‘LA Times’ TV critic Lorraine Ali on Suzanne Somers’ legacy

In the days following the death of Three’s Company star Suzanne Somers, her legacies as a comedic actress and savvy business woman have been the main focus of conversation. A key aspect to her business savvy was her groundbreaking work in arguing for pay equity for women in television. After asking for pay commensurate with that of co-star John Ritter on the hit sitcom in 1982, Somers was fired from the show. LA Times TV critic Lorraine Ali tells The Treatment that Somers was just one example of an actress being portrayed as “difficult” while fighting for fair wages. She points out that Somers’ stand in 1982 set the stage for the cast of Friends to demand pay equity 20 years later. And she talks about how this fight still resonates with women (in all careers) who no longer want to work for less than their male counterparts.