Catt Sadler’s loud departure from E! News has left former co-host Jason Kennedy taking the brunt of the backlash from fans.
Sadler resigned from her position as an on air personality on Tuesday after learning that Kennedy was making “double” her salary “for several years,” despite being in similar positions.
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Many have shamed Kennedy for the discrepancy, but his wife, Lauren Scruggs, took to social media Thursday to defend his position.
“I believe in female empowerment and gender equality, but it’s heartbreaking that a network is being deemed sexist when that is simply not true,” Scruggs wrote of E!.
“At one time my husband had a female co-anchor on E! News who made three times his salary,” she wrote, referring to Kennedy’s former cohost Guiliana Rancic. “Women are paid accordingly on this network, and the difference in his salary versus theirs did not affect Jason whatsoever because he knows there are always more components to consider when determining one’s salary than gender alone.”
Information obtained by Us Weekly revealed that Sadler earned around $600,000 per year, while Kennedy’s salary sat around $1 million, “$1.2 million at most,” a source claimed.
Sadler wrote on her website that she resigned from the network after she discovered the pay discrepancy and was refused a raise similar to Kennedy’s total earnings.
Kennedy’s wife continued to defend her husband with a second point, disagreeing with Sadler’s claim that the cohosts were in “similar situations” within the company.
“In a New York Times article from yesterday, an E! spokeswoman confirmed quote ‘Ms. Sadler’s and Mr. Kennedy’s roles were not comparable,’ ” she wrote. “Since Jason was named the permanent anchor of E! News over two years ago, he has had various co-hosts that rotate throughout the week. A permanent co-host has never been named since the last one left six months ago.”
Scruggs also claims that if Kennedy was aware of gender inequality within the company, he would have taken action to redirect it.
“Jason is the most tender-hearted and respectful person and it’s so sad to see him unfairly publicly shamed, especially when he is legally bound to speak truth and defend himself,” his wife continued. “His name has been dragged through the mud regarding nothing he did, except be a great friend and colleague to those who work alongside him. It absolutely breaks my heart to watch, and it is devastating and frustrating to see how this all played out.”
Following Sadler’s initial announcement on Tuesday, she took to Instagram on Thursday, partially to echo Scruggs’ message. She encouraged fans not to blame Kennedy for the events leading to her departure, explaining that “his hands are tied.”
“Please [do] not place blame on my friend Jason Kennedy. He has done right by me in every respect. It hurts me deeply to see that some are vilifying him,” she wrote in defense of her former co-host. “I repeat, his hands are tied on this matter and if you’re angry — rightfully so — direct that emotion at the decision makers who failed us, not him.”
