here's an idea maybe the stylist was axed because she spent most of her time whinging there were too few people of colour working there and very little time styling.

I also agree that it is possible that "people of colour" didn't actually bother applying. What does she expect Oprah to do? Go out and drag black folks off the street and force them to work for her?

[kingcap72]

The lady and her lawyer probably figure that Oprah will want to settle it out of court, rather than go through a big public spectacle. And we know how Oprah hates to be humiliated. Especially after the way James Frey made her look like an ass.

[pacific breeze]

It's a money grab, pure and simple. I hate it when people use the race card to cover up what basically amounts to extortion. Nobody forced her to work there, and I agree -- she's probably one of those people who spends a lot more time complaining about working and working conditions than actually working.

I just saw a few minutes of it but when Oprah showed footage of all the employees -- more than a thousand -- she took on a week's holiday in Maui, there were lots of black and white people.

[RevellingInSane]

OMG, I am not Oprah fan, but this is petty. If it was too "whitewashed", move out.