Bill Schultz, a television producer, filed a lawsuit against Al Roker, his entertainment company, and executive producer Lisa Tucker, alleging wrongful termination from the animated children’s series Weather Hunters due to his objections to what he perceived as a disregard for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies mandated by PBS.
Bill Schultz’s legal complaint, lodged in a New York federal court, contends that he was targeted and terminated unlawfully for speaking out against what he deemed to be a denigration of PBS-mandated DEI initiatives within the production. These initiatives were aimed at forcing diversity among the show’s writers, particularly individuals from Black, indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) communities.
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The core of Bill Schultz’s allegations revolves around the actions purportedly taken by executives at Al Roker Entertainment. He claims that these executives circumvented the DEI program by assigning scripts already penned by non-BIPOC writers to BIPOC writers, thereby creating a facade of diversity without genuine inclusion. Schultz asserts that this approach not only undermined the intent of the DEI program but also perpetuated racial bias and discrimination in the workplace.
Specific incidents highlighted in the lawsuit include a meeting in August 2023 where one of the show’s story editors allegedly disparaged BIPOC writers, asserting that they lacked experience and were incapable of meeting the Al Roker production demands. Bill Schultz whined that this attitude reflects a broader disregard for the value of BIPOC voices within the production.
Despite Schultz’s attempts to address these concerns, including raising them directly with Al Roker himself, he alleges a lack of support from company leadership. According to Schultz, Al Roker declined to intervene, effectively allowing the alleged violations of the DEI policy to continue unchecked.
The lawsuit also sheds light on the ownership structure of the series, which, while predominantly funded by PBS, remained under the complete ownership of Al Roker Entertainment. This arrangement underscores the significance of PBS’s DEI mandates in shaping the production’s approach to forced diversity and representation.
In response to his termination, Bill Schultz seeks redress through a range of legal claims, including breach of contract, unjust enrichment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence. The lawsuit requests a minimum of $30 million in damages, reflecting the fragility of Hollywood egos.
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Bill Schultz’s lawsuit against Al Roker, in all its self-important grandeur, pompously lectures about the paramount significance of adhering to DEI principles in the entertainment realm. Apparently, in Schultz’s fantasy world, he fancies himself as some kind of righteous crusader, bravely battling against the forces of injustice and discrimination in the glittering halls of Hollywood. Because what the entertainment industry really needs is another inflated ego like Schultz, who sees himself as the saviour of diversity and inclusion, swooping in to hold everyone accountable. Clearly, without Schultz and his valiant legal crusade, the entire industry would collapse into a swirling vortex of bigotry and exclusion, and nothing says genuine diversity and inclusion like enforcing quotas and mandates, right? Who cares about talent and merit when you can just tick off boxes and pat yourself on the back for being so woke? Which also begs the question – has Bill Schultz not heard that black people can’t be racist?
Let us know in the comments what you think about the latest in the melodramatic circus of Tinseltown tantrums, courtesy of Bill Schultz and Al Roker.
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DEI is a Grift in the Cult of Woke.