The U.S. Supreme Court crushed any hopes Barbie Bassett had of winning her discrimination lawsuit against WLBT.
WLBT fired its long-time star in 2023 after she said "grand mammy" and "fo shizzle my nizzle" on the air within six months. The comments generated a storm of complaints from viewers and of course, the local outrage machine (A synopsis of what took place is posted below.).
Ms. Bassett sued Gray Media, owner of WLBT, in December 2023, alleging racial discrimination and an enforcement of an illegal non-compete clause. She claimed WLBT would not have fired a black employee who made the same statements on the air.
U.S. District Judge Dan Jordan, III dismissed the lawsuit a year ago. Unwilling to go home in defeat, Ms. Bassett appealed to the Fifth Circuit. The Fifth Circuit rejected her appeal. The former weather girl appealed and lost.
38 comments:
You are going to defend barb but not the ole miss girls
Gray Media should at least let her out of the non-compete agreement. It's been 3 years and she's probably not interested in staying in this market. But, even if she did, they fired her so why keep her from going to a competitor?
Just curious. Is anyone aware of any comment Barbie may have made on the current senate race?
One bright spot- Gray Media spent a ton on legal fees defending this.
"Get her life back"? Her life is being a spectacle, a movie star wannabee. Can't she just go home and plant a garden and not wear makeup and wear her husband's oversized cotton shirts like most other sixty year old retirees?
It's time she accept the reality that her public life, now, is relegated to speaking to garden clubs, liberal women's groups and 70 year old women who sell makeup and rejuvenation products.
She’s not wrong. Howard would not be fired for exact comment.
The NCA can only be two years pursuant to court decisions.
Barbie is clueless, but she is no racist.
What is there to defend??
This is society today. Innocuous comments create a veritable lynch mob to prevent people from pursuing a career because a feeling or two may have been tweaked by some words. "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words? I'll take your f**king livelihood and have you living in fear."
Barbie has a BS in Mass Communications and a MS in Broadcast Meteorology. Who the fuck are you to put her out to pasture?
@3:23 - More likely that Gray's insurance company spent money defending Gray.
Barbie is not a racist… Not now not ever! Obviously somebody had a chip on their shoulder about her so the easy way to get rid of her would be to charge racism! The company treated her abominably… They trashed a beautiful career of a wonderful person who is a wife, a mother, a broadcaster, a Mississippian who loves her state. Grey media would certainly not want to have anything having to do with race in Mississippi all places and all the things that went on in the past that some people just can’t get over in today’s world. So they put
their big money to work to get rid of a potential embarrassment for them.
Isn’t broadcasting a wonderful business.
Bless your heart, Ms. Bassett
Will always love you Barbie! Snoop Dog, what you gonna do for Barbie?
Gray Media/channel 3/ and it’s predecessors have always been leaned to the monitory populist. So. What would you expect?
Barbie's problem was no matter what the subject (even Hip Hop) she would, as if on que, chime in. Which is what know-it-alls tend to do. Some times it turns and bites.
Either term is extreme cringy for a 65 year old lady to be saying.
When has a black person working for WLBT ever said grand mammy or fo shizzle yo nozzle on the air? I have never heard a black person ever say that anywhere! That sounds like some stupid white person shit!
Are non-competes enforceable against an employee in MS? Or was she a contractor/subcontractor?
6:41 On que?
The point is IF he said that Howard wouldn’t be fired. You blaming white people for the stupid term fo shizzle? Also there are no phrases that upset white people. Say what you want. We don’t cry about it.
Babs got burned for trying to relate to the viewership. It's really just that simple.
Howard, Mags, Rob would not have been fired for saying the exact same. We ALL know it.
3:17 - That's because Fish has a Jones for Ole Miss.
It’s a sad day to see all the weak people hurt over words. Some parts of our society are perpetual victims. Always will be.
Barbie is white people, no other reason needed…
Her non-compete clause has long expired. It was only for one year
Barbie is only 54.
Barbie was told to and paid to engage in light banter in between talking about weather. It’s what weatherbunnies do, look attractive and banter before “going to commercial.” CJ and Courtney Ann apparently aren’t paid to banter or look attractive. But they likely already know anyway that diversity means chasing down the last white person.
9:12 PM Que = Ready to go. Broadcast term. Especially for radio quing pre-recorded content ready to play. Some of you old DJs can tell you about que burn on records, getting "scratchy" at the beginning because on the constant back and forth of getting the record to start at the beginning.
But since you're a Barbie Bassett know it all kind of "expert"....Feeling like you "got somebody" that's your "cue" to kiss my broadcast ass
I remember the old free mp3 file sharing and my selections being in queue
I've known Barbie and her family for a long time. You can have opinion you want of her based on her television persona. But if you spend any time with her, you will know she is at heart a good person.
Is she really a Snoop fan
I guess the 19 people who still watch WLBT are affected. Maybe Barbie can work for the Clarion-Ledger and its 17 subscribers.
Somebody, somewhere ask Barbie Bassett about que!
Sorry 9:12 has gone radio silent. Would say what is the term in broadcasting "Gone Dark " but hell 9:12 sure couldn't handle that for sure.
The girl can't help it - Her ego manages her every move, regardless of her degrees.
At the end of the day, here is the bottom line....
"The very nerve! Don't they know who I am? I made this station and I can take it down."
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