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*At a press conference last week to explain her reasons for leaving the syndicated Fox Television series “Divorce Court,” Judge Mablean Ephriam said the syndicator was unwilling to pay her as much as the other TV judges, and had the nerve to demand that her hairdo not change for the entire season.
“There will be no changes in the current hairstyle to avoid time consuming issues regarding her hair,” Fox was said to have stated during its negotiations – a demand Ephriam found to be very offensive and racially insensitive.
Here were her words at the press conference:
“The requirement also comes very close to a violation, if it does not in fact violate, the Fair Employment Practices Act. An employer cannot demand one to wear a particular hairstyle unless it directly affects or impacts the employee’s ability to perform his or her employment duties. My hairstyle does not meet this criteria, it is, however, a racial and ethnic issue.
“Suddenly, after seven years of a show that has run neck- in- neck with the other top rated court shows, why is my hair an issue. Why, I ask? Because of my ethnicity – African American, Black, Negro, whatever term you prefer to use. Because of my genetics (short, curly, hair) which requires the use of chemicals and/or a hot pressing comb to straighten and curlers to style. It cannot be styled by a wash, blow dry and set. Therefore, in Fox’s opinion, it is a time consuming issue.
“I wore a short hairstyle which was my own hair. Due to a misapplication of a chemical process, I lost a substantial amount of hair in season six. Out of my desire to maintain continuity, and the image I had created (for the last five years), I elected to wear a wig last year. Had Fox asked me to maintain a short hairstyle for continuity and for image, it would have been a different issue. But they are saying I must continue to wear the wig because that would expedite the hair styling process. However, my hair has now grown. I had not yet decided what hairstyle I would wear for season eight. If I were to accept their demands, I would have been unable to make that decision.”
Ephriam also said the salary Fox offered her for season eight was substantially less than all of the other court show judges.
“Though I made several offers of reduction from my initial demand, in an effort to reach a settlement, Fox remained firm in its ‘low-ball offer’ and finally, its ‘take-or-leave it offer’ which contained a very small increase from its initial position, coupled with some other unreasonable demands,” she said. “Fox took the position that in order to receive this small increase (which was still unequal); there would be ‘significant production changes.’”
Among them:
• Tape seven shows per day (sometimes eight), instead of six. “I indicated I could not do this effectively and produce quality shows,” she explains.
• No vacation time during tape schedule. She notes: “My national church convocation in November is the only vacation I take during tape season. Will I now not be allowed to observe my religious practice? This was non-negotiable for me. I believe this infringes on my freedom of religious belief? The other times-off from taping were promotional appearances… at the request of civic groups, schools, churches, women groups, and non-profit organizations such as the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage, which benefits Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s).
Ephraim continued: “There were several other issues related to the tape schedule and taping itself which were unfair to the staff and crew of ‘Divorce Court,’ as well as me. For instance, ‘we no longer will be able to pay for the holiday luncheon’ stated Fox. ‘Divorce Court’ has one catered meal the entire season, the Christmas holiday luncheon, before hiatus. This would be cut out if I were to be paid the small increase. This would not be fair to the staff and crew.
“Not only have I been impacted but my personal assistant Princess and my daughter, Darlene Allen. Darlene was head of the wardrobe department. She too now has been terminated.”
In closing, Ephriam thanks Fox “for the last seven years, for the opportunity, for the exposure. I also thank Fox for refusing to pay me what I know I was worth. It set me free to ascend to higher ground. To go beyond before. I firmly believe that God has a better plan for my life.”
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