Post-Weinstein, These Are the Powerful Men Facing Sexual Harassment Allegations
After The New York Times published an explosive report in October 2017 detailing decades of sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein, dozens of women came forward with their own accusations against the Hollywood mogul. Within a week Weinstein had been fired from his company and expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
RELATED: The Problem with Privilege and Sexual Assault
Now, in a post-Weinstein world, legions of women have felt empowered to speak out and share their own #MeToo stories—both on social media and in news outlets. The reports against the powerful producer sparked an avalanche of accusations against high-profile men in media, politics, Silicon Valley, and Hollywood, all with varying degrees of repercussions. Sexual harassment in the workplace is certainly nothing new, but it’s safe to say the issue is now, rightfully, taking center stage.
Here, a list of the high-profile men who have been accused of sexual harassment, assault, and/or misconduct since the Weinstein story broke, which we’ll keep updating as new allegations surface.
NBC1/100Matt Lauer
At the top of the Today Show on Wednesday, November 29, 2017, anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb delivered a live message to viewers, revealing NBC News chairman Andrew Lack wrote in a staff memo that there was a "complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer." Though it was the first made against the journalist and morning host during his 25-year career with NBC, Lack wrote "we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."
Further allegations were brought forth in a report published by The Washington Post on April 25, 2018, in which two more women came forward with previously unreported accusations that Lauer had sexually harassed them.
His Response:
In a statement provided to Today on November 30, 2017, Lauer addressed the initial allegations, saying: "There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry. As I am writing this I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC. Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly. Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I'm committed to beginning that effort. It is now my full time job. The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws. It's been humbling. I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love. I thank them for their patience and grace."
On April 25, 2018, Lauer broke five months of silence to respond to the new allegations published in the Post's report: "I have made no public comments on the many false stories from anonymous or biased sources that have been reported about me over these past several months … I remained silent in an attempt to protect my family from further embarrassment and to restore a small degree of the privacy they have lost. But defending my family now requires me to speak up. I fully acknowledge that I acted inappropriately as a husband, father and principal at NBC. However I want to make it perfectly clear that any allegations or reports of coercive, aggressive or abusive actions on my part, at any time, are absolutely false."
The Fallout:
Lauer, 59, was terminated from NBC on November 28, 2017, the day before the Today Show's announcement. Variety published an explosive report the same day detailing the anchor's alleged misconduct. The New York Times also reported on November 29 that, after Lauer's termination, at least two additional women had brought complaints forward to NBC—including one who said Lauer sexually assaulted her in his office in 2001.
On May 16, 2018, People reported that Lauer and his wife, Annette Roque, were "on the brink of a divorce."
On October 9, 2019, it was revealed that Brooke Nevils (the NBC News colleague whose accusations first led to Lauer's firing) was interviewed by Ronan Farrow for his new book, Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators. She gives a detailed description of the encounter, alleging that during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Lauer anally raped her, per the New York Times.
After the new accusations in October 2019, Lauer's lawyer provided a letter to the New York Times in which the former Today co-host denies the allegations. “In a new book, it is alleged that an extramarital, but consensual, sexual encounter I have previously admitted having was in fact an assault,” he wrote. “It is categorically false, ignores the facts and defies common sense. I had an extramarital affair with Brooke Nevils in 2014. It began when she came to my hotel room very late one night in Sochi, Russia. We engaged in a variety of sexual acts. We performed oral sex on each other, we had vaginal sex, and we had anal sex. Each act was mutual and completely consensual.”
“This encounter, which she now falsely claims was an assault, was the beginning of our affair,” Lauer said. "It was the first of many sexual encounters between us over the next several months … Our meetings were arranged mutually. At no time, during or after her multiple visits to my apartment, did she express in words or actions any discomfort with being there, or with our affair.”
Nevils responded with a statement to NBC News. “There's the Matt Lauer that millions of Americans watched on TV every morning for two decades, and there is the Matt Lauer who this morning attempted to bully a former colleague into silence,” she said. "His open letter was a case study in victim blaming… I am not afraid of him now, regardless of his threats, bullying, and the shaming and predatory tactics I knew he would (and now has) tried to use against me.”
Matthew Eisman/Getty Images2/100Tony Robbins
On May 17, 2019, BuzzFeed News published a yearlong investigation into famous self-help guru Tony Robbins in which former female fans and employees accused him of inappropriate sexual advances.
BuzzFeed spoke to two former followers turned employees who signed statements swearing under oath that they felt he had sexually harassed them by repeatedly pursuing them after they made clear they weren’t interested. In addition, two other women who worked as his assistants said Robbins expected them to work alone with him when he was naked in his hotel room or in the shower. Another woman said she was fired after having a consensual sexual relationship with Robbins. The women's allegations reportedly stem from incidents in the nineties and early aughts.
The report also including accusations that Robbins berated victims of abuse during self-help sessions and was based on leaked recordings, internal documents, and dozens of interviews. “She’s fucking using all this stuff to try and control men,” he reportedly said after one woman said she had been raped. In 2018 another woman said her husband was physically violent and emotionally abusive. BuzzFeed reports that Robbins then accused her of “lying” and asked, “Does he put up with you when you’ve been a crazy bitch?”
His Response:
Robbins published an open letter on Medium to address the allegations, saying that the BuzzFeed investigation was "intended to disparage me personally, my family, my life’s work, and the efforts of the millions of individuals around the globe who have taken this journey with me over the last 40-plus years."
"Let me be clear, while my open-classroom therapeutic methods are not for everyone, and while I am on my best day still only an imperfect human being, I have never behaved in the reckless, irresponsible, or malicious manner intimated by false, unfounded, and incendiary allegations suggested by BuzzFeed storytellers," he continued. "Several individuals have contacted us to let us know that you attempted to manipulate their testimony and, in some cases, even ignored their legal counsel when they pointed out inaccuracies and mischaracterizations of their client’s personal accounts at the hands of your reporters. Why didn’t you listen to what these individuals had to say and instead choose to proceed with inverted truths as your central narrative?"
BuzzFeed denies Robbins' claims about its reporting. In a statement to NBC News the website said it was “based on records of Mr. Robbins berating victims of rape and domestic violence, and the testimony of former staffers and followers who accused him of inappropriate sexual advances.”
“It does not appear that Mr. Robbins read the story itself before he published his open letter, which contains a number of demonstrably false and defamatory claims about both our reporting and the resulting article,” the statement said.
The fallout:
How these allegations will affect Robbins' global self-help business are, as yet, unknown.
Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images3/100Luke Walton
Luke Walton, a former NBA player and recently named coach of the Sacramento Kings, has been accused of sexual assault by Kelli Tennant, a former sports reporter, over an incident that happened in 2014. Tennant says that Walton (at the time an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors) forced himself on her in a Santa Monica, California, hotel room. According to CNN, she has filed a lawsuit in California, alleging that she suffered physical injuries and emotional distress.
Tennant says she first met Walton at a volleyball tournament he attended with his now wife 10 years ago and then became better acquainted with him in 2013, when she was working as a reporter covering the Los Angeles Lakers and he was an analyst for the team on television. (Walton went on to serve as the Lakers head coach but was fired at the end of this season prior to the allegations against him becoming public.) She says he became a friend and mentor, so much so that she asked him to write the forward for a book she was working on. Tennant claims that she got back in touch with Walton after he joined the Warriors and was in town with his new team so that she could give him a copy of the book as a thank-you.
In the lawsuit she says that Walton said they needed to go to his room because he didn't want to be seen in the lobby with his team's players. She was hesitant but agreed. In the room, Tennant says, Walton got on top of her, pinned her to the bed, kissed her against her will, and rubbed his erection on her. She also alleges that he laughed as she repeatedly asked him to stop.
As for why she didn't come forward sooner? Tennant says she was afraid. "When someone assaults you and you think you're going to be raped, coming forward is a scary thing," she said. "And I have spent years now dealing with this, trying to forget about it, hoping that I could push it to the side and bury it and hoping that time would heal. And that was not the case. And I feel like over this time, I was able to muster up the courage and have enough conversations with [my attorney Garo Mardirossian] where I felt comfortable to talk about this."
His Response:
Walton's attorney, Mark Baute, called the allegations "baseless" in a statement to CNN. "The accuser is an opportunist, not a victim, and her claim is not credible. We intend to prove this in a courtroom," he said.
The Fallout:
A number of NBA teams with connections to Walton have released statements on the matter.
The Sacramento Kings: "We are aware of the report and are gathering additional information. We have no further comment at this time."
The Los Angeles Lakers: "This alleged incident took place before Luke Walton was the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. At no time before or during his employment here was this allegation reported to the Lakers. If it had been, we would have immediately commenced an investigation and notified the NBA. Since Luke Walton is now under contract to another team, we will have no further comment."
The Golden State Warriors: "We became aware of the alleged incident and story this evening and are in the process of seeking more information. We’ll have no further comment at this time."
Jason LaVeris4/100Bryan Singer
Director Bryan Singer has faced accusations of sexual misconduct involving minors since 1997, when the parents of an underage extra sued him for filming their son and other boys on the set of the movie Apt Pupil. Model Michael Egan sued him for sexual assault of a minor in 2014 (the case was withdrawn), and an anonymous plaintiff sued him for sexual assault in 2014 (that case was dismissed). In 2017 Cesar Sanchez-Guzman filed a lawsuit in Washington and alleged that Singer had raped him when he was a teenager.
Allegations against Singer have surfaced amid the MeToo movement and gained more attention after he was fired from directing the film Bohemian Rhapsody. On January 23 The Atlantic published a lengthy article in which four men detail abuse and assault at the hands of the director.
His response:
The article in The Atlantic was originally going to appear in Esquire. Ahead of the piece, Singer released a statement on Instagram. “I have known for some time that Esquire magazine may publish a negative article about me,” he wrote. “They have contacted my friends, colleagues, and people I don’t even know. In today’s climate where people’s careers are being harmed by mere accusations, what Esquire is attempting to do is a reckless disregard for the truth, making assumptions that are fictional and irresponsible.”
When The Atlantic asked for comment, Singer's legal representative Andrew Brettler said that Singer "has never been arrested for or charged with any crime" and that he "categorically denies ever having sex with, or a preference for, underage men."
The fallout:
Although 20th Century Fox fired Singer from Bohemian Rhapsody and replaced him with Dexter Fletcher, sources have said the reason had to do with Singer's unexplained absences on set. He still remains listed as the director of the Freddie Mercury biopic and recently secured a high-profile job remaking the film Red Sonja.
Kevin Winter5/100Chris Brown
Chris Brown's record is filled with accusations of domestic violence and aggression toward women. In 2009 he attacked then girlfriend and global pop star Rihanna. Brown eventually pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault, but more women have come forward with claims of violence since then. In 2016 he was arrested after a woman claimed he threatened her with a gun in his home. (Brown posted bail and his lawyer insisted that he had no guns at home.) In 2017 a judge granted Brown's ex-girlfriend, the actress Karrueche Tran, a restraining order after she reported claims of abuse and threats. In 2018 another woman sued him after she claimed he held her against her will at his home in Los Angeles house while a friend raped her. Brown has faced legal trouble for multiple other fights and violent altercations as well.
In January 2019 a woman came forward in France and claimed that she met Brown at a nightclub there. According to The New York Times, the woman told police that Brown invited her and several other women to his hotel. Eventually she found herself alone in one of Brown's rooms where, she alleges, Brown, a friend of his, and a bodyguard raped her.
His Response:
While Brown has spoken about some of the incidents he has been involved in, his label has not addressed the allegations in Paris. He took to Instagram however to respond to the woman's claims: "I WANNA MAKE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR…… THIS IS FALSE AND A WHOLE LOT OF CAP [sic]!" he wrote in a post that he has since deleted. A representative tweeted that Brown was released less than 24 hours later and that he planned to sue the woman for her claims against him.
The Fallout:
Police held Brown and questioned him over the most recent accusations, but released him on January 22. The investigation into the women's claims is ongoing.
Slaven Vlasic6/100A.J. Calloway
In June 2018, Sil Lai Abrams' accusations against Extra television cohost A.J. Calloway first became widely known via a piece in The Hollywood Reporter. Though Abrams had planned to tell her story during an MSNBC segment with Joy Reid, that segment never aired. She says that in 2006 Calloway exposed himself to her in a car, tried to kiss her, and masturbated in front of her. (The publication confirmed that Abrams told two friends about the incident at the time.)
She reported the incident to the police and was granted an order of protection. But the case was eventually dismissed. Calloway denied her allegations, saying, "I was disappointed to read the false allegations about me in The Hollywood Reporter. As I have maintained from the beginning, these allegations are not true. When I was first notified about these allegations by law enforcement more than a decade ago, I fully cooperated from the beginning and the case was dismissed."
Now two more women have come forward to The Daily Beast with allegations about Calloway's behavior. One, who asked to remain anonymous, says that she went to police in West Orange, New Jersey, on December 24 with her claim of sexual assault. (While the report was confirmed, the police could not release more details due to the nature of the case.) Another woman, also anonymous, told the publication, "I’m terrified about coming forward. I don’t want it to affect my future, everything that I’ve worked hard for—and A.J. is someone that would try to do that." She alleges that while making out with Calloway, he tried to force himself on her when she protested. "I just remember him pulling his penis out and he began stroking himself and he kept trying to put my hand on his penis and eventually he ejaculated on my hands."
His response:
Calloway has yet to respond to the newest allegations.
The fallout:
TBD.
Craig Barritt7/100Neil deGrasse Tyson
Atrophysicist and Cosmos host Neil deGrasse Tyson is the subject of investigation by Fox Broadcasting Company and National Geographic after three women—Tchiya Amet, Katelyn Allers, and Ashley Watson—have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct. The latter women's accusations were published on November 29 by writer David McAfee on Patheos; Amet's allegations were published on the same website by McAfee in 2017.
“We have only just become aware of the recent allegations regarding Neil deGrasse Tyson,” Fox and National Geographic said in a statement issued on Friday, November 30. “We take these matters very seriously and we are reviewing the recent reports.”
In 2014 Amet alleged that, in the 1980s, Tyson drugged and raped her while they were friends at University of Texas at Austin. Allers, a professor at Bucknell University, told writer David McAfee that Tyson inappropriately touched her in 2009. Watson worked as Tyson’s assistant and quit after various instances of alleged sexual harassment.
