Wanda Sykes Joins Mo’Nique in Netflix Boycott
Wanda Sykes joined her fellow comedian Mo’Nique Angela Hicks on Saturday night in calling for a [...]
Wanda Sykes joined her fellow comedian Mo'Nique Angela Hicks on Saturday night in calling for a boycott of Netflix to protest what they say is discrimination against women of color in entertainment.
Hicks made waves on social media last week, revealing the details of a negotiation she had with Netflix over a new comedy special. The Oscar-winning comedy icon claims that Netflix offered her $500,000 for stand-up special, where Dave Chappelle was paid $20 million and Amy Schumer was paid $11 million.
Sykes took to Twitter, thanking Hicks for starting the conversation, and voicing her support for the cause. "Thanks for speaking out. [Netflix] offered me less than half of your $500k. I was offended but I found another home." She punctuated the tweet with the hashtag "EPIX," the premium cable network Sykes is in business with.
.@moworldwide, thank you for speaking out. @netflix offered me less than half of your $500k. I was offended but found another home. #EPIX
— Official Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) January 21, 2018
The conversation surrounding these two salaries has provoked a huge amount of controversy online. Many arguments about variations in pay scale and value for different entertainers have popped up, while Hicks and Sykes' supporters say that there is no way these seasoned entertainers are worth 5% of what Amy Schumer is.
According to Hicks' original statement, Netflix simply told her that they "believe that's what Mo'Nique will bring." The streaming giant is famously protective of its user data, which is far more comprehensive than anything cable networks usually have to work from.
Still, the company boasted an amazing financial performance in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2017, and many fans find it hard to understand why they would low-ball a beloved performer like Mo'Nique.
The proposed boycott has been brutally dragged by the majority of the online audience. For many, it's hard to justify cancelling their Netflix subscription on Hicks' behalf when $500,000 is still ten times what the average American makes in a year.
The movement may have a shot at success, however. Hicks has been retweeting supporters ever since her post went up, many of whom have pledged their support. Some are even including screenshots of their cancellation notices from Netflix. The streaming service itself has yet to comment on the story.
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