Mo’Nique Sues CBS and Paramount Over Royalties for ‘The Parkers’

Comedian and actress Mo’Nique has filed a lawsuit against CBS and Paramount over royalties for her hit sitcom “The Parkers.” Mo’Nique, who starred as Nikki Parker in the series, claims that she has not received any residuals from the show’s streaming and DVD sales since it ended in 2004.

In the lawsuit, Mo’Nique alleges that CBS and Paramount have engaged in fraudulent accounting practices, which have resulted in her being underpaid for her work on the show. The suit claims that the companies have failed to properly account for the show’s revenue and expenses, including failing to report digital sales and using deceptive accounting practices to lower her royalty payments.

Mo’Nique is seeking damages of at least $10 million, as well as an accounting of all revenue generated by “The Parkers.” She also wants the court to declare that CBS and Paramount are not entitled to any future profits from the show.

“The Parkers” aired on UPN from 1999 to 2004 and starred Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn as a mother-daughter duo attending college together. The show was a spin-off of the hit sitcom “Moesha.”

Mo’Nique has been vocal in the past about the pay disparity she faced compared to her male peers in Hollywood. In 2018, she famously called for a boycott of Netflix after the streaming giant offered her $500,000 for a comedy special, while reportedly offering millions to male comedians.