QVC=Discrimination?
Tides24
Former Hosts Say QVC Discriminated
WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) -- Two former QVC hosts sued the home shopping channel,
saying it discriminated against minority hosts by relegating them to
less-desirable overnight shifts and paying them less. Victor Velez, who is
Hispanic, and Gwen Owens, who is black, are seeking $100 million in damages
in the suit filed Wednesday in federal court in New York. The pair said that
hosts in prime-time hours, when sales can total $800,000 per hour, have higher
salaries than hosts during less popular time slots, when sales may total only
$8,000 an hour. Ellen Rubin, spokeswoman for the West Chester-based channel,
denied it banishes minority hosts only to overnight hours, noting a recent
prime-time program about Harley-Davidson motorcycles that had a black host. She
was unable to say how many of the channel's 20 hosts were minorities. Velez's
and Owens' attorney, Alan Rich, said the channel has just two minorities, a
black woman and black man. ``We're not saying that people of color never work
the prime times,'' Rich said. ``Sure, if someone is sick or is out, then
they'll put a minority host in there. But what we're talking about is someone
being
regularly scheduled for those hours.'' Rich said that hosts who have strong
followings and high sales had salaries five to six times Valez's $80,000
salary.
Velez joined a QVC affiliate in 1995, then moved to the channel a year later.
His contract was not renewed in December 1997. Owens started with QVC in 1994
and her contract was not renewed this November.
Carm
"It's Always Something."
----Gilda Radner
Grnbrier
>This was a surprise. Any home shoppers with any thoughts?
Not hardly a surprise. Don't forget: QVC's target "shopper" is the white trash
trailer park crowd. (Have you *heard* the losers who call in to talk to the
idiot "hosts"? Gawd. Sad stuff out there in the heartland.)
Anyway, the TP crowd to whom QVC shills their shit doesn't care for
"diversity"--they like their imaginary "friends" to be familiar white folks.
They LIKE Kathy, Mary Beth and Judy to address them by name... They like these
"hosts" to pretend for 60 seconds that they're actually friends with these TP
morons who are being pickpocketed while they're chatting it up with some
motormouthed, roadkill-wearing bitch like Kathy.
I especially get a kick when one of these pathetic dolts (who's practically
peeing in her Depends about the fact that Kathy *deigned* to talk to her),
THANKS them for "speaking" with them--after they've spent two hundred bucks on
"gemstones" (er, make that *wearable* colored-glass carnival prizes).
What I *am* surprised about, however, is that QVC has *no* extraordinarily
handsome young MAN to fleece these broads. Waaay in the past, they had that
giggling fairy JEFFERY to "charm" the ladies, but these days it's all
women-on-women crime going on.
Doogie
Tides24
>Date: Sun, Jan 3, 1999 13:47 EST
>Message-id: <76odv7$5fe$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>
>
>In article <19990103010211...@ng-fa2.aol.com>,>Plenty of thoughts...read on.
>
>>
>> Former Hosts Say QVC Discriminated
>>
>> WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) -- Two former QVC hosts sued the home shopping
>channel,
>> saying it discriminated against minority hosts by relegating them to
>> less-desirable overnight shifts and paying them less. Victor Velez, who is
>> Hispanic, and Gwen Owens, who is black, are seeking $100 million in damages
>> in the suit filed Wednesday in federal court in New York.
>
>the US around the same time. Quite a few hosts were brought on board around
>that time, and only four or five have made the final cut. Ron Maestri (gay or
>not, he was horrible host), a redheaded gal from around Raleigh, NC who had
>done local news in NC (can't recall her name right now), Velez, and Owens
>were not among those who made the team. QVC is a very collaborative, not
>combative, team- oriented company.
>
>Velez had an on-air style that would have been better suited for a sleazy
>Vegas lounge act, overnight infomercials, or HSN than QVC. He reminded me of
>a "connected" type of guy, if you know what I mean. Very slick, wore horrible
>bright sport coats with turtleneck sweaters. Yuk. I fully understand why his
>contract wasn't renewed. He didn't fit the corporate image.
>
>Owens had been a talking head news anchor somewhere before coming to QVC. Her
>on-air style was arrogant, condescending, stubborn, grabby, whining,
>demanding, insecure, fawning, and bitchy. From the minute she walked on air
>she thought she was all than and then some. Unfortunately for her, she
>couldn't walk her talk.<
<rest of really interesting post snipped>
Girlfriend, you sound like you have an "in". Ever worked for QVC? I agree with
you about Gwen. I kind of liked Victor, though. Didn't see him as the lounge
lizard type. Your thoughts on Leah Williams are interesting. QVC in the
Afternoon, the show she was promoted to, doesn't seem to be on the schedule
anymore. Wonder if the knives were out for her, or if it just didn't catch on?
