Names and faces

— The producers of The Price is Right owe a former model on the show more than $7.7 million in punitive damages for discriminating against her after a pregnancy, a jury determined Wednesday. The judgment came one day after the panel determined that the game show’s producers discriminated against Brandi Cochran. They also awarded her nearly $777,000 in actual damages. Cochran, 41, said she was rejected when she tried to return to work in early 2010 after taking maternity leave.The jury agreed and determined that Fremantle-Media North America and The Price is Right Productions owed her more than $8.5 million in all. “I’m humbled. I’m shocked,” Cochran said after the jury announced its verdict. “I’m happy that justice was served today not only for women in the entertainment industry, but women in the workplace.” Fremantle Media said it was standing by its previous statement, which said it expected to be “fully vindicated” after an appeal. “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,” and further “important” evidence, Fremantle Media said. In their defense, producers said they were satisfied with the five models working on the show at the time Cochran sought to return. Several other former models have sued the series and its longtime host, Bob Barker, who retired in 2007. Most of the cases involving “Barker’s Beauties” - the nickname given the gown-wearing women who presented prizes to contestants - ended with out-of court settlements. Comedian-actor Drew Carey followed Barker as the show’s host.

The NBC series Community will finish the season without Chevy Chase . Sony Pictures Television said Wednesday that the actor is leaving the sitcom by mutual agreement with producers. His immediate departure means he won’t be included in the last episode or two of the show’s 13-episode season, which is still in production. Chase had a rocky tenure playing a bored and wealthy man who enrolls in community college. The actor publicly expressed unhappiness at working on a sitcom and feuded last year with the show’s creator and former executive producer, Dan Harmon. The fourth-season premiere of Community is Feb. 7.

Front Section, Pages 2 on 11/23/2012

Upcoming Events