His response:
Tyson has not yet issued a statement.
The fallout:
TBD.
Win McNamee/Getty Images8/100Brett Kavanaugh
In September 2018, Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford came forward with an allegation of sexual assault against Brett Kavanaugh, the conservative D.C. judge whom President Donald Trump had previously chosen to replace the retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. In her accusation, Ford stated that, while in high school in the early 1980s, Kavanaugh had drunkenly groped her at a party, attempted to forcibly remove her clothes and covered her mouth when she attempted to scream.
Ford's decision to go public with the accusation followed a letter the college professor had previously written and addressed to Senator Dianne Feinstein in confidence earlier this summer; the letter included a detailed account of the alleged attack, information Ford felt was "relevant in evaluating" Kavanaugh, "the current nominee to the Supreme Court."
After Ford's accusation made headlines, Senate Democrats began investigating a second claim of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh, this time made by Deborah Ramirez and dating back to when Kavanaugh was a freshman at Yale University. According to Ramirez, who was also a student at Yale during the 1983–84 academic school year, Kavanaugh had drunkenly exposed himself to her at a dormitory party, causing her to touch his penis without her consent as she pushed him away. Ramirez is now calling for the F.B.I. to investigate Kavanaugh’s role in the incident, telling The New Yorker: “I would think an F.B.I. investigation would be warranted."
Following Ramirez's claims, a third woman, Julie Swetnick, also came forward with an account against Kavanaugh, alleging the Supreme Court nominee was “present” when she was raped at a high school party.
His Response:
Kavanaugh has emphatically denied these accusations throughout. Appearing on Fox's The Story With Martha MacCallum alongside his wife on September 24, the Supreme Court nominee addressed the claims of sexual misconduct, defending himself and asserting the allegations could not be true because he was, he claims, still a virgin during his time at Georgetown Prep high school.
"I never sexually assaulted anyone, not in high school, not ever," he told MacCallum. "I did not have sexual intercourse or anything close to sexual intercourse in high school or for many years thereafter," he continued. "The girls from the schools I went to and I were friends."
When MacCallum pressed him about whether he was truly a virgin throughout all the years in question, Kavanaugh replied, "That’s correct," reaffirming that he did not have sex until "many years after" graduating college.
In response to The New Yorker's profile on Kavanaugh's second accuser, the Supreme Court nominee again denied the claims, telling the magazine: “This alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen. The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so. This is a smear, plain and simple.”
The Fallout:
On September 22,, The New York Times reported that Ford had reached an agreement with the Senate Judiciary Committee to appear before them on Thursday, September 27, to hear her testimony. Explained Ford's lawyers in a statement: “Despite actual threats to her safety and her life, Dr. Ford believes it is important for senators to hear directly from her about the sexual assault committed against her."
When Thursday arrived, millions of Americans watched as psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford and President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh testified separately in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with Ford sharing an emotional account of the alleged assault, and Kavanaugh vehemently denying its occurrence.
“I was pushed onto the bed and Brett got on top of me," Ford told the committee in her harrowing account of the night in question. "I believed he was going to rape me."
The hearing, which took nearly the entire day, followed a line of questioning by Judiciary Committee members toward both Ford and Kavanaugh, respectively, crafted to determine whether or not Kavanaugh should, given Ford's allegations, in fact be a viable candidate for Supreme Court justice. In Kavanaugh's testimony, he said, of Ford's assault charge: "I've never done this. It's not who I am. I am innocent."
Thus far, President Donald Trump has stood by his endorsement of Kavanaugh, taking to Twitter on the day of the committee hearing to double down on his nomination, writing: “Judge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting. Democrats’ search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct, and resist. The Senate must vote!"
Previously, in a statement to CNN, White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec said, "This 35-year-old, uncorroborated claim is the latest in a coordinated smear campaign by the Democrats designed to tear down a good man. This claim is denied by all who were said to be present and is wholly inconsistent with what many women and men who knew Judge Kavanaugh at the time in college say. The White House stands firmly behind Judge Kavanaugh."
On Friday, September 28, the Senate Judiciary Committee reconvened to vote on Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. A full Senate vote ultimately occurred on October 6, wherein senators voted 50-48 to endorse a lifetime seat on the court for Kavanaugh. He now sits as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
Pool9/100Les Moonves
Six women have accused Les Moonves, the chief executive of the CBS Corporation, of sexual harassment and assault. On Friday, The New Yorker published an investigative report that brought these women's allegations to light. In the wake of the article, CBS shares fell by more than 6 percent, according to The New York Times.
On September 9, The New Yorker reported that six additional women are alleging that Moonves sexually assaulted or sexually harassed them between the 1980s and early 2000s.
His Response:
“I recognize that there were times decades ago when I may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances," Moonves said in a statement published in the original New Yorker article. "Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely. But I always understood and respected—and abided by the principle—that ‘no’ means ‘no,’ and I have never misused my position to harm or hinder anyone’s career.”
In response to the September 9 allegations, Moonves acknowledged three of the encounters (he declined to specify which) but maintains they were consensual. "In my 40 years of work, I have never before heard of such disturbing accusations. I can only surmise they are surfacing now for the first time, decades later, as part of a concerted effort by others to destroy my name, my reputation, and my career. Anyone who knows me knows that the person described in this article is not me," he wrote. CBS Corporation and CBS' board of directors both reiterated their commitment to taking the allegations seriously and continuing the "thorough" and "ongoing" investigation.
The Fallout:
CBS's board released a statement to The New York Times saying that they would take the claims "seriously," and that, “upon the conclusion of that investigation, which involves recently reported allegations that go back several decades, the board will promptly review the findings and take appropriate action."
During a meeting on July 30, the board signaled it would not take immediate action against Moonves, allowing him to remain as CEO of the company. According to The New York Times, CBS said it was “in the process of selecting outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation" but that "no other action was taken on this matter at today’s board meeting," ending speculation that Moonves would face consequences after the allegations.
In August, CBS said it would fold the results of Moonves' investigation into its investigation of Charlie Rose, who is also accused of sexual harassment.
On September 9, CBS announced via press release that Moonves would be resigning and that $20 million from any severance Moonves would otherwise receive would instead be donated "immediately" to "one or more organizations that support the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace."
On December 17, CBS announced that it had completed an investigation of Moonves, CBS News, cultural issues at the network. "With regard to Mr. Moonves, we have determined that there are grounds to terminate for cause, including his willful and material misfeasance, violation of Company policies and breach of his employment contract, as well as his willful failure to cooperate fully with the Company’s investigation," the company said in a statement. "Mr. Moonves will not receive any severance payment from the Company."
The investigation also found that harassment issues were not pervasive at the network "past incidents of improper and unprofessional conduct, and concluded that the Company’s historical policies, practices and structures have not reflected a high institutional priority on preventing harassment and retaliation." The Board of Directors says it is already taking measures to improve the working environment for all employees.
Gilbert Carrasquillo10/100Sylvester Stallone
On June 13, 2018, a Los Angeles District Attorney spokesman said that the office was "reviewing a sex crime case" against actor Sylvester Stallone, CNN reported. The case was first reported to the Santa Monica Police Department in November 2017 before it was turned over to prosecutors. A lieutenant with Santa Monica's police department said that the alleged incident took place in the 1990s but didn't expand further.
California's statute of limitations for sex crimes was ended in 2016, though that applies only to crimes committed after January 1, 2017, as well as offenses for which the statutes hadn't yet expired by that date.
The case is currently being reviewed by an L.A. County task force.
His Response:
Stallone's attorney told CNN that the actor "categorically denies" the allegations, adding that Stallone and the accuser had a "consensual relationship" in the '80s.
The Fallout:
TBD.
Santiago Felipe11/100Jamie Foxx
A woman has come forward to accuse comedian Jamie Foxx of “slapping her in the face with his penis” in 2002 after she refused his request for oral sex, TMZ reported on June 13, 2018. According to the outlet, she went to the Las Vegas police to report the incident the week before news broke. Although the case remains open, the statue of limitations for such incidents in Nevada reportedly expired after three years.
His Response:
Foxx’s attorney issued a statement to TMZ that was included in TMZ's breaking story: “Jamie emphatically denies that this incident ever occurred, and he will be filing a report with the Las Vegas Police Department against the woman for filing a false police report against him. The first time [Foxx] became aware of this woman’s absurd claims about an incident that supposedly occurred 16 years ago was when TMZ contacted his representatives [Tuesday] about this story.”
The Fallout:
TBD.
Matt Winkelmeyer12/100Riff Raff
On May 31, 2018, Australian Eliza Stafford wrote a Facebook post accusing rapper Riff Raff of rape in 2013 while she was backstage at a concert.
"In 2013 I was raped by a man whose stage name is Riff Raff," she wrote. "I was offered a 60ml ‘party’ shot. I took the shot, it was syrup and I immediately asked what it was. Riff Raff and his support act told me that it was codeine and started laughing. I don’t remember anything from that point."
She said she was 19 at the time, adding that she woke up "as Riff Raff was pulling out of [her] and getting into the shower."
His Response:
The rapper denied the allegations in a June 14 Instagram post, saying that "false allegations are the new easy wave for people to lie and quickly get their name in the media."
The Fallout:
Riff Raff's tour of Australia and New Zealand, slated to begin June 1, was cancelled after Stafford's allegations.
Emma McIntyre13/100Morgan Freeman
In a CNN report published May 24, 2018, eight different women accused Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman of inappropriate behavior and harassment. According to the months-long investigation, the women mostly worked in production on Freeman’s films, at his production company Revelations Entertainment, and covered his movies as entertainment journalists.
One woman, who was a production assistant on Freeman's movie Going In Style during the summer of 2015, alleges she dealt with his harassment for several months.
"[He] kept trying to lift up my skirt and asking if I was wearing underwear," she told CNN. "Alan [Arkin] made a comment telling him to stop. Morgan got freaked out and didn't know what to say."
Another woman, who was a senior member of the production staff on a 2012 film, alleged the now-80-year-old actor harassed her and numerous other female employees.
“He did comment on our bodies... We knew that if he was coming by ... not to wear any top that would show our breasts, not to wear anything that would show our bottoms, meaning not wearing clothes that [were] fitted,” she said.
His Response:
On May 24, Freeman issued a short statement to news outlets that was included in an updated version of the CNN report.
“Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy. I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected—that was never my intent.”
On the night of May 25, the actor released a longer statement via his publicist:
“I am devastated that 80 years of my life is at risk of being undermined, in the blink of an eye, by Thursday’s media reports.
All victims of assault and harassment deserve to be heard. And we need to listen to them. But it is not right to equate horrific incidents of sexual assault with misplaced compliments or humor.
I admit that I am someone who feels a need to try to make women–and men–feel appreciated and at ease around me. As a part of that, I would often try to joke with and compliment women, in what I thought was a light-hearted and humorous way.
Clearly I was not always coming across the way I intended. And that is why I apologized Thursday and will continue to apologize to anyone I might have upset, however unintentionally.
But I also want to be clear: I did not create unsafe work environments. I did not assault women. I did not offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex. Any suggestion that I did so is completely false.”
The Fallout:
Visa, the credit card company that features Morgan Freeman’s voice in commercials, announced on May 25 that it will stop airing those commercials.
A spokesman said: “We are aware of the allegations that have been made against Mr. Freeman. At this point, Visa will be suspending our marketing in which the actor is featured.”
The SAG-AFTRA actors union told The Hollywood Reporter on May 24 that it's reconsidering Freeman’s recent Lifetime Achievement award, calling the reports “compelling and devastating.”
On June 13, The Daily Beast reported that Freeman's legal team was stepping down from representing him in legal matters related to CNN.
Paul Archuleta14/100Nev Schulman
MTV is investigating allegations of sexual misconduct involving Nev Schulman, 33, the host and executive producer of the network's series Catfish, according to a Daily Beast report published May 17, 2018. “We take these allegations very seriously,” an MTV spokesperson told The Daily Beast. “We’re working with Critical Content, our third-party production company, to conduct a thorough investigation.”
His Response:
“I have always been transparent about my life and would always take responsibility for my actions, but these claims are false,” Schulman, who is married and the father of a 17-month-old, told The Daily Beast in a statement.
The Fallout:
The Daily Beast reported in its May 17 article that MTV has temporarily halted production of the series.
On June 5, Insider reported that Schulman's accuser had filed two police reports with the Houston Police Department on May 25.
On June 23, MTV announced that they had found the claims "not credible and without merit" and resumed production of the show.
Frazer Harrison15/100Noel "Detail" Fisher
TMZ reported on May 9, 2018, that two women, Kristina Buch and Peyton Ackley, had filed restraining orders against him and accused him of sexual abuse. Fisher is known for producing and coproducing songs like Beyoncé's “Drunk in Love" and Miguel's “Pineapple Skies." According to TMZ, Buch and Ackley allege that Fisher raped and physically assaulted them. They also said he had forced them to have sex with him in front of other people.
Singers Jessie Reyez and Bebe Rexha accused producer Noel "Detail" Fisher of sexual misconduct on May 10 via Twitter. Reyez and Rexha did not go into detail about their experiences with Fisher, but both linked to the stories about Buch and Ackley on social media and said he had "tried" similar behavior with each of them.
"Glad these women came out," Rexha tweeted. "It's scary. [Fisher] tried to with me, but I literally ran out of that studio. Karma is a bitch."
"One night over six years ago, Noel ‘Detail’ Fisher tried this on me," Reyez wrote on Twitter. "I was lucky and I got out before it got to this. I didn't know what to say or who to tell. I was scared. Fear is a real thing. The girls that came out are brave as hell." Later, on Instagram, she revealed that Fisher had inspired her song "Gatekeeper,", which is an account of a woman being pressured into sex by a music industry insider.
His Response:
Detail has not responded to the allegations against him.
The Fallout:
TMZ reported in its May 9 article that a judge granted Ackley, Buch, and Buch’s sister the order against Fisher, which requires him to stay 100 yards away from the women.
