Fox News contributor Stacey Dash is eating a healthy helping of her words this bright Thursday morning.
As you may recall, late last year, Dash sparked controversy when she told Meredith Vieira that when it comes to closing the gender wage gap, women need to simply “work harder” and “stop complaining.” She added, “It’s an excuse. Stop making excuses. 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, be extraordinary.”
Oddly enough, old bankruptcy documents unearthed by Daily Mail Online, show the Clueless star was once drowning in debt and living off the man — $6K-a-month support payments from her then-fiancé James Maby.
According to the docs, Dash filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy back in May 2004, just a decade shy of appearing on “The Meredith Vieira Show.” With only $28,582 in assets, Dash owed creditors a whopping $157,703.53, citing more than $70K owed to the IRS in unpaid taxes in addition to $3,378 to the California State Franchise Tax Board. Other debts included $500 on a charge card purchased at Best Buy, $38,200 on a Citi Advantage Credit Card, $110 to Mobil, $480 to Macy’s and $133 to Saks Fifth Avenue.
At the time, the 49-year-old claimed to only have $7 in her checking account and $4K in household goods, clothing, furniture and electronics. Among her possessions were photographs, costume jewelry, and a 2001 Mercedes Benz ML320. The self-employed actress listed her monthly expenses as $5,934.76, but listed no personal income at the time of her filing. The only funds she had was $6K a month from her fiancé at the time.
Meanwhile, even after Vieira informed the actress that women only make 70 cents on the dollar compared to men, Dash didn’t quite seem to get the big picture. “I don’t know if that’s true,” she said. “I know that the numbers are true, but I feel like your daughter will be able to make as much money as she wants in her life. Just like you are. I mean, look at you.”
The TV host went on to tell Dash about her history of being paid less than her male counterparts: “I guess i won’t put my fate into anything other than my own action and taking my destiny in my hands. I will not play victim to anything.” Dash took the slight shade a step further when she claimed that there was a law that promised equal pay and women should just truck on. Apparently, we (women) didn’t get the memo.
In 2005, Dash wed Maby, the second of three husbands. However, in 2006, the short lived romance ended in divorce. The duo share a daughter, Lola. Dash’s bankruptcy closed that same year, in July 2006, stating she had no assets to disperse.
What are your thought’s on Dash’s wage gap gaffe? Sound off in the comment section below.
