Netflix is firing its top communication officer, Jonathan Friedland, after he used N-word twice in a meeting with other Netflix employees.
Netflix is firing its top communication officer, Jonathan Friedland, after he used N-word twice in a meeting with other Netflix employees. Friedland who has served Netflix for past six years was one of the important communication officers of Netflix and oversaw media and content publicity in 190 countries in the world.
Reportedly, company’s CEO Reed Hastings sent out an email at around 12:45 p.m. PT on Friday explaining the firing of Friedland. According to Hasting’s memo, the latest incident was the second time that Friedland had used the N-word in an official meeting. The first incident was reported a few months ago when he used the word in a PR Meeting. Several people present at the meeting later told him that it was hurtful to which Friedland apologised.
Hastings says that the second incidents took place only a few days after the first one when two of Netflix’s black employees were trying to help Friedland deal with the original offense.
„The second incident confirmed a deep lack of understanding, and convinced me to let Jonathan go now,“ reads Hasting’s memo shared via The Hollywood Reporter.
The final nail in the coffin for Friedland’s firing was when he made no mention of his offense at a meeting of the „Black Employees @ Netflix“ which was held three months after the first incident. Hastings says that this was understood by many that „he didnt care and didnt accept accountability for his words.“
„Ive made a decision to let go of Jonathan Friedland. Jonathan contributed greatly in many areas, but his descriptive use of the N-word on at least two occasions at work showed unacceptably low racial awareness and sensitivity, and is not in line with our values as a company.“
Friedland also tweeted about his exit on Friday in which he stated that he was feeling „awful about the distress“ he had caused to his colleagues.
„I’m leaving Netflix after seven years. Leaders have to be beyond reproach in the example we set and unfortunately I fell short of that standard when I was insensitive in speaking to my team about words that offend in comedy. I feel awful about the distress this lapse caused to people at a company I love and where I want everyone to feel included and appreciated. I feel honored to have built a brilliant and diverse global team and to have been part of our collective adventure, “ he said in a tweet.
But in case you thought that Friedland had learned a lesson or was genuinely sorry for what he said, there was one more tweet from him which he quickly deleted but The Hollywood Reporter managed to get a screenshot of it. „Thanks. Rise high, fall fast. All on a couple of words….,“ read his tweet.
