The hosts of "The Real" seem so sunny on camera that viewers would never suspect any off-set tension. According to the Daily Mail, the television show's stars are engaged in a dispute over their respective salaries. Apparently, Adrienne Bailon and Jeannie Mai are paid a third of what their co-stars but the highest-paid hosts, Tamera Mowry-Housley and Loni Love, refuse to help their colleagues negotiate for salaries that would close the gap.
"Once they won the Emmy [in April], Jeannie and Adrienne started complaining about how they knew they weren't being compensated the same as their fellow co-hosts Loni and Tamera. They were even talking about staging a walkout," a source said.
Then, Tamera took a break from the show for 2 weeks, as she grieved the loss of her niece by marriage who was the victim of a tragic shooting. The show's ratings increased during her absence by "13% the week, its highest growth in more than a year."
"Of the four hosts, Tamera has the highest salary. And while she was gone from the show, the ratings jumped," the source shared before adding, "Both girls kept saying, 'How's she making the most money and the show is doing better without her being here?' That gave them the leverage they needed to justify their ask for more money."
The smiles and camaraderie viewers witness on their screens isn't currently genuine, even though the show has been renewed through 2020.
"Overall, the ladies of The Real don't speak behind the scenes until they hit the stage door to come out. They play girlfriends on TV, but in real life, their relationship is strained to say the least," the source shared. "Regardless, it's clear that Jeannie and Adrienne are lobbying for bigger paydays and their co-hosts aren't interested in helping them achieve that."
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