An appearance on The Daily Show cost a man his job, according to a new lawsuit.
Former New York Stock Exchange managing director Todd Wilemon filed a lawsuit Thursday in California state court saying he was fired after appearing on a Daily Show segment about Obamacare, Reuters reported. He said the firing came because his bosses did not agree with the Comedy Central show’s political slant.
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Wilemon’s lawsuit alleges that he was allowed to appear on Fox News and Al Jazeera without receiving permission from his supervisors at Intercontinental Exchange Inc., owners of the NYSE. In the suit, Wilemon says he knew his interview would be edited to mock his stance against Obamacare, but he believed the show would be a platform to publicize the controversies surrounding the program.
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In The March 6, 2014 segment Aasif Mandvi got answers out of Wilemon that were later criticized in the media.
“If you’re poor, stop being poor. Get a GED. Have a job for over a year,” he said.
After the episode aired, Wilemon’s supervisors allegedly called him out for “mocking the one percent” and fired him.
Wilemon is seeking at least $150,000, saying the firing violates California labor law, because it abridged his right to participate in political activities.
An ICE rep, speaking on behalf of the NYSE, declined to comment.
