Amy Schumer may sell out arena shows and land major movie deals, but she's not immune to the debate over the pay gap for women in entertainment.
In a feature published in the equal pay-themed August 22 issue of Variety, a source close to Schumer reveals that the comedian went back and asked for more money for her Netflix special after finding out just how much fellow comedians Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock were being paid.
Schumer signed the deal for her Netflix "Leather Special" for a reported $11 million, during a year in which she released a memoir and earned an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe for her roles in "Inside Amy Schumer" and "Trainwreck," respectively.
But when Chappelle and Rock made headlines for the whopping $20 million the two were reportedly paid for each installment of their multi-special deals (totaling $60 million for Chapelle and $40 million for Rock), Variety reports that Schumer went back to the streaming giant and asked for a raise.
Schumer has faced criticism from those who believe that a fairly new comedian should not be paid the same amount as longtime performers like Chappelle and Rock. The comedian took to Instagram on Wednesday to clear up the rumors, writing, "I believe women deserve equal pay. However I don't believe I deserve equal pay to Chris and Dave. They are legends and 2 of the greatest comics of all time."
Schumer confirmed that she requested payment beyond the initial amount offered and made it clear that she will not stand for being underpaid.
Emily Martin, General Counsel and Vice President for Workplace Justice at the National Women's Law Center suggest female employees act similarly if they notice they are being underpaid.
"Demonstrating that [your] responsibilities and the workplace skills required, as well as the demands placed on you are in line with your male counterparts proves that your salary matters," Martin tells CNBC Make It.
"Focusing on the ways in which the job is equivalent and the skills and demands on the job are equivalent is key to making the case that the compensation needs to be equivalent, too."
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