Recently, Catt Sadler generated a lot of controversy in the press by leaving her position on E! News after an alleged wage dispute.
Sadler claimed that she was disappointed that her co-host, Jason Kennedy, earned significantly more than her and that the network was unwilling to budge on the situation and reconsider her compensation.
Many expressed their support for Sadler, and there were some interesting discussions about the modern state of workplace inequality. However, it looks like some of the negativity has been directed in the wrong places.
According to Lauren Scruggs, Kennedy’s wife, he has received various critical comments about the situation, and that many people are unfairly blaming him for the whole debacle.
While it is easy to understand the frustration of Sadler and anyone who stands behind her, it is also not entirely reasonable to attack Kennedy on something he has no control over.
Of course, Kennedy could have resigned along with Sadler out of solidarity, but everyone’s life is in a different place and quitting one’s job shortly before the holidays is not something everyone could do.
Scruggs also reminded people that Kennedy had been in a similar situation himself in the past, most probably referring to Giuliana Rancic who did, in fact, have a significantly higher salary than Kennedy a couple of years ago.
She wrote in a blog post: “At one time my husband had a female co-anchor on E! News who made 3 times his salary.”
However, back then, it was Rancic who left the program in the end and not Kennedy, so it is hard to compare the two situations, especially in light of the recent negative comments.
Sadler was reportedly making $600,000 a year before quitting the network. Kennedy sits at $1.2 million and is ranked the top anchor while his former colleague was only second in the hierarchy.