Better than a soap opera, that's for sure. Gwen and Victor must not be planning
to work in TV anymore. You can bet, this lawsuit will kill their careers. I
think they took some bad advice. IMHO, the one they really should get rid of is
Steve Bryant. Is there any other host he has a good word for? And when he bites
into a food product...oh, the orgasmic eye-rolling. I keep expecting him to
offer it a cigarette. Yep, this lawsuit will bear watching. Would love to be
fly on the wall in the host's lounge. Enjoyed reading your thoughts.
Jeremy Mathers
<lily_w...@my-dejanews.com> wrote:
...
>> Velez joined a QVC affiliate in 1995, then moved to the channel a year later.
>> His contract was not renewed in December 1997. Owens started with QVC in 1994
>> and her contract was not renewed this November.
>Lily - obviously an insomniac who works at home!
Amazing... Much detail; much inside knowledge.
It is hard to believe that anyone could know that much about a home
shopping network (or would care to admit to same in public) unless one
were an insider.
How, pray tell, do you know so much?
(Or, is this another, "The Internet allows anyone to appear to be an
expert on anything" sort of thing?)
RUtahkn2Me
know what the real story was on their breakup?
I see you (Grnbrier) refer to Jeff as being gay. Apparently no one at QVC knew
that information, because I remember how QVC milked their impending nuptials
for months. Yak yak yak about the fabulous wedding and how much in love they
were. Then they came back from the honeymoon and got a divorce. Also, Jeff
lost his QVC job. QVC has never employed a really handsome man ever again.
Does anyone know the true story of Jeff and Judy?
>Subject: Re: QVC=Discrimination?
>From: grnb...@aol.com (Grnbrier)
>Date: 1/3/99 4:19 PM !!!First Boot!!!
>Message-id: <19990103111927...@ng09.aol.com>
Gary Smith
laugh. On screen were a collection of the type of wearable colored-glass
carnival prizes you describe. They were rings made out of "gemstones" in
the shape of flowers like daisies and roses. They were gawdawful. The kind
of crap you see white trash pre-teens wearing. The unctuous female
announcer was going on about what a great bargain these rings were at $69
each. She said, "If you went into Cariters (sic) these rings would cost at
least $400 each!" I couldn't resist. I grabbed the phone, dialed and when
the phone operator answered I said, "About those rings you're showing now:
if you walked into Cartier wearing something that pathetic they would call
security". My friends were laughing too loudly to hear what she said in
response but I hung up by then so it really didn't matter.
Grnbrier <grnb...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19990103111927...@ng09.aol.com>...
> tid...@aol.com (Tides24) wrote:
> Not hardly a surprise. Don't forget: QVC's target "shopper" is the white
trash
> trailer park crowd. (Have you *heard* the losers who call in to talk to
the
> idiot "hosts"? Gawd. Sad stuff out there in the heartland.)
>
> I especially get a kick when one of these pathetic dolts (who's
practically
> peeing in her Depends about the fact that Kathy *deigned* to talk to
her),
> THANKS them for "speaking" with them--after they've spent two hundred
bucks on
> "gemstones" (er, make that *wearable* colored-glass carnival prizes).
> Doogie
>
>
Sbensong
Re: Vic Velez
>He reminded me of
>a "connected" type of guy, if you know what I mean
I have no idea what you mean.
Very slick, wore horrible
>bright sport coats with turtleneck sweaters
Couldn't someone have said, "change your clothes" if that was the big problem?
>Owens had been a talking head news anchor somewhere before coming to QVC.
There you have it. The principal requirement for a QVC host is to lie
convincingly--to tell a shut-in how much she's going to love her
special-edition Lladro figure or rave about how great something is. Maybe Owens
had a hard time with this coming out of a news background.
Speaking of which, I'm positive I saw a former Q2 host, Mercedes Wood, as a
late, late night anchor on CNN or ABC. Very strange to see her delivering the
news after she used to hawk leg-waxing machines.
Naked318
I think not!
Sparrow
stop on it when flipping through channels and the first thing I thought was
"These people must truly hate each other". They are so nice on TV you can
just tell. BTW, I had a HUGE crush on Ron. I thought he was really funny, I
think he had a background in stand up? Anyway, I didn't think he was a
horrible host but he was sometimes on late at night with this nasal red
haired girl. Annoying, just like the "diva". Gimme a break, diva of QVC?
Some title. Oh well if you have any Ron gossip post it!! :) I love it@!