Earl Gibson III16/100R. Kelly
In May 2018, two women came forward to accuse R&B icon R. Kelly of sexual abuse. Both women join others who have accused Kelly of inappropriate acts: Over the past two decades, he has been sued for reported sexual contact with minors, was accused of making a sex tape with a minor (he was eventually acquitted), and, in the summer of 2017, was the focus of a Buzzfeed report which alleged he’d created a “cult” where women were reportedly “held against their will.” (Kelly has denied all accusations.)
Activists, joined recently by groups like Time’s Up, launched #MuteRKelly back in summer 2017, a campaign to call attention to the allegations against Kelly. Ava DuVernay, Lena Waithe, and John Legend have since tweeted their support for its mission.
In an April 30, 2018, statement, the women of color subcommittee within Time’s Up wrote: “The scars of history make certain that we are not interested in persecuting anyone without just cause. With that said, we demand appropriate investigations and inquiries into the allegations of R. Kelly’s abuse made by women of color and their families for over two decades now.”
On June 14, 2019, R. Kelly's ex-wife, Andrea Kelly, opened up with allegations about domestic abuse by R. Kelly during their 13-year marriage.
In February 2019, two more women also came forward with additional allegations of abuse. At a press conference in New York City, the women said that Kelly had picked them out of the crowd during a 1995 concert in Maryland when they were 15 and 16 years old. He brought them back to his hotel room, where he allegedly tried to get them to engage in a threesome. One of the women left the hotel room, while the other says that Kelly proceeded to have intercourse with her, even though she was too young to consent and had been under the influence of alcohol and marijuana.
His Response:
A rep for R. Kelly released a statement to Variety on April 30: “Kelly supports the pro-women goals of the Time’s Up movement. We understand criticizing a famous artist is a good way to draw attention to those goals—and in this case, it is unjust and off-target.
“We fully support the rights of women to be empowered to make their own choices. Time’s Up has neglected to speak with any of the women who welcome R. Kelly’s support, and it has rushed to judgment without the facts. Soon it will become clear Mr. Kelly is the target of a greedy, conscious and malicious conspiracy to demean him, his family and the women with whom he spends his time.
“Kelly’s music is a part of American and African-American culture that should never—and will never—be silenced. Since America was born, black men and women have been lynched for having sex or for being accused of it. We will vigorously resist this attempted public lynching of a black man who has made extraordinary contributions to our culture.”
On May 23, video emerged of R. Kelly telling a room of male supporters that the #MuteRKelly hashtag was coming "too late."
After Surviving R. Kelly aired in January 2019, Kelly's lawyer went on Good Morning America to address the docuseries. "We know what happened, and we know those things didn't happen," attorney Steven Greenberg said. "The man was not operating a harem, or a sex cult, or holding people hostage or anything like that." When asked if Kelly denies having sexual relations with anyone under the age of consent, Greenberg responded, "yes, he absolutely does."
The Fallout:
Since it launched last summer, #MuteRKelly has led to 10 cancelled R. Kelly concerts. After the BBC released R Kelly: Sex, Girls & Videotapes in March, three people on Kelly’s team—his assistant, his lawyer, and one of his representatives—have departed.
Spotify, which, for a month, banned artists like R. Kelly under a "hateful conduct" policy, began streaming his music again on June 1 following user backlash.
In January 2019, Lifetime premiered a multi-part series called Surviving R. Kelly that chronicled the musician's alleged abuse of minors. Following the show's debut, TMZ reported that the Fulton County District Attorney’s office received phone calls from residents who had watched the first episodes of the series and demanded action. According to TMZ, the DA's office opened an investigation and reportedly reached out to survivors from the TV project. TMZ confirmed that investigators had reached out to Asante McGee, a woman who allegedly escaped R. Kelly's home after she says she suffered mental, physical, and sexual abuse.
Following the release of the Lifetime series, R. Kelly was dropped by his record label, Sony Music. However, his back catalog will remain with the company. Sony Music have yet to comment on the dissolution of their relationship with R. Kelly.
Prosecutors in Illinois began moving toward an indictment in February, relating their charges to a tape that allegedly depicts Kelly engaging in sexual acts with an underage girl, The New Yorker reported. Witnesses have also been called to testify for a grand jury in Chicago, while another grand jury has been assembled in New York.
On February 22, 2019, R. Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The alleged crimes span from 1998 to 2010 and involve four victims; at least three were minors at the time of the incidents. A judge in Illinois approved a no-bail arrest warrant for Kelly.
Andrew Toth17/100Junot Díaz
Following an April 16, 2018, New Yorker essay in which award-winning writer Junot Díaz detailed his experience being sexually abused as a child and alluding to "the hurt I caused," women have come forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct and verbal abuse. Author Zinzi Clemmons confronted him in person at the Sydney Writers' Festival on May 4 before posting a series of tweets that detailed how as a grad student, she attended a workshop Diaz led on issues of representation, and says that "he used it as an opportunity to corner and forcibly kiss me."
Author Carmen Maria Machado also took to Twitter on May 4 to write out an account of how Diaz “went off" on her during a Q&A, and author Monica Byrne wrote the same day that Diaz became confrontational with her during a dinner party and shouted the word "rape" in her face multiple times.
Also on May 4, another author, Alisa Valdes, came forward in a blog post with allegations that she'd entered into a relationship with Díaz that devolved into one that was "misogynistic, demeaning, and cruel."
His Response:
Díaz responded to the allegations—though not specifically—on Friday in a May 4 statement to the New York Times via his literary agent. "I take responsibility for my past,” he said. “That is the reason I made the decision to tell the truth of my rape and its damaging aftermath. This conversation is important and must continue. I am listening to and learning from women’s stories in this essential and overdue cultural movement. We must continue to teach all men about consent and boundaries.”
The Fallout:
Díaz withdrew from the Sydney Writers' Festival, the BBC reported on May 5. He also stepped down as Pulitzer chairman, a role he had been elected to in April, although he still remains on the Pulitzer Prize board. On May 10, the Pulitzer board released a statement and said it had authorized an independent review of the allegations made against Díaz. The statement said Díaz welcomed the review and "would cooperate fully with it."
On June 11, three Boston Review editors resigned after the magazine's management said it would keep Díaz on staff.
Oneworld Publications announced on June 15 that it would delay the publication of an upcoming picture book by Díaz.
NBC18/100Tom Brokaw
In a Variety report published April 26, 2018, former war reporter Linda Vester accused former NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw of making several unwanted advances toward her in a hotel and in NBC offices in Denver and New York in the 1990s. Vester, who was in her late twenties at the time, alleged Brokaw tried twice to forcibly kiss her, once touched her in a way that made her uncomfortable in front of colleagues, and once came to her hotel room uninvited. Vester provided several diary entries from the time and two friends corroborated events she shared.
“He grabbed me behind my neck and tried to force me to kiss him,” she told Variety of one of the incidents. “I was shocked to feel the amount of force and his full strength on me.” She also suggested she'd kept quiet at the time because of his power at NBC. "He was the most powerful man at the network, and I was the most junior person," she said.
His Response:
Brokaw released a statement to Variety and The Washington Post on April 26 denying the accusations: "I met with Linda Vester on two occasions, both at her request, 23 years ago because she wanted advice with respect to her career at NBC. The meetings were brief, cordial, and appropriate, and despite Linda's allegations, I made no romantic overtures towards her at that time or any other."
The Fallout:
Despite taking special assignments from NBC, Brokaw retired in 2004 and is the latest high-profile NBC figure to face sexual harassment accusations since Matt Lauer. NBC told The Washington Post on April 26 that they were planning to do a "culture assessment" that would involve groups of employees meeting with a facilitator from parent company NBC Universal. These facilitators would gather anonymous feedback to examine NBC's work culture and what prevents employees from coming forward with complaints. The Post also reported the company brought in a sexual harassment training firm to conduct in-person trainings but did not hired an outside firm to investigate incidents, as some companies have done.
Tom Williams19/100Blake Farenthold
In December 2017, The Washington Post reported that Texas congressman Blake Farenthold had allegedly used $84,000 from a Treasury Department fund to settle a 2014 lawsuit from his former communications director, Lauren Greene, alleging sexual harassment and gender discrimination.
His Response:
Farenthold has denied Greene's allegations, though he has said he "allowed a workplace culture to take root in my office that was too permissive and decidedly unprofessional."
Following the Post revelation about the settlement, the Republican politician told KRIS-TV on December 4 that he'd pay back the taxpayer money he used to pay for the settlement.
The Fallout:
Farenthold resigned from his role on April 6, 2018, effective that evening. As of June 11, HuffPost reports that he's still not repaid the settlement.
Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images20/100John Bailey
John Bailey, the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is the subject of three sexual harassment complaints that were all received by the Academy on March 14, 2018. Bailey has been president of the organization since August, and under his oversight the Academy has been responsible for replacing Casey Affleck as a presenter at the Oscars, ousting Harvey Weinstein as a member, and initiating a code of conduct stipulating that members can be disciplined for abuse, discrimination, and harassment.
His Response:
On March 24, Bailey responded to the allegations in a memo sent to staff but obtained by Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. "The media reports describing multiple complaints made to the Academy about me are false and have served only to tarnish my 50-year career," it reads. "The fact that the existence of an allegation even became public thwarts the confidential review process that the Academy adopted and is supposed to follow when receiving complaints."
He cites a "single named complaint" that he says came in more than a decade ago—a woman who accused him of touching her inappropriately—and denied its veracity.
"While I cannot undo the damage of having a false narrative leaked to the press, I expect the committee will undertake its obligation to review this matter faithfully," Bailey's memo continues. "Because I know the facts, I expect they will conclude that there is no basis to take any action against me. While there have been well documented instances of individuals in this industry not treating women with respect, I am not one of them. I care deeply about women’s issues and support equal treatment and access for all individuals working in this profession."
The Fallout:
On March 27, the Academy dismissed allegations against Bailey, leaving him in place as president.
Patrick McMullan/Getty Images21/100Richard Meier
Five women are accusing famed architect Richard Meier of sexual harassment, according to a March 13, 2018, report in The New York Times. Four of the women have worked directly for the 83-year-old Meier, and one came into contact with him while he was designing the Getty Center in Los Angeles.
Two of the women told the Times that, during instances over the past 10 years, they had been sent to Meier's apartment only to have him expose himself. Another said he grabbed her underwear through her dress at a holiday party, and a fourth said he asked her to undress and be photographed. The woman in Los Angeles says that in the '80s, she once had to flee his home after he forced her onto a bed.
His Response:
After The New York Times confronted Meier with the allegations, he announced he would be taking a six-month leave of absence from Richard Meier & Partners. He said in a statement: "I am deeply troubled and embarrassed by the accounts of several women who were offended by my words and actions. While our recollections may differ, I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by my behavior. I am leaving the company in the hands of a dedicated and outstanding senior management team which has spent the past three decades serving our clients and building our firm’s success.”
The Fallout:
The New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects announced on March 22 that it was rescinding a 2018 design award from Meier and his firm.
22/100Tony Tooke
PBS NewsHour reported on March 2, 2018, that the U.S. Agriculture Department was looking into complaints against Tony Tooke, the then-head of the U.S. Forest Service. (The program's larger investigation, it's worth noting, revealed a broader culture of sexual misconduct and retaliatory action in the agency.) Tooke, who had worked for the Forest Service in numerous capacities over 40 years, was facing allegations of sexual misconduct, specifically having relationships with subordinates, before he took on his role as chief.
His Response:
When asked about the allegations, Tooke issued a comment via email to NewsHour: "I’m in support of this investigation, and I have fully cooperated from the start. I expect to be held to the same standards as every other Forest Service employee."
A spokesperson from Tooke's office sent over a longer statement: "The stories the Forest Service employees shared during the PBS NewsHour piece are important to hear, difficult, and heart-wrenching as they may be. Stories like these, which have come to light over the past few years, have underscored that there are elements of sexual harassment in the Forest Service that have existed and continue today.
While we have taken significant actions over the past several years to address sexual harassment in the Forest Service, we acknowledge that we have more work to do. These are critical issues that the Forest Service must continue to take on to increase our efforts to protect our fellow employees so they know they can speak up and speak out, without any fear of retaliation or reprisal. We continue to consult with outside experts and focus internal resources to help us better support victims of harassment during investigations. Victims must know that there will be accountability for persons who engage in sexual harassment and reprisal. We are committed to our duty to create a workplace that is respectful, rewarding, and above all, a safe place for all employees. The Forest Service is committed to permanently changing our culture to create the workplace we all deserve."
The Fallout:
Tooke resigned from his role on March 7, effective immediately.
Steve Mack23/100Charlie Rose
Eight women who either worked on Rose’s eponymous PBS interview program or hoped to work for him spoke out in a November 20, 2017, Washington Post report about "crude sexual advances" made by the news anchor. Occurring between the late 1990s and 2011, the allegations included instances of Rose making obscene phone calls, groping their breasts, genitals, and buttocks, and walking around nude in front of his accusers. The women feared speaking out publicly because of Rose’s prominent status in the media—not just as the host of his own show but as an anchor for CBS This Morning.
On November 22, more women came forward with claims of sexual harassment.
An additional 27 women accused Rose of sexual misconduct in a report published by the Washington Post on May 3, 2018.
His Response:
In a statement to the Post in November 2017, Rose said, “In my 45 years in journalism, I have prided myself on being an advocate for the careers of the women with whom I have worked. Nevertheless, in the past few days, claims have been made about my behavior toward some former female colleagues."
Regarding a lawsuit filed by the three CBS employees in May 2018, Rose's lawyer issued the following statement to the Times: "The claims in the lawsuit filed today against Mr. Rose are without merit."
The Fallout:
Less than a day after the Post published its report in November 2017, CBS announced that Rose had been fired. PBS and Bloomberg also announced that distribution of Charlie Rose had been suspended.
On May 4, 2018, the New York Times reported that three women are suing Rose and CBS.
In August, CBS said it would fold the results of an investigation into Rose's behavior together with its investigation of chairman Les Moonves, who has also been accused of sexual harassment. Rose's investigation, led by the firm Proskauer Rose, is expected to end this August, but there is no set date for the results to be released.
Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage/Getty Images24/100Jeff Franklin
Jeff Franklin, the showrunner of Netflix's Fuller House has been fired, according to a February 28, 2018 report from Variety. Additionally, Warner Bros. TV will not be renewing their overall production deal with Franklin stating, "We are not renewing Jeff Franklin’s production deal, and he will no longer be working on Fuller House."
