Robert De Niro has certainly been making the rounds in the last few weeks.
Not only did the two-time Academy Award winner appear on his friend, Alec Baldwin’s Comedy Central Roast, but the “Goodfellas” star also has two of the most highly anticipated movies of the year coming out, “Joker” and “The Irishman.”
And Robert De Niro’s made the headlines again but now it’s because a former employee is suing him for gender discrimination.
“The Irishman” is supposed to be one heck of an epic gangster movie and by all accounts from critics thus far; director Martin Scorsese and actors, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci are at the top of their game.
De Niro also co-stars in “Joker” opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role as a Johnny Carson-style late night talk show host.
And with two high-profile films coming out that means he’ll be making the talk show and press junket rounds himself while promoting both films.
One of them was on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” with host Brian Stelter where a video of him telling Fox News watchers and anybody else who criticizes his anti-President Trump stance to “F—k’em.” He said it twice too.
Stelter stated at one point, “And when you say that, folks on Fox come after you.” De Niro through his hand away, “forget them.” Stelter brought up his 2018 Tony Awards Speech when he cursed, “F—k Trump,” saying “when you got up there and cursed.”
De Niro cut him off: “F—k’em.” And then reiterated, “F—k’em.”
Even a CNN employee offstage uncomfortably yelled, “Whoa!” De Niro then seemed to reel it back in that moment with “Sorry. Sorry.” https://offthewire.com/movie-theater-of-aurora-colorado-mass-shooting-will-not-play-joker/
The video went viral and liberals on social media praised De Niro for his divisive comments.
And just five days later, De Niro made the news again because a former employee is suing him in Manhattan federal court for alleged wage violations and gender discrimination.
The lawsuit alleges “The Godfather Part II” actor subjected her to “vulgar, inappropriate, and gendered comments.” It also alleges he overworked and underpaid her while she worked at his Canal Productions entertainment company.
The lawsuit revealed she began working for De Niro when she was 25-years-old in 2008 but resigned from her position as the vice president of production and finance earlier this year. But with that title, she claims De Niro still referred to her as an “assistant” and gave her sexually biased demeaning work that was “stereotypically female” like taking care of his housework.
The lawsuit claims, “De Niro would direct Ms. Robinson to scratch his back, button his shirts, fix his collars, tie his ties, and prod him awake when he was in bed. De Niro also stood idly by while his friend slapped Ms. Robinson on her buttocks.”
It also says De Niro was at his worst when he was drunk and would constantly refer to female staffers as “c-nts” and “b-tch.”
The suit also reads, “De Niro also underpaid Ms. Robinson based on her gender. De Niro insisted on paying Ms. Robinson less than a male whose job required no greater skill, effort, or responsibility than Ms. Robinson’s position. To defend his conduct, De Niro invoked gender-laden stereotypes and implied that a male breadwinner deserved more pay than Ms. Robinson, a woman without children.”
On the flip side, De Niro’s suit accuses Robinson of binge watching “Friends” including 55 episodes in only four days while on company time.
Robinson is requesting damages including compensatory and punitive damages, back pay and front pay in the amount of $6 million.