No laughing matter: TV boss loses $89.5m race case

A Detroit television executive has lost a racial discrimination case brought by a Black pastor, with a federal jury awarding Bishop George Bloomer approximately $89.5 million following a dispute that began with an offensive meme.

The jury found Bloomer had experienced a hostile work environment, discrimination and retaliation at religious broadcaster The Word Network, according to ClickOnDetroit. The verdict followed a five-day trial and one day of deliberations.

The text that started it

According to the complaint, executive Kevin Adell sent Bloomer a doctored image depicting himself as a pimp in a white fur coat, standing in front of four Black clergy members, including Bloomer.

Bloomer’s response was unambiguous: “That’s not funny at all.”

Adell replied: “Lol”.

Mediaweek has chosen not to publish the meme.

Bloomer alleged Adell continued raising the image with him in front of network leaders and threatened to cut his airtime after he complained. He filed the lawsuit in 2022, after leaving the network in 2019.

A dispute beyond the meme

Detroit Metro Times, which reviewed court records, reported that Adell acknowledged he probably asked someone to check Bloomer’s airtime so he could reduce it. He called restricting that airtime “the whip”.

Adell disputed parts of Bloomer’s account. His lawyers argued before trial that the pastor had left voluntarily for reasons unrelated to race.

The fallout also reached the broadcaster’s audience. 

The Detroit chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists condemned the meme, while a boycott campaign urged Black viewers and clergy to leave the network. Adell apologised to Bloomer in November 2019.