Multiple sources tell Variety that this decision came after complaints about Franklin's behavior in the writers room and on set. While he has not been accused of directly sexually harassing or engaging in physical misconduct with any staffers, there are accusations of him being verbally abusive to staffers and making comments about his sex life.
A Netflix spokesperson said in a statement, “Fuller House will return for a fourth season, as planned. We hope to go into production in the next few months.”
His Response:
A lawyer for Franklin refused to comment to Variety.
The Fallout:
On March 12, Netflix announced they'd named former Fuller House co-executive producers Steve Baldikoski and Bryan Behar to take over as showrunners on the spinoff.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin25/100Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest’s former stylist during his time on E!, Suzie Hardy, has accused the TV and radio host of sexual abuse and harassment, according to a November 2017 letter sent to the network and its parent company NBC Universal. The letter was reported by Variety on February 26, 2018. In it, Hardy alleges Seacrest subjected her to abuse including “grinding his erect penis against her while clad only in his underwear, groping her vagina, and at one point slapping her buttock so hard that it left a large welt still visible hours later." A single mother, Hardy claims she endured Seacrest's actions for seven years in order to provide for her daughter. She says she lost her job in 2013 after reporting him to HR. Variety says its team spoke to Hardy and her attorneys on multiple occasions leading up to the story's publication.
Seacrest had actually made this allegation public in November 2017, and E! launched an investigation into his behavior. On February 1, Deadline reported that E! had found "insufficient evidence to support the claims against Seacrest."
His response:
Seacrest’s lawyer, Andrew Baum, told Variety in its February 26, 2018, report that “the accuser threatened to make those false claims against him unless he paid her $15 million.”
Seacrest released a lengthy statement to BuzzFeed News on February 27:
"Much has been said about the #MeToo and Times Up movement(s) and the importance of providing women and men with the opportunity to share their stories of workplace misconduct, in an effort to change our culture and the systemic inequalities that exist. I absolutely support this cause unequivocally and applaud all the brave souls who have come forward to share their stories.
Sadly, last fall I became one of the accused, which I promptly revealed proactively to the network involved and to the public. And to be equally clear, those accusations were then investigated by an independent third-party over the course of a two-month process and involved dozens of interviews that included me, the accused and countless others. Ultimately, my name was cleared. I eagerly participated in the investigation in order to demonstrate my innocence because I know my truth, and I believe in due process.
Yesterday, Variety published a salacious story that revealed the specific claims against me for the first time—even though an independent third-party investigator found insufficient evidence to support the claims. Much to my dismay, Variety didn’t speak with me or bother to speak with other credible witnesses or even ask for any of the evidence that was obtained during the investigation when offered, all of which clearly challenged the veracity of the claims made against me.
This person who has accused me of horrible things offered, on multiple occasions, to withdraw her claims if I paid her millions of dollars. I refused. I have worked extremely hard to achieve my success and I don’t take my opportunities for granted. I don’t want to accuse anyone of not telling the truth but in this case, I have no choice but to again deny the claims against me, remind people that I was recused of any wrongdoing, and put the matter to rest."
The Fallout:
None yet.
Pacific Press26/100Justin Forsyth
According to a February 21, 2018, BBC report, three female employees had raised concerns in 2015 of "inappropriate behavior and comments" from then-Save the Children CEO Justin Forsyth. At the time HR had conducted investigations into the complaints, and the matter was closed after Forsyth apologized to the women.
However, the organization recently found out that "processes had not been followed in every aspect." They announced that they would reopen a review into Forsyth's actions and release a published report in June to examine the culture of the organization.
Just as the allegations resurfaced, Forsyth said on February 22 that he would resign from his then-current position as the deputy executive director of UNICEF.
His Response:
In a statement on the day he announced his resignation, Forsyth said that the allegations of what happened at Save the Children "were dealt with through a proper process many years ago. I apologized unreservedly at the time and face to face. I apologize again."
The Fallout:
As stated, Forsyth resigned as UNICEF deputy executive director on February 22, saying that he was doing so to protect the organizations. "I am resigning because of the danger of damaging both UNICEF and Save the Children and our wider cause," he wrote in a statement. "Two organizations I truly love and cherish. I can't let this happen."
On May 22, it was revealed that Save the Children had failed to inform UNICEF of the investigation into Forsyth's behavior because it hadn't been a "formal disciplinary process."
Venturelli27/100Paul Marciano
Guess cofounder and chief creative officer Paul Marciano was accused of sexual harassment in a January 31, 2018, tweet from model Kate Upton. On February 7, in a subsequent interview with Time, Upton accused Marciano of several incidents of sexual harassment, beginning in 2010 on the set of her first photo shoot for Guess. She was 18 at the time.
Upton told Time that Marciano harassed her both verbally and physically until she stopped working with Guess in May 2011, including a moment when he "forcibly grabbed my breasts and started feeling them," then he "continued to touch me in a very dominating and aggressive way, grabbing my thighs, my arms to pull me closer, my shoulders to pull me closer, my neck, my breasts, and smelling me."
His Response:
In a statement to Time published with Upton's interview, Marciano denied her accusations, saying that he had "never been alone with Kate Upton. I have never touched her inappropriately. Nor would I ever refer to a Guess model in such a derogatory manner."
On February 20, after stepping down from relinquishing his day-to-day duties at Guess, Marciano made an additional statement regarding the investigation: "I have pledged my full cooperation to the company, and I have the utmost confidence in our CEO, Victor Herrero, to continue leading the company during this time."
The Fallout:
Along with Marciano’s removal from day-to-day responsibilities at the brand, Guess formed a special committee to investigate the sexual harassment claims against him. In a February 20 statement, a representative for Guess said that "the company takes very seriously any allegations of sexual misconduct, is committed to maintaining a safe work environment, and looks forward to the completion of a thorough investigation of all the facts.”
On June 13, Guess reported that the committee had been unable to corroborate many of the allegations against Marciano, but did add that he had "exercised poor judgement in his communications with models and photographers." Marciano announced he would step down as the company's executive chairman and pay $500,000 in total to five individuals but would stay on the Guess board until 2019.
Ben Gabbe28/100Patrick Demarchelier
On February 16, 2018, The Boston Globe reported that several models have accused multiple men within the fashion industry of sexual misconduct, including famed photographer Patrick Demarchelier. Included in the report: allegations that Demarchelier came on to a photo assistant beginning when she was a 19-year-old intern, unwanted sexual advances, including "thrusting a model’s hands onto her genitals and grabbing another model’s breasts, as well as making vulgar propositions." The report also says the photographer allegedly asked a teenage model four years ago “Can I lick your pussy?” and indicated he could make her famous if she said yes. The model detailed the instance to the Globe, saying she said no and left the Paris hotel where her meeting with Demarchelier took place.
His Response:
The 74-year-old has denied the allegations. “People lie and they tell stories,” he told the Globe in its initial report. “It’s ridiculous.”
Demarchelier, who is married, said he has “never, never, never” touched a model inappropriately and called the accusations “pure lying” by models who “get frustrated if they don’t work.”
The Fallout:
Condé Nast, which is the parent company of magazines including Glamour, Vogue, and Vanity Fair, released a statement on February 16 following the Globe article: “We have informed Patrick we will not be working with him for the foreseeable future.”
In October 2017, Condé Nast had released a new Code of Conduct in response to #MeToo and the allegations of misconduct within the fashion industry: "The company expects all employees, freelance contributors, and others that Condé Nast retains to act appropriately and with the utmost personal and professional respect for each other when working on behalf of the company and its brands, advertisers and clients."
David Livingston29/100Jay Asher
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators announced, per a February 13, 2018, BuzzFeed report, that the organization had expelled Thirteen Reasons Why author Jay Asher, after investigating sexual harassment claims that surfaced against him last year.
“After we investigated, we felt that terminating his membership was the proper course of action,” SCBWI executive director Lin Oliver told BuzzFeed News. “We have always been really sensitive to sexual harassment issues and have a zero-tolerance policy, but clearly our policies haven’t prevented violations, so we’re taking this opportunity to take another look at our guidelines.”
His Response:
Asher told BuzzFeed that he left the organization voluntarily and accused them of throwing him under the bus. “It’s very scary when you know people are just not going to believe you once you open your mouth,” he said. “I feel very conflicted about it just because of what’s going on in the culture and who’s supposed to be believed and who’s not.”
“I understand the predicament they're in with everything going on and to want to protect themselves,” he continued. “I love the organization, but they didn't decide to push me out. It was my decision, even though [Oliver] said the email contained nothing that their organization should have anything to do with.”
The Fallout:
In addition to Asher's expulsion from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, The Oklahoma Writers’ Federation announced that it would not be asking Asher to give a scheduled keynote address at its conference this May.
Alex Wong/Getty Images30/100Scott Baio
On January 27, 2018, actress Nicole Eggert tweeted, "Ask @ScottBaio what happened in his garage when I was a minor. Creep." The actress—who costarred with Baio on the popular eighties sitcom "Charles in Charge"—then appeared on January 30 on Megyn Kelly Today to further tell her story.
According to Eggert, the sexual abuse started when she was 14, when “we were at his house in his car in his garage, and he reached over and penetrated me with his finger.” Eggert also noted that since Baio was the star of the show there was a power imbalance. She says the abuse occurred "more than 10 times, more like probably once a week."
Asked by Kelly if she was indeed a minor when they first had sex, Eggert replied, "There’s no doubt in my mind. It wasn’t a hold-me-down-rape-me situation, but I was 17… I just wasn’t ready to tell my story... It was upsetting. It wasn’t a good experience at all... It was at my house in my spare bedroom; he laid down a towel and it happened there.”
On February 6, Eggert filed a police report against Baio, claiming sexual abuse of her as a minor. TMZ reports that LAPD detectives interviewed her for about two hours at the office of her attorney, Lisa Bloom. TMZ also says that Eggert was accompanied by a former costar who says he witnessed some of the abuse and that Bloom provided a list of additional witnesses.
On February 14, another of Baio's Charles in Charge co=stars, Alexander Polinsky, accused him of sexual abuse and harassment.
His Response:
In a Facebook post on January 28, Baio wrote: "Nicole Eggert has been claiming I had sex with her before she was 18 at least since 2013. She is provably wrong, and because we have been telling her that since last year without results, our only conclusion is that she is deliberately lying." He goes on to say that, "Only after Nicole Eggert was proven to be dishonest in her 'sex at 17' allegations did she create a new story about sexual contact at an even younger age. For the record, they are false too. But more tellingly, given her years long history of making claims of underage sex, why has she never mentioned this until her primary claim was proven wrong? Why is she unwilling to go to law enforcement with her claims? Is it not clear that this new story is just another false claim to distract you from her earlier lies? Since her goal appears to be publicity, I am not inclined to do additional media on this, but I am holding my options open." He also provided a link to a letter apparently prepared by his attorneys.
A rep for Baio told TMZ on February 6, "We’ve been demanding since last year that Nicole Eggert bring her story to the authorities. It’s good that she finally has, even if it’s part of a publicity campaign. Perhaps she can explain to them her ever-changing story.”
The Fallout:
Baio will not be charged over the allegations Eggert brought forth, according to a May 23 TMZ report. Although the investigating D.A. found her case credible and "potentially prosecutable," the alleged incidences took place outside the statute of limitations. (Eggert's allegations place the incidents in the '80s, when the statute was three years, and the statue ran out before the law changed and the statute was extended.)
"I always knew this case was beyond statutes of limitations and unfortunately the D.A. would not be able to prosecute Scott Baio," Eggert told TMZ. "However I also knew the importance of laying the groundwork for any future victims of Baio’s that may come forward and to warn parents who might unknowingly allow their children to be alone with this molester…. I could no longer keep up the lie he conditioned me into and felt it a Mother’s responsibility to put the truth out there."
Baio, reports TMZ, had no comment.
Leigh Vogel31/100Wayne Pacelle
On January 30, 2018, news broke that the Humane Society of the United States was conducting an investigation of sexual harassment charges against then-CEO Wayne Pacelle. On February 2, multiple members of the Human Society staff alleged in a New York Times report that Wayne Pacelle sexually harassed them while he was CEO of the organization for more than a decade. A former intern alleges he forcibly kissed her; another alleges he asked to masturbate in front of her.
His Response:
He denied all allegations on January 30, saying they were part of a "coordinated attempt" against him and the organization.
The Fallout:
The Humane Society eventually found three complaints of sexual harassment against him. However, they voted on February 1 to keep him on, leading seven board members to resign in protest.
On February 2, Pacelle resigned: “I am resigning, effective immediately, to allow that process to move forward expeditiously and to put aside any distractions, in the best interests of all parties,” he wrote in an email to staff.
John Shearer/Getty Images32/100Vincent Cirrincione
Halle Berry's former manager Vincent Cirrincione has been accused of sexual misconduct by nine women in a February 2, 2018, report by The Washington Post. The women—eight African Americans and one Asian American—say they were up-and-coming actresses looking for representation from Cirrincione when he made unwanted sexual advances to them over a long period of time from 1993 to 2011.
Three of the women claim that he asked for sex in return for managing their careers and that if they refused, he turned them down as well. One alleges that he masturbated in front of her in his office while he was representing her. None of them are making any criminal claims against Cirrincione or sought legal recourse, according to the Post.
Berry told the paper that three years ago she severed ties with her former manager after hearing rumors of misconduct.
His Response:
Cirrincione admitted to having affairs while in committed relationships but denied asking for sexual favors in exchange for representing actresses. In a February 2 statement he said: “We live in a time where men are being confronted with a very real opportunity to take responsibility for their actions. I support this movement wholeheartedly. I have had female clients and employees my entire career in this industry. I have built a reputation for advancing the careers of women of color."
“I have had affairs while in committed relationships, ones I am now ashamed to say are coming to light and shading my past and my reputation. I can say without a doubt that I have never used favors, sexual or otherwise, as a reason for managing anyone. I want to make it clear that not one of those relationships were anything but consensual.
“I take responsibility for my part in the situation, and I am not here to diminish anyone’s feelings or experiences. I apologize to these women, my past and present partner, my clients and employees for the pain this is bringing them. I was under the impression I was living my life as a supportive man to women. It is with a heavy heart that I see now I was wrong.”
