Two former execs on Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have accused Sony Photos of partaking in illegal race, gender, and age discrimination and retaliation in opposition to them.
Shelley Ballance Ellis, a Black lady and her Latina colleague Monique Diaz have filed complaints with California’s Civil Rights Division (CRD) and the Nationwide Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging that Sony’s administration terminated them and different employees in retaliation for collectively opposing dangerous discrimination and poisonous working situations on Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.
The pair have spent near 50 years mixed engaged on the exhibits. Steadiness Ellis was Govt Director, Licensing and Clearance at Sony Photos Leisure and Diaz additionally labored within the division. The pair have been terminated in April.
They’re claiming that they have been terminated as a result of they objected to racial discrimination within the office, the pay inequity Diaz skilled, the glass ceiling and different bias Ballance Ellis confronted as an older Black lady, the airing of inappropriate footage of Southern plantations on Wheel of Fortune, racist feedback and jokes made in Wheel of Fortune’s management room about Black ladies on the present, and the dismissal of employees’ issues about racial bias within the Jeopardy! sport questions.
The CRD and the federal NLRB will examine the allegations over the approaching months. The pair are represented by Hillary Benham Baker of Benham-Baker Authorized and Peter Romer-Friedman and David Berman of Peter Romer-Friedman Regulation PLLC.
Steadiness Ellis pointed to feedback from Maya Angelou in 1995 the place she stated she was boycotting the present for its lack of numerous contestants, and Vanna White’s pay dispute with Wheel of Fortune within the claims. “Because the highest-ranking Black manufacturing govt on Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune… I had a entrance row seat as I watched and skilled this racial bias and insensitivity.”
Diaz highlighted an incident the place she and different colleagues expressed discomfort over “plantation” photographs for Wheel of Fortune. It was clear that Sony knew there was discomfort with this. My staff and I have been uncomfortable with having to barter footage, location, and picture agreements with representatives of plantations,” she stated.
She additionally accused Wheel of Fortune producers about racist and sexist feedback made about comic Leslie Jones and different ladies of colour about their hair.
Jeopardy!, which is exec produced by Michael Davies and hosted by Ken Jennings, is in its forty first season. It’s produced by Sony Photos Tv, distributed domestically by CBS Media Ventures and internationally by Paramount International Content material Distribution.
Wheel of Fortune, which is exec produced by Bellamie Blackstone and hosted by Ryan Seacrest, is in season 42. It’s produced by Sony Photos Tv.
“Sony Photos Leisure takes all allegations of discrimination very critically. Earlier this yr there was a broad reorganization of our sport present group that resulted within the elimination of a number of roles to deal with redundancies and evolving enterprise wants of a 40+-year-old operation. These eliminations have been enterprise effectivity selections and never retaliatory. Additional, the previous few years have been a time of great transition and inner reorienting for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, pushed by a brand new management staff who’re profoundly devoted to fostering a tradition of inclusivity and respect. We’re anchored to those values as we usher in a brand new period for our sport exhibits with tenacity and circumspection,” a Sony spokesperson stated.
