Hallmark Hit With Age Discrimination Suit By Ex-Casting Exec; Stars Holly Robinson Peete & Lacey Chabert “Too Old,” Programming EVP Allegedly Said
Hallmark’s former top casting executive claims in a lawsuit that the often-saccharine channel’s “happy endings are stories made for TV only.” “The reality show is much more sinister,” adds near octogenarian Penny Perry of her ex-employers’ alleged attitude towards its staff, its talent and top stars like 60-year-old Holly Robinson Peete and 42-year-old Lacey Chabert. “Lacey’s getting older, and we have to find someone like her to replace her as she gets older,” Perry states that Hallmark EVP of programming Lisa Hamilton Daly exclaimed of the A Merry Scottish Christmas star and EP.
In fact, in her age discrimination, defamation, and wrongful termination complaint filed on October 9 in LA Superior Court, 79-year-old industry vet Perry says she was forced out by Hamilton Daly. “Unbeknownst to Ms.
Perry, Ms. Hamilton Daly had it out for her and wanted to move her out of the company due to her age, and her complaints that the company was refusing to accommodate her life limiting health conditions,” the filing asserts of long time Hallmark staffer Perry coming under the EVP in September 2021. “In Ms.
Perry’s case, there was no happy ending, and no feel-good episode to wrap up her career with Hallmark,” the 12-claim jury seeking complaint says. “Instead, her finale episode was marred by ageist and ableist harassment, and a callous termination which robbed her of her illustrious career, her pride, and her well-being,” the document from attorneys at Schein Law Group and Sherman Law Corporation adds of the one-time SVP, Talent and Casting, who has suffered from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis for the past 20 years. Read Penny Perry’s discrimination and defamation lawsuit against Hallmark here The 37-page complaint does give away a sense of where Hamilton Daly was coming from as it quotes her allegedly calling Perry “too long in the tooth” and “we need to bring in someone who knows more younger talent.” To that last statement, Hamilton Daly supposedly said to Perry