The Fallout:
Deadline reported on February 5 that Cirrincione had shuttered his company, Vincent Cirrincione Associates. The same day, Variety reported that Taraji P. Henson, who was a client of Cirrincione's, had cut ties with him.
Client Jussie Smollett publicly severed ties with Cirrincione on February 3.
FOX/Getty Images33/100Charlie Walk
Charlie Walk, a music executive who has worked with Lorde and The Weeknd and was then-cohost of the new show The Four, was accused of sexual misconduct in an open letter published on January 29, 2018, by former employee Tristan Coopersmith.
Coopersmith worked with Walk at Sony Music when she was 27 years old. She alleged that, among other behavior, he would call her into his office and "stealthily close the door and make lewd comments about my body and share your fantasies of having sex with me."
She says she reported the behavior to Walk's counterpart and that he was "unsurprised," but that there was nothing he could do about it, except help her exit the company gracefully. "I was paid to keep my mouth shut and my reputation intact. I’m ashamed of that piece but it’s a truthful part of my story," she wrote. "I took that dirty money and moved to L.A."
In a February 22 Rolling Stone report, four more women accused Walk of sexual harassment.
His Response:
In a statement provided to Entertainment Tonight, Walk denied the accusations: "It is very upsetting to learn of this untrue allegation made by someone who worked with me 15 years ago, without incident," he said. "There has never been a single HR claim against me at any time during my 25+ year career, spanning three major companies. I have consistently been a supporter of the women's movement and this is the first time I have ever heard of this or any other allegation—and it is false."
The Fallout:
A spokesperson for Universal Music, which owns Republic Records where Walk was then group president, issued a statement on January 29: "While it appears this blog post relates to the period prior to Mr. Walk’s appointment to his position at Republic Records, we take the allegations very seriously and intend to conduct a full and complete review of this matter."
The same day, a spokesperson for Fox, which airs The Four, said in a statement to Variety that “we have only recently learned of these past allegations regarding Mr. Walk. We are currently reviewing this matter and are committed to fostering a safe environment on all of our shows.”
Variety reported on January 31 that Walk had been placed on leave from Republic Records and that the music label was beginning an independent investigation. The same day, Deadline reported that Walk would not appear in The Four's season finale.
On March 28, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Walk and Republic Records had “mutually agreed to part ways."
On April 14, Fox confirmed to Variety it would bring back The Four sans Walk, who will not be returning.
34/100James Franco
After actor James Franco won a Golden Globe on January 7, 2018, for The Disaster Artist, many women (including actress Ally Sheedy) brought up rumors of sexual misconduct that have surrounded the actor on Twitter. Then, five women came forward in an article for the Los Angeles Times on January 11, accusing Franco of inappropriate and sexually exploitative behavior.
His Response:
Appearing on Stephen Colbert's The Late Show on January 9, Franco said, "Look, in my life, I pride myself on taking responsibility for things that I’ve done. I have to do that to maintain my well-being. I do it whenever I know that there is something wrong or needs to be changed, I make it a point to do it. The things that I heard that were on Twitter are not accurate, but I completely support people coming out and being able to have a voice because they didn’t have a voice for so long. So I don’t want to, you know, shut them down in any way. It’s, I think, a good thing and I support it.”
The Fallout:
Franco will return to HBO for a second season of The Deuce this year: The show's co-creator David Simon said on January 11 that "we have no complainant or complaint or any awareness of any incident of concern involving Mr. Franco. Nor has HBO been approached with any complaint.”
At the end of January, Franco's former high school removed a mural created by the actor, saying it was in "the best interests" of students.
Jim Spellman/WireImage35/100Chuck Close
Renowned and highly influential artist Chuck Close was accused of sexual harassment by several women in New York Times and HuffPost articles published in late December 2017. Some of the allegations involve Close asking them to model in his studio before he issued "frankly sexual appeals" or insisting a model take her clothes off when nudity hadn't been previously discussed. According to one account, when a would-be model felt pressured into taking off her clothes, he allegedly wheeled his chair close to her crotch and said her "pussy look[ed] delicious." When she immediately made a move to leave, he allegedly tried to offer her $200.
His Response:
From a statement his lawyer wrote to HuffPost: "[T]he bottom line of all the allegations is that no sexual act ever occurred—in fact, Mr. Close never even touched any of your witnesses. The most that can be said about the allegations against Mr. Close is that he uttered some words (some of which were sexually frank) which are alleged to have offended the sensibilities of these adult individuals…. This does not come close to reaching the level, and would only serve to cheapen the coin, of the terrible misconduct that rightly has been condemned of late."
Close himself issued an apology included in the Times' report: “I’m inviting them to my studio to audition. I don’t have a camera there, so I have to see their bodies—it’s a very expensive process. I’ve never had a complaint in 50 years, not one.”
“Last time I looked, discomfort was not a major offense,” he continued. “I never reduced anyone to tears, no one ever ran out of the place. If I embarrassed anyone or made them feel uncomfortable, I am truly sorry; I didn’t mean to. I acknowledge having a dirty mouth, but we’re all adults.”
The Fallout:
Following the allegations, the National Gallery of Art announced on January 25, 2018, that it was cancelling his upcoming solo show, due to open in May. On January 26, Seattle University also removed one of his paintings from one of its libraries.
Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images36/100Steve Wynn
Republican National Committee finance chairman Steve Wynn, who built his fortune on his casino-resort empire (Las Vegas' famous Bellagio is just one of the Wynn Resorts properties), has been accused of sexual abuse by dozens of employees in a report published by The Wall Street Journal on January 26, 2018. Allegations include sexual harassment and sexual assault, according to the report, with women in the organization reporting they built systems to protect each other from his misconduct, including posing as each other's assistants to avoid being alone with him.
His Response:
Wynn denied the allegations in a statement to the WSJ, saying that the "idea that I ever assaulted any women is preposterous. We find ourselves in a world where people can make allegations, regardless of the truth, and a person is left with the choice of weathering insulting publicity or engaging in multiyear lawsuits. It is deplorable for anyone to find themselves in this situation," he continued. He then blamed the slew of allegations on his ex-wife, with whom he's apparently enmeshed in a lawsuit regarding a revised divorce settlement.
The Fallout:
Forbes reported on January 27 that following the WSJ initial story, Wynn's net worth fell by $250 million.
The same day, Wynn resigned as the finance chairman for the Republican National Committee. RNC chair Ronna Romney McDaniel said that she'd accepted Wynn's resignation after speaking with the President about it.
On February 6, Wynn also resigned as chairman and chief executive of his company, Wynn Resorts. In a statement, he said, "I have found myself the focus of an avalanche of negative publicity. As I have reflected upon the environment this has created—one in which a rush to judgment takes precedence over everything else, including the facts—I have reached the conclusion I cannot continue to be effective in my current roles."
On May 16, the chairwoman of an internal Wynn Resorts investigation into Wynn's behavior said more than 100 people had been interviewed and 3 million documents had been reviewed. "We are not going to leave a single stone unturned and we are going to finish our work with the same diligence and energy level that we have been deploying for the last three months," she said.
Marc Grimwade/Getty Images37/100David Copperfield
A woman name Brittney Lewis has come forward claiming famed magician David Copperfield drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1988, when she was just 17. She told The Wrap on January 24, 2018, that the incident occurred after a modeling competition in which Copperfield was a judge. He allegedly invited her to one of his shows, where afterward she says that she saw him pour something into her drink which caused her to black out a few minutes later. The Wrap says that she told her best friend, her husband, her ex-husband, and her grandmother about the incident.
Lewis says her memory of the evening is fuzzy but that she says, "I remember my clothes being taken off. He was kissing my face, and then I remember him starting to go down on my body with his face, and then, as soon as he started going down, I just completely blacked out.” She says that she woke up feeling sick the next morning and that, "He wanted to me know that nothing happened because I was underage. He said: ‘I didn’t enter you.'”
His Response:
Copperfield did not reply to The Wrap when asked for comment, but earlier in the day he posted a message on Twitter in which he voiced support for the #MeToo movement but also talked about past false accusations. (He was previously accused in 2007.) Copperfield also asked that people not "rush to judgment" as he "weathers another storm."
The Fallout:
TBD.
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call38/100Rep. Patrick Meehan
Republican Rep. Patrick Meehan of Pennsylvania, long known for his work in Congress fighting against sexual harassment, has used taxpayer money to settle his own sexual misconduct complaint, according to The New York Times on January 20, 2018. The allegations were brought by a former aide who says that Meehan pursued her romantically and became hostile when his advances were rejected—ultimately making her job an "untenable" situation.
His Response:
Meehan's spokesperson has denied the allegations on his behalf and called on the aide to "waive" the confidentiality clause in the settlement “to ensure a full and open airing of all the facts.” However, he didn't respond to reporters' questions about why the settlement existed if the allegations were false.
The Fallout:
On January 21, Meehan was removed from the House Ethics Committee, which has recently been investigating sexual misconduct allegations against four other congressmen. House Speaker Paul Ryan has told Meehan to repay the money used for the settlement. On January 25, Meehan announced he'd be retiring early.
On February 27, the committee opened an investigation into Meehan's own behavior, The Hill reported.
On April 27, Meehan resigned early—a move that was effective immediately, meaning a special election would be called to fill his seat.
"While I do believe I would be exonerated of any wrongdoing, I also did not want to put my staff through the rigors of an Ethics Committee investigation and believed it was best for them to have a head start on new employment rather than being caught up in an inquiry. And since I have chosen to resign, the inquiry will not become a burden to taxpayers and committee staff," Meehan said in a statement to NPR that day.
He also said he'd pay the $39,000 "severance payment that was made from my office account" within 30 days to avoid leaving "with any question of violating the trust of taxpayers."
Jason LaVeris/Getty Images39/100Michael Douglas
A woman who formerly worked for actor Michael Douglas has come forward on Today on January 19, 2018, accusing him of sexual harassment. Susan Braudy, a writer, worked for Douglas' production company for three years in the '80s and says that he often had "sexually charged" conversations with her. During a work meeting in 1989, she says, "he slid down the floor, unbuckled his belt and put his hand inside his trousers and I could see what he was doing. Then he began to sort of began to fondle himself. And I was very scared.”Braudy told some friends at the time but, "one of my friends said you'd better not tell people about him. People were frightened for me." Braudy also claims the actor masturbated in front of her.
His Response:
While Douglas did not provide a comment to NBC News, Douglas preemptively addressed these accusations to The Hollywood Reporter, saying the story is "an unfortunate and complete fabrication." He continued: "This individual is an industry veteran, a senior executive, a published novelist, and an established member of the women's movement—someone with a strong voice now, as well as when she worked at my company more than three decades ago. At no time then did she express or display even the slightest feeling of discomfort working in our environment, or with me personally. That is because at no time, and under no circumstance, did I behave inappropriately toward her."
Douglas, who admitted to his own sex addiction in a 2012 biography, also gave an interview on January 9 to Deadline in an attempt to get in front of the story.
In it he expressed remorse for "coarse language" used in the '80s and says he supports the #MeToo movement: "Look, I support the #MeToo movement with all my heart. I have always supported women, along the way. This is the kind of step that can set that movement back." In the same interview he says, "I can't believe that someone would cause someone else pain like this. Maybe she is disgruntled her career didn't go the way she hoped and she is holding this grudge."
The Fallout:
On May 21, Variety reported that Douglas was on board for a new show with Atrium TV. On May 24, Broadway World reported that Douglas and international foundation One Drop had teamed up to provide a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for a fan to meet Douglas in L.A.
NBC40/100Seal
After calling out hypocrisy in Hollywood and encouraging victims of sexual abuse to come forward, Seal is now under criminal investigation for sexual battery. Actress Tracey Birdsall told TMZ on January 16, 2018, that Seal lunged at her and attempted to kiss her in the fall of 2016. Birdsall says she and Seal become friends while living near each other in Los Angeles, when one day, in his house, he forced himself on her and tried to kiss her. When she shouted, “What are you doing?!,” he allegedly replied, “I’m kissing you!”
Birdsall told TMZ that Seal began to insinuate that she was “asking for it” because she was wearing a tank top and shorts, and then he began to grope her breasts. She asked him to stop, but he did it again after asking her to sit down next to him on his couch. Birdsall says she left and did not contact Seal again.
A source with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed to TMZ that a report was taken for sexual battery.
His Response:
A representative for for Seal told TMZ, "Seal vehemently denies the recent allegations made against him by a former neighbor for alleged misconduct more than a year ago. He intends to vigorously defend himself against these false allegations."
The Fallout:
On February 13, reports broke that the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department investigated the incident, but rejected the case because it lacked witnesses and corroborating evidence. Seal will not face criminal charges.
IMDB41/100Joel Kramer
In a lengthy Facebook post on January 13, 2018, actress Eliza Dushku accused stunt coordinator Joel Kramer of sexually molesting her during production of the 1994 film True Lies. Dushku was 12 at the time, and Kramer was 36.
Dushku said that some time after Kramer allegedly molested her, she was injured in a stunt that Kramer had been overseeing. She called it "no small coincidence" since Kramer was "responsible for my safety on a film that broke new ground for action films."
The assault, which Dushku says happened after Kramer lured her into a hotel room alone, has been corroborated by Dushku’s mother and a legal guardian, who says she reported Kramer's behavior, but nothing was done. Dushku’s True Lies costars Jamie Lee Curtis and Arnold Schwarzenegger have publicly supported the actress.
Two more women have since forward and accused Kramer of sexual misconduct, according to a January 15 report from Deadline. One incident reportedly involved a teenage girl who visited a movie set that Kramer was part of in 1997, while another woman says that Kramer forced her to perform oral sex on him more than 30 years ago.
His Response:
In response to Dushku’s claims, Kramer told Deadline, “These are outlandish, manipulated lies. I never sexually molested her…. I think she’s making this up in her imagination.” He's since continued to maintain his innocence.
Of the incident with the teenage girl, he said he believed she was of legal age.
The Fallout:
Kramer was dropped from Worldwide Production Agency on January 15.
“WPA has elected to part ways with Joel Kramer based on the allegations of misconduct now being reported. Such behavior is unacceptable and entirely at odds with the standards of conduct we demand of ourselves, and expect from our clients,” the agency’s president and general counsel Richard Caleel said in a statement.
Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images42/100Aziz Ansari
In a piece published by Babe.net on January 14, 2018, Grace (no full name given) shared a story of an experience she had with Aziz Ansari in September. She claims that she went back to his apartment after a dinner date, where things "escalated" quickly, to the point where she felt uncomfortable and said "something like, ‘Whoa, let’s relax for a sec, let’s chill.’” She says he continued to pressure her into hooking up by following her around the apartment as she moved out of his way, asking her several times when he could have sex with her, and still making sexual advances even after she expressed discomfort.
Grace says that his behavior came off as confusing because after she verbally asked him to stop, he replied, according to her, "'Oh, of course, it’s only fun if we’re both having fun.'" But, she says, he continued to make sexual advances. Eventually, she says she was able to leave his apartment and texted him the next day to express her discomfort. According to Grace, after she told Ansari that she felt her wishes regarding his advances were ignored, he responded, "I'm so sad to hear this. Clearly, I misread things in the moment and I’m truly sorry." (Babe.net reportedly has screen grabs of this text conversation.)
His Response:
"In September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date. We went out to dinner, and afterward we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual," Ansari said via a January 14 statement. "The next day, I got a text from her saying that although 'it may have seemed OK,' upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem OK to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said. I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue."
The Fallout:
On May 16, the Los Angeles Times reported that Ansari had performed five surprise standup shows in New York City during the previous week. As of early June, he was still making the surprise appearances.
On July 29, Netflix programming executive Cindy Holland told the audience at the Television Critics Association press tour that, “We would be happy to make another season of Master of None when Aziz is ready."
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for FENTY PUMA By Rihanna43/100Mario Testino
The New York Times published a report on January 13, 2018, containing the accounts of 13 male assistants and models who say that photographer Mario Testino "subjected them to sexual advances that in some cases included groping and masturbation." The allegations point to Testino—who was at the top of his field in editorial photography and a frequent photographer for the English royal family—abusing his position as a mentor and career maker.
His Reponse:
Testino's lawyers have responded on his behalf by calling into question the credibility of those making the allegations.
The Fallout:
Condé Nast has put its "working relationship with both [Testino and Bruce Weber, also accused of sexual misconduct,] on hold for the near future," Anna Wintour, the company's artistic director, said in a statement. (Condé has also announced a new code of conduct for outside photographers working with models.)
Other designers, like Michael Kors and Burberry, have also dropped Testino in light of the allegations.
On May 29, 2018, WWD reported broke that Testino had shut down his New York City-based creative agency and was restructuring its London branch.
Jim Spellman44/100Paul Haggis
On January 5, 2018, the Associated Press reported that a civil lawsuit charging Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash) with raping a publicist prompted three more women to step forward with their own sexual misconduct accusations, including another publicist who says Haggis forced her to perform oral sex, then raped her.
From the AP: "One of the other women speaking out [said]... that Haggis tried to sexually assault her. 'I need to be inside you,' she recalled him saying, before she managed to run away. Another of the new accusers said Haggis held down her arms, forcibly kissed her on a street corner, then followed her into a taxi. She said she later escaped his clutches."
His Response:
When asked about the new accusations, Christine Lepera, attorney for the 64-year-old screenwriter, told the AP, “He didn’t rape anybody.” The AP also reported that Haggis denied the original rape allegation in a counter-complaint to the lawsuit, and said the accuser and her lawyer "demanded" a $9 million payout to avoid legal action (Haggis characterized it as "extortion").
The Fallout:
In the wake of the allegations, Haggis resigned in January from a charity he founded.
On June 7, Page Six reported that Haggis had hired a private investigator to "dig into the life" of the publicist who'd accused him of rape.
Jeff Swensen45/100Corey Lewandowski
Donald Trump's former campaign manager was accused of "unwanted touching" by Joy Villa, a singer and Trump supporter herself. She said that she and Lewandowski crossed paths at a party celebrating the President's first year in office in late November, and she asked to take a photo with him. Villa says Lewandowski originally rolled his eyes and she withdrew her request, but they were pushed together to pose for a photo by another partygoer. “I’m wearing this silver suit and stretchy pants, and after the photo, he smacks my ass really hard,” Villa told Politico on December 22, 2017. “It was completely demeaning and shocking.”
Shocked, she told him "half-joking" that she could report him for sexual harassment. “He said, ‘Go ahead, I work in the private sector,’” Villa said. “Then he smacks my ass again.” Her account's been corroborated by a friend who was also there.
His Response:
On December 28, he told Fox Business' Charles Payne, "I think as someone who has been through this, you understand that there is a due process and there is a process which they will go through to determine a person’s innocence....What I’m going to do is let the process play forward just as you did when you were accused of sexual harassment in your own case."
The Fallout:
As of April 4, 2018, Lewandowski has reportedly been getting back in the White House orbit, traveling with both Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump to rallies around the country. On May 14, he announced he was joining Pence's Great America PAC.
Earl Gibson III/Getty Images46/100Tavis Smiley
After an internal investigation of talk show host Tavis Smiley, Variety reported on December 13, 2017, that PBS discovered "credible allegations that Smiley had engaged in sexual relationships with multiple subordinates." There was concern expressed by some "that their employment status was linked to the status of a sexual relationship with Smiley." The investigation also uncovered a generally threatening environment with a thread of alleged verbal abuse and fears of retaliation.
On March 24, 2018, court documents filed against Smiley revealed new witnesses who corroborated initial allegations that Smiley had had sexual relationships with subordinates and would "subject subordinates to unwanted sexual advances—including requests for specific sex acts—and [make] lewd jokes." The filing reads that more than a dozen individuals either were subjected to or witnessed this alleged behavior.
His Response:
Smiley posted a video on Twitter on December 13, 2017, in which he said, "To be clear, I have never groped, coerced, or exposed myself inappropriately to any workplace colleague in my entire broadcast career, covering six networks over 30 years. Never. Ever. Never." In a written statement on Facebook accompanying the video, he questioned the validity of the PBS investigation and said, "If having a consensual relationship with a colleague years ago is the stuff that leads to this kind of public humiliation and personal destruction, heaven help us."
On December 18, he appeared on Good Morning America to defend himself: “I have never groped, I have never coerced, I have never exposed myself inappropriately…I celebrate and applaud these women who’ve had the courage to come out and tell their truth.”
After the March 2018 filing, Smiley's reps responded that the new witnesses and allegations were "More lies, half-truths and smears from PBS from an 'investigation' that never should have happened, with a result that was decided well before the inquiry was even begun."
The Fallout:
Smiley was suspended indefinitely by PBS on December 13, 2017, halting production of his eponymous half-hour talk show. Smiley has vowed to "fight back." PBS, which hired an outside law firm to conduct the investigation, responded: "This investigation included interviews with witnesses as well as with Mr. Smiley. The inquiry uncovered multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS, and the totality of this information led to today’s decision."
On December 14, Walmart, which had sponsored Smiley's show and then-upcoming touring theatrical show, suspended its relationship with him. Public Radio International also cut ties with him.
On January 8, 2018, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Smiley was launching a new series, The Upside With Tavis Smiley on The Word Network. Smiley also announced a five-city tour to speak about "relationships in the workplace."
According to the Washington Post on February 20, Smiley filed a lawsuit against PBS claiming breach of contract and alleging "racially hostile behavior." He also claimed the network damaged his production company when he was fired. "I’ve spent the bulk of my career in public media, so filing a lawsuit against PBS was the last thing I wanted to do,” he said. “But litigation seems to be the only way to get at the truth.”
PBS responded to the suit with a February 20 statement that called it "meritless" and an attempt by Smiley "to distract the public from his pattern of sexual misconduct in the workplace.”
On March 12, The Word Network announced it would air a 2-hour special, hosted by Smiley and focusing on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on April 4.
Patrick McMullan47/100Ken Friedman
Ten women accused the restaurateur of sexual misconduct and harassment, telling The New York Times on December 12, 2017, that Friedman had groped them, demanded sex, and sent texts requesting group sex or nude photographs. For those who worked at Friedman's New York restaurants, which include The Spotted Pig and The Breslin, "unwelcome sexual overtures, verbal and physical, were allegedly part of the daily routine." Most disturbing of all was the nickname employees of the restaurant and industry insiders gave to the Spotted Pig's third-floor private room: "the rape room." As the Times reported, once the first-floor dining room was closed, Friedman "made it clear that normal restaurant rules did not apply" to the third-floor lounge often used by celebrity patrons and "guests openly groped female servers." When employees complained to Spotted Pig chef April Bloomfield about Friedman's behavior, they told the Times her response was always the same: “That’s who he is. Get used to it. Or go work for someone else.”
In a 60 Minutes segment on May 20, 2018, new details emerged in the allegations against Friedman. Bartender Erin Fein said that the restaurant owner sexually assaulted her in his car in September 2014. "He lunged forward, he grabbed my face, he started kissing me very sort of sloppily," she said. "He pulled up my shirt. He put his hands on me. And I felt frozen." Other women in the piece say they feared retribution if they complained about Friedman. Former restaurant manager Jamie Seet says she was blackballed when she left the company. "The director of operations of that restaurant [where she had been newly hired] called me and he said, 'I'm so sorry. We're rescinding your job offer.' And I said, 'Does this have anything to do with Ken Friedman?' And he was like, 'Yes.'"
His Response:
In a statement to the Times, Friedman said, "Some incidents were not as described, but context and content are not today’s discussion. I apologize now publicly for my actions." He added that his actions "can accurately be described at times as abrasive, rude, and frankly wrong" and said the women who work at his restaurants "are among the best in the business and putting any of them in humiliating situations is unjustifiable."
Following the May 20 60 Minutes report, a spokesman for Ken Friedman says he "vehemently denies any non-consensual activity" and says Fein "never issued a complaint" and continued to want to work for him.
The Fallout:
Friedman has taken an indefinite leave of absence following the Times story. Chef April Bloomfield released her own statement in response to the report, saying: “In the two matters involving uninvited approaches that were brought to my attention over the years, I immediately referred both to our outside labor counsel, and they were addressed internally. I have spoken to Ken about professional boundaries and relied on him to uphold our policies. Nonetheless I feel we have let down our employees and for that I sincerely apologize."
In a statement to 60 Minutes with its May 20 report, April Bloomfield said, "I am in the final stages of severing my partnership with Ken Friedman. I deeply regret not doing more to protect my staff, who relied on me."
On June 13, married chefs Gabrielle Hamilton and Ashley Merriman announced their decision to partner with Friedman to take over The Spotted Pig.
Dimitrios Kambouris48/100Ryan Lizza
The New Yorker's then-Washington correspondent—who doubles as an on-air contributor for CNN—allegedly engaged in "improper sexual conduct," according to a statement from the weekly magazine on December 11, 2017.
His Response:
In response to his termination, Lizza issued the following statement on December 11: "I am dismayed that The New Yorker has decided to characterize a respectful relationship with a woman I dated as somehow inappropriate. The New Yorker was unable to cite a company policy that was violated. I am sorry to my friends, workplace colleagues, and loved ones for any embarrassment this episode may have caused. I love The New Yorker, my home for the last decade, and I have the highest regard for the people who work there. But this decision, which was made hastily and without a full investigation of the relevant facts, was a terrible mistake."
The Fallout:
The New Yorker fired Lizza on December 11. In a statement, a spokesperson for the publication said: "The New Yorker recently learned that Ryan Lizza engaged in what we believe was improper sexual conduct. We have reviewed the matter and, as a result, have severed ties with Lizza. Due to a request for privacy, we are not commenting further.”
CNN said on December 11 that Lizza “will not appear" on that network as they "look into this matter.” On January 25, 2018, Lizza returned to work at CNN, with the company saying they'd found "no reason to keep him off the air."
On June 7, the editor-in-chief of Esquire announced that he'd hired Lizza as chief political correspondent for the magazine.
(Note: The New Yorker is published by Condé Nast, the same company that publishes Glamour).
Desiree Navarro/Getty Images49/100Mario Batali
Multiple women—including at least three former employees—have accused the celebrity chef of touching them inappropriately over a period of time spanning more than two decades. According to an Eater investigation published December 11, 2017, the first official complaint about Batali's behavior was filed that October to Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, the management company that oversees about 24 restaurants—including those owned by Batali.
A May 20, 2018, 60 Minutes segment details additional misconduct allegations from former employees about Batali's misconduct, including one woman who says he sexually assaulted her at The Spotted Pig restaurant. The woman, an employee at Batali's restaurant Babbo and requested anonymity, told Anderson Cooper that she dined with her boss and then went up to a party on The Spotted Pig's third floor where she got foggy. "And this is-- part of the messy, scary part for me, there is a part where it-- it all disappears," she says. "I remember a moment where I was on his lap, kissing him. Like, he was kissing me. And then I remember throwing up-- in a toilet. And that is all. I woke up by myself on the floor, I don't know where I am, of an empty room, wooden floor. I see broken bottles. The first thing I think is, "I've been drugged." That was the first thing I thought is, "I've been-- I've been assaulted." No police report was filed.
On May 30, Eater reported that seven more women alleged that Batali had "touched them inappropriately."
His Response:
In a statement to Eater, included with the initial December report, Batali did not deny the allegations, saying: “I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt. Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends and family.
He added that he has "work to do to try to regain the trust of those I have hurt and disappointed."
Batali issued a statement to CBS News with its May 20 report, stating, "I vehemently deny the allegation that I sexually assaulted this woman. My past behavior has been deeply inappropriate and I am sincerely remorseful for my actions. I am not attempting a professional comeback. My only focus is finding a personal path forward—a path where I can contribute to my charitable endeavors—helping the underprivileged and those in need."
The Fallout:
Batali announced on December 11 that he would "step away from day-to-day operations of my businesses," which include his restaurants. The same day, ABC also asked Batali to step down from his co-hosting role on The Chew while the network reviews "the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,” according to a spokesperson.
On April 2, The New York Times reported that Batali was "eyeing his second act."
The New York Police Department confirmed to 60 Minutes for its May 20 report that there is an ongoing criminal investigation into Mario Batali regarding two accusations of sexual assault.