~Sparrow~
--
...
lily_w...@my-dejanews.com wrote in message
<76odv7$5fe$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
>In article <19990103010211...@ng-fa2.aol.com>,
<snip>
Reetswh
>Does anyone know the true story of Jeff and Judy?
Judy came home one day (a few weeks after the honeymoon) and found Jeff in
flagrante delecto with a slut of the male variety. JeffERY graced us with his
presence on usenet several months back. Had a major meltdown before losing his
AOL account.
Now he's allegedly working on a book with his version of the QVC story. That
and hustling on Hollywood Boulevard in a pushup bra, half slip and heels,
swigging from a bottle of vodka, all the while calling out "Kathy LUHvin, Kathy
LUHvin" to horrified passerbys.
"All my best"
Reets
mslinda
>
> Does anybody care about a home shopping network or its pathetic anchor people?
> I think not!
Then why are you reading the damn thread?
Linda ASGTPR#49
KRYGREEN1
>presence on usenet several months back. Had a major meltdown before losing
>his
>AOL account.
It was a hoot to have JeffERY in AGC. He seem to have a short fuse and got mad
quickly.
Suni (AKA Suni Spice, keeper of Danny Elfman and knower of stupid trivia)
The band sounded like a bunch of child prodigies running wild on acid in Danny
Elfman's home studio.
Tides24
>Date: Sun, Jan 3, 1999 18:22 EST
>Message-id: <IYSj2.331$rI4....@news12.ispnews.com>
>
>Thanks for the gossip! I have never bought a thing from QVC but I sometimes
>stop on it when flipping through channels and the first thing I thought was
>"These people must truly hate each other". They are so nice on TV you can
>just tell. BTW, I had a HUGE crush on Ron. I thought he was really funny, I
>think he had a background in stand up? Anyway, I didn't think he was a
>horrible host but he was sometimes on late at night with this nasal red
>haired girl. Annoying, just like the "diva". Gimme a break, diva of QVC?
>Some title. Oh well if you have any Ron gossip post it!! :) I love it@!
>~Sparrow~<
You're right. Ron Maestri did have a background in stand-up. He was funny,
irreverant, and, I think, gay. (That could have been his undoing, speaking of
discrimination).
Although he was horrible when he started, IMHO, he evolved into a first-rate
host. And then...gone. I often wonder if he got tired of it all and went back
to stand-up, or if the viewers didn't like him. Hope he does well; it was a
loss for QVC. He didn't take himself or the job too seriously, and it was
refreshing.
PRINCESSPK
In article <19990103160452...@ng148.aol.com>,
rutah...@aol.comnotospam (RUtahkn2Me) writes:
>A few years ago Jeff and Judy were married for about 2 weeks. Does anybody
>know what the real story was on their breakup?
I can't tell you my source for this, dahlings, so you are free to doubt it,
but, the reality is endlessly banal, and has nothing to do with Jeff's
sexuallity, about which I have no information. There was a great deal of
tension during the engagement, because of their very different, um,
expectations, and the station's relentless hyping of the wedding. Judy got
some rather bad advice from another female show host, that, in essence, said,
"Once you're actually married you will be able to get your way with him, just
don't rock the boat *before* the ink dries on that dotted line".
She should have called me, I could have told her that men don't change, ever!
Anyway, they got back from the honeymoon and Judy decided to put the advice
into practice. Jeff had an apartment of which he was very proud. It was all
done in black, silver and taupe. Judy, over a weekend of his absence got rid
of much of his decor, adding her touches of teal and band-aid pink. Apparently
*that* was the proverbial straw, and he told her if she didn't file, he would.
Basically they got a divorce because of sofa pillows.
Reigning and Deigning
Pink Wishes
The Princess \^*^*^/
Experience the true evil of Vanity personified:
http://www.QueenOfCold.com
TweedleDum and TweedleDiva:
http://members.aol.com/LCMandPINK
Josette A. Torres
Sbensong <sben...@aol.comnospam> wrote:
>Speaking of which, I'm positive I saw a former Q2 host, Mercedes Wood, as a
>late, late night anchor on CNN or ABC. Very strange to see her delivering the
>news after she used to hawk leg-waxing machines.
mercedes woods was a fill-in anchor on ABC's overnight news program 'world news
now' off and on last spring & summer ... didn't she also appear on fX?
-Josette
tankgirl at cioe dot com | tankgirl at dcwi dot com
RodP...@crack.net
ranger, & Dave "Soul Train" King haven't been jack-booted out yet?
Grnbrier
>>morons who are being pickpocketed while they're chatting it up with some
>>motormouthed, roadkill-wearing bitch like Kathy.
>Doogie, darling, how do you know all these people's names?
I read the Cliff's Notes version of QVC one day on a plane.
Doogie