“The O.C.” star Rachel Bilson alleges she was “floored” by losing a job due to comments she made on a podcast.
During Monday’s episode of her “Broad Ideas” podcast, Bilson claimed she got fired for speaking explicitly about sex. “It’s been an interesting week, guys. This is the first time it’s ever happened to me in my professional life that I lost a job this week because of things that were said and then spun in the press and clickbait headlines and whatnot. I lost my first job,” she said.
“A job got taken away from me because I was speaking candidly and openly about sex in a humorous way on our friend’s podcast … I basically got a job, that I already had, pulled from me because I was speaking openly about sex,” she claimed.
She went on to say that “in this day and age, this decision shocked her, and she indicated she felt targeted by the decision that was made for her, without the opportunity for her to speak on her own behalf.
“A single mom, a woman, lost a job because they were being candid and honest and the subject was sex. I didn’t even have a chance to defend myself,” she said.
Bilson explained the comments that led to her firing were from her interview on the “Women On Top” podcast, where she candidly spoke of her favorite sex positions.
At one point she stated she likes to be “manhandled,” which proved to be the statement that cost her a job.
“First of all, I said it in a joking manner in the interview, like, ‘Yeah, I wanna get fucking manhandled.’ Basically, it’s like, okay give control or take control in the bedroom, whatever,” she explained.
“Because that specific line was pulled and it made it sound a certain way, I didn’t even have a chance to defend myself. I didn’t have a chance to speak on it,” she said.
Bilson said the brand she was representing “said they weren’t comfortable with that headline … I feel like it’s discrimination,” she said.
“I’m a single mom. Like I need these jobs … everything counts. You know, I provide a lot for my family — my daughter — and regardless of anything else, it all matters,” she said.
Bilson said she felt shamed, and was deeply affected by being judged for a singular statement. (RELATED: Meghan Trainor Shares Way Too Much Information About Her Sex Life)
“I haven’t said anything inappropriate. Choice of language, if I could go back, now knowing that I lost a job, maybe I would say it differently. But I still wouldn’t not say it,” Bilson said.
The actress didn’t reveal the details surrounding the job, but did indicate it was an endorsement deal, according to The Hollywood Reporter.