“I was so shocked to hear that E! doesn’t believing in paying their female co-hosts the same as their male co-hosts,” Messing told Giuliana Rancic after Sadler quit the network over her pay.
On the red carpet at Sunday's Golden Globes in Los Angeles, Debra Messing dragged E! — while being interviewed live on the network — over the Catt Sadler pay controversy.
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After more than a decade with the network, Sadler parted ways with E! last month when she learned co-host Jason Kennedy was making "close to double" her salary.
"The gender pay gap is shrinking, although admittedly we have a long way to go," Sadler said in her statement announcing her resignation. "And well, I learned this first hand. My team and I asked for what I know I deserve and were denied repeatedly."
"Know your worth," Sadler added.
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At the Globes, host Giuliana Rancic asked the Will & Grace star why she was wearing black, which many women in Hollywood had planned to as a symbolic protest against sexual harassment.
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"I am wearing black to thank and honor all of the brave whistle blowers who came forward, shared their stories of harassment [and] assault," Messing said.
!["I am wearing black to thank and honor all of the brave whistle blowers who came forward, shared their stories of harassment [and] assault," Messing said.](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vqFvYFbrRauWn56yJc0DKfMevxvxSXagnWXZsHT8M2a3103nOOHVl_t2FziquvQ4Qvpp96u8na7A=s0-d)
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"I mean, I miss Catt Sadler and so we stand with her," Messing said. "That's something that can change tomorrow. We want people to start having this conversation that women are just as valuable as men."
Rancic responded: "Absolutely. I think that, that is really what this movement is all about, right? We have an amazing platform here. You know there are a lot of big great voices here tonight who can speak on behalf of people around, not just the country, around the world, who don't have those voices."
When reached for comment on Sunday, a spokesperson for E! told BuzzFeed News: “E! compensates employees fairly and appropriately based on their roles, regardless of gender. We appreciate Catt Sadler’s many contributions at E! News and wish her all the best following her decision to leave the network.”
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In a statement to BuzzFeed News after Messing's comments, Sadler said, "“I am immensely grateful for the outpouring of support today. Time’s Up."
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Messing also gave a shout out to Time's Up, an initiative set up by women in entertainment to combat "the systemic inequality and injustice in the workplace that have kept underrepresented groups from reaching their full potential."
"This is not about Hollywood," Messing said. "This is about every women in every industry globally and you know, as someone in this industry, we need equal representation.
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via BuzzFeed/Travel
