Debra Messing calls out E! on Golden Globes red carpet
DEBRA Messing stopped in with E! presenter Giuliana Rancic live on the the red carpet - but the interview took a shocking turn.
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WILL & Grace star Debra Messing provided one of the early shocks of today’s Golden Globes red carpet, calling out the E! Network — while being interviewed live on E!
Speaking to E! presenter Giuliana Rancic, the outspoken star explained why she’d joined the vast majority of celebs wearing all-black on the red carpet.
“I am wearing black to thank and honour the brave whistleblowers who came forward … wearing black to stand in solidarity with my sisters all over the globe,” she began.
“I’m here to celebrate the rollout of this initiative, Time’s Up. Time is up. We want diversity, we want intersectional gender parity, we want equal pay,” Messing continued, before turning her attention specifically to the network she was being interviewed on.
“You know, I was so shocked to hear that E! doesn’t believe in paying their female co-hosts the same as their male co-hosts. I mean, I miss Catt Sadler. We stand with her.”
Former E! host Sadler quit the US network last month after finding out her male co-host was paid nearly twice as much money as her.
“How can I operate with integrity and stay on at E if they’re not willing to pay me the same as him?,” Sadler said in a statement, referring to her Daily Pop co-host Jason Kennedy, 36.
“Or at least come close? How can I accept an offer that shows they do not value my contributions and paralleled dedication all these years?”
Rancic did not prematurely cut off the interview, letting Messing finish her stirring speech.
“That’s something that can change tomorrow — we want people to start having the conversation that women are just as valuable as men,” Messing said.
Actress Eva Longoria also used her time with E! on the red carpet to call attention to Sadler.
“We support gender equity and equal pay and we hope that E! follows that lead with Catt as well,” Longoria said during an interview with E! presenter Ryan Seacrest.
“We stand with you, Catt.”
Seacrest quickly responded, “We love Catt. We love her.”
Those on social media praised Debra Messing for the bold move:
When Debra Messing calls out E News over their gender pay gap while being interviewed by E News #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/OEinBLzqc4
— Abbey Moore (@AbbeyLiz13) January 7, 2018
Debra Messing calling out E! for unequal pay on E! #goldenglobes pic.twitter.com/8142GUofZU
— Cecelia (@ceceliasays) January 7, 2018
When E!'s Giuliana Rancic asked Debra Messing WHY she wore black, Ms. Messing essentially said: in solidarity with female E! anchors who get paid less than men #GoldenGlobes Probably not what Giuliana was expecting.
— Vanessa Friedman (@VVFriedman) January 7, 2018
BRAVO to Debra Messing for literally calling out E!'s lack of wage parity ON E! - J #GoldenGlobes
— Heather & Jessica (@fuggirls) January 7, 2018
When E!'s Giuliana Rancic asked Debra Messing WHY she wore black, Ms. Messing essentially said: in solidarity with female E! anchors who get paid less than men #GoldenGlobes Probably not what Giuliana was expecting.
— Vanessa Friedman (@VVFriedman) January 7, 2018
Originally published as Debra Messing calls out E! on Golden Globes red carpet
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