Shortly after the May 20 allegations surfaced, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that three Vegas restaurants belonging to Batali's company—B&B Ristorante, Otto, and CarneVino—will close on July 27.
On May 23, Deadline reported that the current season of The Chew will be its last.
On March 6, 2019, the New York Times reported that Batali has given up his stake in all of his restaurants, including Babbo, Del Posto, and Eataly. While the terms of his buyout (by his former partners) were not disclosed, Tanya Bastianich Manuali (who will head the new company) said that Batali “will no longer profit from the restaurants in any way, shape or form.”
Ben Gabbe50/100Lorin Stein
In October 2017 a subcommittee created by the board of The Paris Review launched an internal investigation into Stein's behavior toward women who work and write for the noted literary magazine. According to The New York Times on December 6, at least two female writers said they had "negative encounters" with the Review editor.
His Response:
In his resignation letter to the The Paris Review board on December 6, Stein wrote, “At times in the past, I blurred the personal and the professional in ways that were, I now recognize, disrespectful of my colleagues and our contributors, and that made them feel uncomfortable or demeaned. I am very sorry for any hurt I caused them.” He added that he pursued women he had professional relationships with romantically—including writers and interns—and stated that it was "an abuse of my position." He also acknowledged that he "engaged in sexual behavior in the office after hours" but said that each of these encounters was consensual and occurred when he was single.
The Fallout:
Stein resigned from his post as editor of The Paris Review on December 6. In mid-March 2018, New York Magazine reported that the magazine had held a series of interviews with at least eight female candidates, with an unnamed source on the Review staff saying that "to do otherwise would be a middle finger to feminism."
Ilya S. Savenok51/100Dylan Howard
The chief content officer of American Media Inc., the publishing company behind titles like The National Enquirer, Us Weekly, and RadarOnline, was accused of sexual harassment and misconduct by 12 former employees. Speaking with the Associated Press in an article published December 6, 2017, they said that Howard "openly described his sexual partners in the newsroom, discussed female employees’ sex lives and forced women to watch or listen to pornographic material." He also reportedly asked employees to call him by the self-proclaimed nickname "Dildo" when he managed the company's office in Los Angeles. His alleged behavior prompted a 2012 internal review conducted by an outside investigator, and Howard left the company shortly after the inquiry was completed. He was later rehired by AMI and brought in a year later with a promotion that put him in the company's flagship office in New York.
On March 14, 2018, it came to light that Howard, while at AMI, was a member of Weinstein's so-called "army of spies" and supplied him with "embarrassing and private information about one of his accusers, at Weinstein's request."
His Response:
In a short phone call with the AP included in the December 6, 2017, report, Howard dismissed the allegations as "baseless."
The Fallout:
It was unclear if Howard faced any disciplinary action following the 2012 investigation. Of the inquiry, a lawyer for AMI told the AP on December 5, 2017, "It was determined that there was some what you would call as horsing around outside the office, going to bars and things that are not uncommon in the media business, but none of it rose to the level of harassment that would require termination." On June 1, 2018, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Howard's name was included as a "journalist participant" in a class-action lawsuit against those who allegedly facilitated Harvey Weinstein's alleged misconduct.
Owen Hoffmann52/100Peter Martins
In an anonymous letter, Peter Martins, the longstanding head of New York City Ballet and its adjacent training facility, the School of American Ballet, was accused of sexual harassment. The allegations were published by The New York Times on December 4, 2017, and the school issued a statement in the article saying the letter made "general, nonspecific allegations of sexual harassment in the past by Peter Martins at both New York City Ballet and the school."
His Response:
When asked about the accusations by The New York Times on December 4, Martins said, "The company has already addressed it." In regard to if he had anything more to add, Martins replied, "At this point, no."
The Fallout:
The initial Times article reported that Martins was removed from teaching his weekly class at the School of American Ballet while a joint investigation into the allegations was underway. On January 1, 2018, he submitted his resignation, effective immediately. The results of the investigation, released on February 15, did not corroborate the accusers' stories but acknowledged the need for new policies for dancers to feel safe and heard.
Michael Bezjian53/100Danny Masterson
On March 3, 2017, People reported that Masterson was under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department after three women accused the That '70s Show actor of rape (the alleged incidents occurred in the early 2000s). Following the suspension of Kevin Spacey from the Netflix series House of Cards, one of Masterson's accusers criticized the streaming service in early November for their continued relationship with the actor, who was then starring in the Netflix comedy The Ranch. On December 4, The Huffington Post reported that one of Masterson's alleged victims was carrying on a conversation with Netflix executive Andy Yeatman during a children's soccer game (both Yeatman and the victim have daughters who were playing on opposing teams) when Yeatman told her that he does not believe the women who have brought forward the accusations of rape against Masterson. (The Netflix exec did not realize the woman he was speaking to was one of Masterson's accusers.)
His Response:
Masterson has denied the allegations. Following Netflix's decision to sever ties with him, he released the following statement on December 5: “I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix’s decision to write my character off of The Ranch. From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit. I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. In this country you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused. I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all. In the meantime I want to express my gratitude to the cast and crew that I’ve worked so closely with over the past three seasons. I wish them nothing but success. I am also so thankful to the fans that have supported me and continue to do so.”
The Fallout:
Masterson was fired from The Ranch, effective December 4.
On January 5, 2018, reports broke that Masterson's management team, United Talent Agency, had dropped him from their roster. On March 15, Deadline reported that Dax Shepard, who will guest star on The Ranch, will help to "fill the void" left by Masterson's exit.
BEN GABBE/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images54/100John Hockenberry
In a report published by The Cut on December 1, 2017, writer Suki Kim brought forth allegations from multiple women, including herself, accusing John Hockenberry, the highly regarded former host of New York Public Radio's The Takeaway, of sexual harassment, groping, feelings of being "sexually encroached upon," and workplace bullying. One woman alleged he kissed her after she'd informed him she'd booked an interview with Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard; another former producer alleged that he lured her to his hotel room on the pretense of talking about work, then kissed her and told her he loved her. "This is a person who has an immense power,” she told Kim. “Back then, my impression was that after a sexual-harassment filing, the woman gets blamed, the woman will be removed.”
Another woman came forward in a December 6 Guardian op-ed, calling her co-hosting experience with Hockenberry "scarring."
His Response:
Hockenberry issued the following statement to The Cut on December 1: “Looking back, my behavior was not always appropriate, and I’m sorry. It horrifies me that I made the talented and driven people I worked with feel uncomfortable, and that the stress around putting together a great show was made worse by my behavior. Having to deal with my own physical limitations [Hockenberry is paralyzed from the waist down] has given me an understanding of powerlessness, and I should have been more aware of how the power I wielded over others, coupled with inappropriate comments and communications, could be construed. I have no excuses.”
The Fallout:
Hockenberry had already retired from his job in August 2017.
Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images55/100James Levine
The New York Times reported on December 2, 2017, that legendary former director of the Metropolitan Opera was accused of sexually abusing a then teenage boy, according to an October 2016 police report filed in Lake Forest, Illinois. According to the police report, Levine, who was the Met Opera's director for 40 years, first held the accuser's hand in an "incredibly sensual way" when he was 15. Levine, who was then in his early forties, allegedly told the teen he wanted to see if he could be "raised special like me" and become a conductor. According to the report, Levin’s behavior escalated over subsequent years: Allegations included charges that he touched the accuser's penis and met the accuser in a hotel room where Levine would masturbate after touching the accuser.
In The Cut's subsequent December 3 article about the allegations against Levine, it came to light that Met's former press representative had written in her book about the history of the institution that similar stories about Levine "came to the surface at more or less regular intervals."
On May 18, 2018, the Metropolitan Opera filed a counter-lawsuit against Levine in which five more men alleged abuse, bringing the total to nine.
His Reponse:
Levine has denied the charges that were filed.
The Fallout:
The Metropolitan Opera opened an investigation with "outside resources" to determine "appropriate action," according to a December 2, 2017, tweet from the @MetOpera account. As of March 12, 2018, Levine was fired. Levin filed a lawsuit against the Opera days after, seeking more than $4 million for contract breach and defamation (among other things) and maintaining complete denial of any wrongdoing.
The counter-lawsuit filed by the Met in May is a breach-of-contract claim seeking all the money Levine made between 1976 and 2017 ($5.8 million total), a timespan in which the alleged incidents are reported to have taken place. "By engaging in repeated acts of sexual misconduct during his association with the Met, including during the period that Levine was responsible for the Young Artist Program, Levine unquestionably violated his duty of loyalty," the court documents state, according to CNN.
Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images56/100Bruce Weber
In a lawsuit filed on December 1, 2017, the New York Post reports, model Jason Boyce alleged that Weber, a renowned fashion photographer, sexually harassed him during a 2014 photo shoot. According to the lawsuit, Boyce claimed that Weber, then 68, tried to get him to remove his clothing and touch his genitals while he was shooting. (Boyce was 28 at the time of the incident.) According to the Post, when Boyce refused to touch himself, Weber allegedly "grabbed Mr. Boyce’s arm, and moved it back and forth, so that Mr. Boyce was forced to rub his own genitals." Weber also allegedly kissed Boyce on the lips and put Boyce's fingers in his mouth before leaving. Per court documents, Weber allegedly whispered, “If you just had confidence, you'd go really far. How far do you want to make it? How ambitious are you?" Boyce said in the lawsuit that the alleged incidents effectively ended his modeling career given his "intense dread" of running into Weber again.
Since the December accusation, a number of others have come out with their own allegations in publications. On January 13, 2018, The New York Times published an investigation with 15 current and former models speaking out against him. Four days later, *Business of Fashion* published a report with four additional accusers.
His Response:
In an Instagram post in early January, Weber addressed the allegations, writing: "I unequivocally deny these charges and will vigorously defend myself. I have spent my career capturing the human spirit through photographs and am confident that, in due time, the truth will prevail. I am grateful for the outpouring of support I have received."
The Fallout:
A contemporary art center in Hamburg announced on January 18 that they would halt a Weber retrospective in light of the allegations.
Maarten de Boer57/100Israel Horovitz
In an article published November 30, 2017, nine women spoke to The New York Times with allegations of sexual misconduct, including groping, kissing, and—in one instance—rape. For these women the playwright had once been a friend and mentor, and his alleged actions were "violations of trust."
The Times report is not the first time such accusations being brought forward against Horovitz. In 1993 The Boston Phoenix published an investigation detailing accusations of sexual harassment and assault brought forward by 10 women. At the time, the board president of the Gloucester Stage, the regional theater of which Horovitz was the founding artistic director, disregarded the allegations and labeled some of the women as "tightly wound."
Since the Times report, others have come forward, including actress Heather Graham, who said on February 20 that he forcibly kissed her and two other people who worked in Seattle, where Horovitz put on a play in 2011.
His Response:
Horovitz told the Times in its initial article that though he has “a different memory of some of these events, I apologize with all my heart to any woman who has ever felt compromised by my actions, and to my family and friends who have put their trust in me. To hear that I have caused pain is profoundly upsetting, as is the idea that I might have crossed a line with anyone who considered me a mentor.”
Adam Horovitz, the playwright's son and a member of the Beastie Boys, also addressed the allegations, telling the Times: “I believe the allegations against my father are true, and I stand behind the women that made them.”
The Fallout:
Per the Times' initial article, Gloucester Stage has severed ties with Horovitz following the recent allegations, and current board president Elizabeth Neumeier apologized to the women who spoke out in the early 1990s.
Tommaso Boddi58/100Garrison Keillor
The former host of A Prairie Home Companion told the Associated Press on November 29, 2017, that he was fired by Minnesota Public Radio following allegations of improper conduct. (Though Keillor retired from the program in 2016, he continued to produce The Writer's Almanac for MPR, and the show was broadcast on numerous public radio stations.) In a same-day statement, MPR revealed that the allegations of inappropriate behavior had been brought forward by someone who worked with Keillor.
On January 23, 2018, MPR published an investigation detailing several incidents, going back decades, where women alleged inappropriate sexual harassment by Keillor. "The revelations create a portrait of Keillor more complicated than that of the folksy, avuncular storyteller whose brand of humor appealed to millions of listeners. They suggest a star who seemed heedless of the power imbalance that gave him an advantage in his relationships with younger women," reported the investigations' journalists.
His Response:
Keillor emailed the AP about the initial accusations on November 29, 2017, and in a subsequent message said that he had been terminated over "a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard.”
In response to the January 2018 MPR investigation, Keillor said that he couldn't comment because he was involved in negotiations with MPR over his business relationships. "I think it would be a waste of time to engage in the he said/they said game. There are facts here that need to be respected. I'll be able to tell my side of the story at length, in my own words, in due course, and that's sufficient for me," he said in his response, which was included in the investigation. On January 25, Keillor offered the comment that one of his accusers had "enjoyed the flirtation."
On February 26, Keillor said in an interview with the Associated Press that the sexually suggestive emails were "romantic writing." The woman who received the emails said via her lawyer that "his power over her job made her afraid to say no to him."
"I never kissed her ..." continued Keillor, who also rejected the suggestion that because he was her boss, it could be sexual harassment. "This was a flirtation between two writers that took place in writing."
The Fallout:
Aside from cutting ties with Keillor, MPR announced that it will no longer distribute The Writer's Almanac or broadcast past episodes of A Prairie Home Companion that Keillor hosted. It initially also erased several thousand show episodes from its website before restoring archive access in April as part of a deal reached by Keillor and MPR. The deal, reported by MPR on April 13, also reportedly paid $275,000 to Keillor on the condition neither party would sue each other.
New episodes of A Prairie Home Companion, now hosted by Chris Thile, are created under the program's new name, Live From Here.
On January 19 the University of Minnesota removed Keillor's plaque from its Scholars Walk featuring prominent alumni. On February 28 Keillor gave his first show since being fired at Yavapai College in Arizona. On April 3, Keillor reportedly wrote a Facebook post saying he was "ready to start up The Writers Almenac [sic] again," using social media as the platform. He also expressed the desire to take "A Prairie Home Companion out on tour again."
As of mid-June, Keillor still writes a weekly column for the Union Leader.
