I am.
I'm only arguing for at least a million. Solely based off the Oscar win which I'd ague should grant her a pay bump. Since, according to Hollywood, the Oscar is the most prestigious award an actor can win for a movie. The prestige should come with a pay bonus.
Like I said though breh, the Oscar ITSELF doesn’t get you a big payday. It’s the Oscar PLUS your ability to remain relevant.
Lou Gossett Jr has an Oscar. He ain’t gonna get no where NEAR top dollar to star in a movie. Same thing with that white guy with the big nose who won an Oscar for the Pianist. He ain’t gonna go to Netflix and demand $10 million to star in a Netflix original movie.
An Oscar HELPS you in negotiating, but it’s not the deciding factor.
Monique could probably use her Oscar to negotiate $1 million from 500k, but she’s not talking about that. She’s taking about getting Amy Shumer money. Amy Shumer Don’t have no damn Oscar. She gets paid because she’s white AND popular. Her movies do numbers. She has an established following. So Netflix is going to make back on their investment through views and new subscribers.
The number of people who would be willing to subscribe to Netflix JUST for a Monique special isn’t worth $11 million. If they slapped “Oscar winning Comedy Legend Monique Returns!” On all of their marketing and really went hard for her then it could do decent numbers. But again, they aren’t going to be $11 million dollar investment numbers.
All we’re doing is speculating so all of this is nothing more than healthy debate. But if I were Monique and I REALLY wanted to get my career cracking again I’d try to actually partner with Netflix. Sacrifice a little of the upfront money for a package deal that includes the new special and a new series. Netflix is HOT for original content right now. If the new special slays and does better than expected then she could flip that for a Master Of None style 10 episode comedy series that explores the trials and tribulations of a black woman trying to make it in the comedy industry. She could get Sommore, Sheryl Underwood, and some of her Cohorts from the Comic View/Def Comedy Jam days to co-star. Women having their stories told is BIG in Hollywood right now, she could ride that wave all the way to bank.
Think about it. Netflix JUST dropped Louis CK. Aziz Ansari, whether he’s guilty of sexual assault or not (he’s not) will probably be in hiding for awhile. Monique could step RIGHT into that void. If the show was even HALF as good as Master Of None she could be the toast of the town. Think pieces would be written about the episode where Monique’s character (let’s call her Lawanda) was turned down for a job because she was deemed too big and dark. Women would EAT that shyt up.
