Meredith Vieira challenged Fox News personality Stacey Dash on her position regarding gender inequality which the talk show host says “is documented” but Dash refuses to recognize, having even criticized actress Rita Wilson for speaking out about.
“I feel like it’s an excuse. It’s the same thing with race. It’s an excuse. Stop making excuses,” Dash, a former actress best known for “Clueless, said on the “Meredith Vieira Show” on Wednesday. “If there are opportunities, seize them and be prepared for them, and be the best if that’s what it takes. If you have to be extraordinary, then be extraordinary.”
Vieira, who has discussed the issue before, argued that women in the workplace are “fighting an uphill battle.”
“When you look at just the numbers, we make 78 cents for every dollar that a man makes,” Vieira said. “At the rate we’re going, my daughter, who’s 22, will be 65 when there’s finally pay equality. There’s something wrong. Something clearly wrong.”
When Dash said, “I don’t know if that’s true,” Vieira was quick to fire back, “That’s true. That’s documented.”
Dash did recognize the statistic, but countered that she thinks Vieira’s daughter will be able to make as much money in her life as she wants, and pointed to Vieira’s success as an example.
“I am successful, but it took me a long time. It takes a lot of people a long time, and for many years I was not getting paid the same as the guys,” Vieira said. “If you look at the number, there’s a reason women get 78 cents and men get a buck.”
“If you want to be pissed off about it, then be pissed off about it, and work harder for it,” Dash said. “Because there is a law passed that we get equal pay.”
“Except we don’t,” Vieira concluded.
Watch the video above.