Mo'Nique Sues Netflix For Racial Discrimination, Says They Paid Millions More To White Comedians

Actress Mo’Nique has filed a massive lawsuit against the streaming giant Netflix accusing them of racial and gender discrimination.

According to NBC News, the comedian has filed a 39-page complaint against Netflix in Los Angeles Court.

The suit accuses Netflix of giving Mo’Nique a “biased, discriminatory” offer for a one-hour comedy special back in November 2017.

She accuses them of offering her a drastically lower offer than other comedians. Netflix offered the comedian $500,000 for the special. She claims that was substantially lower than men and white women were offered for the same job.

The suit read, “Despite Mo'Nique’s extensive résumé, when presented with an opportunity to do an exclusive stand-up comedy special for Netflix, she was given a low-ball offer that was only a fraction of what Netflix paid other comedians.”

She pointed to Jerry Seinfeld signing a $100 million deal in 2017 for two stand-up specials and an interview show. The suit also highlighted Dave Chapelle being paid $60 million for three comedy specials. Netflix reportedly paid Chris Rock $40 million dollars and Ricky Gervais $40 million for two specials. Mo’Nique said Amy Schumer was first offered $11 million for a special but negotiated it up to $13 million.

The suit continued, “When the talent was not a Black woman, Netflix offered to pay, and did pay, astronomically more than it pays to Black women like it offered to Mo'Nique.”Mo’Nique has spoken out publicly about the issue and now is taking it to court. Netflix has declined to comment in the past.

The suit added, “Thus, Netflix reportedly offered or paid Rock, Chapelle, Degeneris, and Gervais forty (40) times more per show than it offered Mo’Nique, and it offered Schumer twenty-six (26) times more per show than Mo’Nique. In short, Netflix’s offer to Mo’Nique perpetuates the drastic wage gap forced upon Black women in America’s workforce.”

She is suing seeking unspecified damages.

Back in September, the actress and her husband Sidney Hicks were hit with a massive tax lien.

The Georgia Department of Revenue filed a state tax lien against Mo’Nique (real name Monique Hicks). The lien also lists her husband/manager Sidney Hicks.

The Oscar winner is accused of owing a total of $60,365.75 for the years 2015 and 2016. The original tax debt was only $31,445.71 but grew with interest ($8,983.55), penalties ($13,597.35) and collection costs ($6,289.14).

Mo'Nique's biggest project in 2015 was the HBO film "Bessie" with Queen Latifah. She would star in the film “Almost Christmas” the following the year.The lien was the latest in a string of financial woes for the actress.

In 2016, she was hit with a separate tax lien by the IRS. The feds accuse her of not paying taxes for the years 2013 ($201,695.99) and 2014 ($188,208.99) for a total of $389,904.98.

Mo’Nique and her husband, Sidney Hicks, were also hit with another tax lien in 2017. The IRS accuses them of owing a total of $170,720.74 on a 2015 bill. The liens remain active and have yet to be released. The total tax debt total comes to $620,991.47.