Brandi Cochran, a former model on the hit game show "Price is Right" was granted $7.7 million in punitive damage in a discrimination lawsuit against the show's producers. Brandi was also granted $775,000 in compensatory damages last week.
According to the case, Cochran claimed that the shows producers, s Fremantle Media North America failed to rehire her after she returned from her maternity leave, because of her pregnancy. The jurors of California court agreed and granted the 41-year-old the amount for discrimination.
Initially Cochran asked for eight million in punitive damages, but jurors rejected her claims to mental trauma caused by the show producers for refusing to rehire her.
On the verdict, Cochran told Reuters, "I hope my case will help other women in the same situation."
Fremantle Media North America and "The Price is Right" productions says it will file for appeal and is confident in being "fully vindicated," as reported by the AP.
Freemantle Media North America released a statement, ""We believe the verdict in this case was the result of a flawed process in which the court, among other things, refused to allow the jury to hear and consider that 40 percent of our models have been pregnant," as reported by the Associated Press.
"The Price is Right" has been a hit game show, which first aired in 1972 on CBS. In its 2007 edition the TV Guide labeled the program, "The greatest game show of all time." The show was hosted by Bob Barker, the models, who appeared dressed in evening gowns assisting the host were called "Barkers Beauty." The latest version of the show, "The New Price is Right," is hosted by Drew Carey.
