ABC News casting executive Barbara Fedida, meanwhile, has denied the accusation in a statement, calling the allegations 'heartbreaking and incredibly misleading claims.'
- Jun 16, 2020
AceShowbiz - ABC News executive Barbara Fedida landed in hot water after it was reported that she made racist remarks about black colleagues including "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts (II). According to a new report, the white female casting executive has been abusing her power and made sensitive remarks after Roberts asked for money as a part of a contract renewal.
"Roberts, a Black woman who has co-anchored 'Good Morning America' since 2005, wanted more money as part of a contract renewal, and Fedida felt that Roberts had gotten enough," the report from Huffington Post read. "Fedida then asked what more Roberts could want and said it wasn't as if the network was asking Roberts to 'pick cotton,' according to one source who was in the room and witnessed the exchange." Additionally, Fedida was said to have called female staffers "c**ts" and brought a toxic work environment.
In response to the report, ABC News representative said in a statement on Saturday, June 14, "There are deeply disturbing allegations in this story that we need to investigate, and we have placed Barbara Fedida on administrative leave while we conduct a thorough and complete investigation."
The statement continued, "These allegations do not represent the values and culture of ABC News, where we strive to make everyone feel respected in a thriving, diverse and inclusive workplace."
Later in the Monday episode of "The View", Sunny Hostin addressed the allegations. "I think I should say something," she said. "It was a tough weekend for me and I was really disappointed and saddened and hurt when I learned about the racist comments that were made allegedly about me, my colleagues and my dear friends."
"Because if true, to reference Robin Roberts, who is one of the most respected and beloved journalists in our country, as 'picking cotton,' to reference me, someone who has been very open about growing up in public housing, as being 'low rent,' to reference Kendis Gibson, who was my office mate at ABC and now is an MSNBC anchor, to say that he isn't worth paying as much as ABC would pay for toilet paper," she continued.
"The fact that Mara Schiavocampo, who is a friend and former colleague at ABC, that she has an NDA in place and can't talk about her experiences at ABC, tells me that systemic racism touches everything and everyone in our society, regardless of social stature," Hostin went on to say. "No one is immune. It's the type of racism that Black people deal with every single day and it has to stop."
Referring to her "The View" co-hosts, Hostin continued, "I felt supported by all of you. I know [Meghan McCain] and I had at least an hour conversation this weekend. [Whoopi Goldberg], you were so supportive. [Joy Behar], you were so supportive. My executive producers on the show were so supportive and I thank you all for that. But again, this has got to stop. And I just look forward to changes, if all this is true, here at ABC and just in our country."
Fedida, meanwhile, denied the claims. "I am proud of my decades of work of hiring, supporting and promoting talented journalists of color. And, unlike these heartbreaking and incredibly misleading claims about me, that track record is well-documented and undeniable," she, who is placed on leave now, insisted. "I look forward to the results of what I hear is going to be an independent external investigation and I felt very loved and supported by my colleagues."