Pier Marco Tacca/Getty59/100Johnny Iuzzini
The celebrity pastry chef was accused of sexual harassment by four female colleagues, with alleged incidents taking place between 2009 and 2011—during his time at famed New York restaurant Jean-Georges. According to a November 29, 2017, Mic report, the women alleged Iuzzini's actions included putting his tongue in people’s ears, simulating sex, and ordering shoulder massages. On December 12, a subsequent Mic story reported on four more women who came forward alleging sexual harassment and abuse.
His response:
In a statement to Mic published in the November 29 article, the James Beard Award winner said, “Many of the other allegations are inaccurate, others I do not recall and none were meant to hurt people."
The fallout:
The chef no longer worked at Jean-Georges when initial accusations surfaced on November 29, but the restaurant was allegedly aware of his actions (his leaving had been painted as amicable). The restaurant told Mic in a statement with the initial article that they train all staff to bring personnel complaints to human resources.
In December, ABC cancelled its The Great American Baking Show after an investigation into allegations against Izzuni, who was a judge on the show. On May 31, 2018, it was reported that ABC would be be bringing the show back with new casting.
Eric McCandless60/100Richard Branson
Antonia Jenae, a backup singer for Joss Stone, told British paper The Sun on November 24, 2017, that the Virgin CEO and billionaire approached her during a party on his private island in the British Virgin Islands in 2010 and “motorboated” her breasts while making engine noises. "His behavior was disgusting. I feel like it was sexual assault," she said. Antonia also claimed that Branson begged her to go topless.
His Response:
According to The Telegraph on November 25, a spokeswoman for Virgin Management said: "Everyone appeared to enjoy their time on the island. Richard has no recollection of this matter and neither do his family and friends, who were with him on the island at the time…. There would never have been any intention to offend or make anyone feel uncomfortable in any way, and Richard apologizes if anyone felt that way during their time on the island."
The Fallout:
It's unclear whether the accusation will affect Branson's multiple businesses.
Alberto E. Rodriguez61/100Nick Carter
On November 2, 2017, Melissa Schuman, an actress, singer, and former member of the girl group Dream, accused Nick Carter in a blog post of raping her in 2003.
His Response:
Carter responded to the allegations in a November 22 statement: “I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman’s accusations. Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual. We went on to record a song and perform together, and I was always respectful and supportive of Melissa both personally and professionally. This is the first that I am hearing about these accusations, nearly two decades later. It is contrary to my nature and everything I hold dear to intentionally cause someone discomfort or harm.”
The Fallout:
On Thursday, February 8, 2018, Schuman filed a police report against Carter in Santa Monica, CA. She wrote on Twitter that she was “finally doing what I thought I could no longer do. I’m filing a police report.” She thanked the anti-sexual assault group RAINN for helping her with the decision. A police spokesman confirmed to TheWrap that a sexual misconduct complaint has been filed against the singer and that an investigation has commenced. It is yet to be determined if the incident will affect Carter’s role in the Backstreet Boys residency in Las Vegas.
On March 7, it was announced that Carter would be attending the Fanboy Expo in Knoxville, Tennessee, as a celebrity guest. On May 17, the Backstreet Boys released a new single and video with plans for a new album later in the year.
Jason LaVeris62/100John Lasseter
As Variety reported on November 21, 2017, John Lasseter, now-former chief creative officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios was the subject of a “whisper network” for over two decades. Per The Hollywood Reporter the same day, Lasseter was known for “grabbing, kissing, making comments about physical attributes."
It was initially reported, as allegations broke that day, that actress and writer Rashida Jones left Toy Story 4—a project she was a writer for—because Lasseter made an unwanted advance on her. However, she later clarified in a statement that it was due to creative and workplace culture differences: "However, it is also a culture where women and people of color do not have an equal creative voice.”
His Response:
Lasseter apologized for his behavior in a statement published with the THR report: “I’ve recently had a number of difficult conversations that have been very painful for me. It’s never easy to face your missteps, but it’s the only way to learn from them…. I especially want to apologize to anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of an unwanted hug or any other gesture they felt crossed the line in any way, shape, or form. No matter how benign my intent, everyone has the right to set their own boundaries and have them respected.”
The Fallout:
On November 21, Lasseter [announced](https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/john-lasseter-taking- sabbatical-admitting-missteps/story?id=51309920) he would be taking a six-month sabbatical because of his “missteps.” On June 8, 2018, he said he would be leaving his role as chief creative officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios at the end of 2018, serving until then in a consulting role.On January 9, it was announced that Lasseter has been hired as the head of Skydance Animation. “While we would never minimize anyone’s subjective views on behavior, we are confident after many substantive conversations with John, and as the investigation has affirmed, that his mistakes have been recognized,” Skydance Media CEO David Ellison wrote in a letter to staff announcing the hire. “We are certain that John has learned valuable lessons and is ready to prove his capabilities as a leader and a colleague. And he has given his assurance that he will comport himself in a wholly professional manner that is the expectation of every Skydance colleague and partner.”
Variety reported that various staffers and Hollywood executives who do business with Skydance were disappointed in the decision and also that Lasseter's contract contains provisions that make him financially responsible for any legal claims surrounding sexual harassment. Time's Up issued a statement saying in part that "Skydance Media’s decision to hire John Lasseter as head of animation endorses and perpetuates a broken system that allows powerful men to act without consequence."
Mireya Acierto63/100Russell Simmons
Former model Keri Claussen Khalighi told the Los Angeles Times in an article published November 19, 2017, that she met the Def Jam Recordings mogul, along with director Brett Ratner (who has been the subject of numerous sexual misconduct allegations), at a casting call in 1991 when she was 17. Khalighi said she was invited back to Simmons’ New York apartment to watch a music video he and Ratner had been working on together, then alleged that Simmons soon began making sexual advances on her, ultimately forcing her into sex. Khalighi says Ratner sat in the room and did nothing despite her distress. As the Times further reported, Simmons and Ratner shared similar a “playboy lifestyle” that many women say “enabled inappropriate behavior.”
Less than two weeks after Khalighi shared her story with the Times, screenwriter Jenny Lumet—who penned films like Rachel Getting Married and The Mummy—published an essay in The Hollywood Reporter alleging that Simmons had sexually assaulted her in the early 1990s.
On December 13, The New York Times published a report detailing an alleged "pattern of violent sexual behavior" by Simmons. Four women spoke on the record with the paper about sexual harassment and assault that occurred between 1988 and 2014; three of the women accused the Def Jam Recordings co-founder of rape.
By early January 2018, two more women had filed reports with the New York Police Department alleging rape, bringing the total to more than a dozen accusers.
On March 23, a $10-million, Jane Doe lawsuit also alleging rape was filed in Los Angeles.
His Response:
Simmons denied Khalighi’s claims, telling the Times in a statement that her accusations do “a disservice to those who have been true victims of sexual harassment.” “Let me be crystal clear and very direct,” he said, “abusing women in any way shape or form violates the very core of my being.”
Khalighi, however, said on November 22, that Simmons had privately apologized to her for his actions.
Following the publication of Lumet's essay, Simmons released a statement on November 30 saying, "While her memory of that evening is very different from mine, it is now clear to me that her feelings of fear and intimidation are real. While I have never been violent, I have been thoughtless and insensitive in some of my relationships over many decades and I sincerely and humbly apologize."
In response to the Times investigation, Simmons issued a statement on December 13: "I vehemently deny all these allegations. These horrific accusations have shocked me to my core and all of my relations have been consensual. I am blessed to have shared extraordinary relationships, whether through work or love, with many great women; and I have enormous respect for the women’s movement worldwide and their struggle for respect, dignity, equality and power."
Simmons also denied the January and March 2018 allegations.
The Fallout:
In response to Lumet's November 2017 allegations in THR, Simmons announced in a statement published with the article that he would be stepping down from his companies, saying, "I will step aside and commit myself to continuing my personal growth, spiritual learning and above all to listening."
Amid the allegations, HBO says it will still continue with the next season of Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam.
On January 31, 2018, reports revealed that Ophah was dropping his contributions from an upcoming hip-hop spiritual advice book.
Four months later, on April 25, the $5-million lawsuit alleging sexual assault that had been brought forward by one of the January accusers was dismissed.
On May 3, Simmons posted on Instagram to support the #MeToo movement: "A little blood on my shoulders so that my daughters see a better world is worth it."
Bill Clark64/100John Conyers
BuzzFeed News obtained documents, published in a November 21, 2017, report that show Democratic Rep. John Conyers of Michigan filed several affidavits from former staffers who allege that Conyers repeatedly made sexual advances toward them.
On November 30, former staffer Marion Brown broke a non-disclosure agreement to speak publicly about her allegations of sexual harassment against the congressman. In an appearance on Today, Brown said that Conyers violated her body and repeatedly propositioned her. Describing one incident at a hotel in 2005, Brown said, “He was undressed down to his underwear. He asked me to satisfy to him sexually. He pointed to genital areas of his body and asked me to touch him."
"I was frozen shocked," she added. "I didn’t want to lose my job, I didn’t want to upset him. Also, he asked me to find other people that would satisfy him."
His Response:
Conyers confirmed on November 21 that he'd paid settlements to accusers in a statement but “expressly and vehemently” denied the sexual harassment allegations against him.
The Fallout:
The House Ethics Committee announced that it has opened an investigation into the allegations against him. As additional details have surfaced about Conyers alleged behavior, top Democrats have started calling on the congressman to resign. On December 5, Conyers announced that he would be leaving Congress, effective immediately.
Jerod Harris65/100Andrew Kreisberg
In a November 10, 2017, report by Variety, 15 women and several men accused Andrew Kreisberg, executive producer of CW shows Arrow, Supergirl, The Flash, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, of sexually harassing women on set and engaging in inappropriate physical contact for several years.
His Response:
In comments to Variety, Kreisberg denied the allegations and said, “I have made comments on women’s appearances and clothes in my capacity as an executive producer, but they were not sexualized. Like many people, I have given someone a nonsexual hug or kiss on the cheek”
The Fallout:
Warner Bros. TV Group launched an investigation into the allegations and Kreisberg was suspended. Following an internal review, Warner Bros. announced on November 29 that Kreisberg had been fired from the production company.
Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty Images66/100Geraldo Rivera
News reporter Geraldo Rivera apologized to Bette Midler after the actress called him out in a November 30, 2017 tweet for groping her breasts in the 1970s (an incident he wrote about in his 1991 memoir). The tweet included a video of a 1991 interview she did with Barbara Walters, in which she talked about the misconduct and denied she'd "offered herself up."
His Response:
Rivera replied to Midler's tweet the next day with one of his own: "Although I recall the time @BetteMidler has alluded to much differently than she, that does not change the fact that she has a right to speak out & demand an apology from me, for in the very least, publicly embarrassing her all those years ago. Bette, I apologize."
The Fallout:
To be determined.
OLIVIER DOULIERY/POOL/EPA/REX/Shutterstock67/100Glenn Thrush
In a Vox investigation published November 20, 2017, four women shared similar allegations regarding New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush's “history of bad judgment around young women journalists,” alleging that Thrush groped and kissed them without their consent.
His Response:
“I apologize to any woman who felt uncomfortable in my presence, and for any situation where I behaved inappropriately," Thrush told Vox in a statement published with the investigation. "Any behavior that makes a woman feel disrespected or uncomfortable is unacceptable.” In a subsequent message he said that he was getting treatment for alcoholism.
The Fallout:
The Times announced on November 20 that Thrush had been suspended while they conducted an investigation into his behavior.
On December 20, the Times announced that Thrush would resume work at the paper, but would no longer cover the White House. Executive Editor Dean Baquet said in a statement, "While we believe that Glenn has acted offensively, we have decided that he does not deserve to be fired, adding that he would receive training to "improve his workplace conduct" and was undergoing counseling and rehab on his own.
"We understand that our colleagues and the public at large are grappling with what constitutes sexually offensive behavior in the workplace and what consequences are appropriate. Each case has to be evaluated based on individual circumstances. We believe this is an appropriate response to Glenn’s situation.”
As of June 14, Thrush continues to be employed by the Times.
Cory Ryan68/100Al Franken
On November 16, 2017, broadcaster Leeann Tweeden accused the then-Minnesota senator of unwanted kissing and groping when the two performed together during a USO Tour in 2006. Four days later, a second woman, Lindsay Menz, came forward, alleging that Franken grabbed her behind while they posed together for a photo at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010, when Franken was in the middle of his first term as senator. Following Tweeden's and Menz's accounts, at least six other women came forward to accuse Franken of sexual harassment.
His Response:
In a statement responding to Tweeden’s allegations, Franken said, “The first thing I want to do is apologize: to Leeann, to everyone else who was part of that tour, to everyone who has worked for me, to everyone I represent, and to everyone who counts on me to be an ally and supporter and champion of women. There’s more I want to say, but the first and most important thing—and if it’s the only thing you care to hear, that’s fine—is: I’m sorry.”
Following Menz’s account, Franken said, "I take thousands of photos at the state fair surrounded by hundreds of people, and I certainly don't remember taking this picture. I feel badly that Ms. Menz came away from our interaction feeling disrespected."
Franken addressed several of the other women's allegations—read each of his responses here.
The Fallout:
Many of Franken’s fellow senators called for the Ethics Committee to review his behavior, and Franken said he'd comply with any investigation. As more allegations became public by early December, dozens of his fellow Democratic senators implored Franken to resign. On December 7, Franken announced that he would be stepping down from his seat "in the coming weeks" and did so on January 2, 2018.
Michael Kovac69/100Matthew Weiner
Emmy-winning writer Kater Gordon told The Information in a November 9, 2017, article that 10 years prior, when she was a writer’s assistant for Mad Men, creator Matthew Weiner made a sexually charged comment to her during a writing session. “He told me that I owed it to him to let him see me naked,” she said. A year later, she was fired from the show.
His Response:
A rep for Weiner denied Gordon’s accusation, saying, “Mr. Weiner spent eight to 10 hours a day writing dialogue aloud with Miss Gordon, who started on Mad Men as his writer's assistant. He does not remember saying this comment nor does it reflect a comment he would say to any colleague.”
The Fallout:
Following Gordon’s account, former Mad Men producer Marti Noxon supported the writer’s story and responded to Weiner’s statement, telling The Hollywood Reporter in a November 17 statement that Weiner is an “‘emotional terrorist’ who will badger, seduce, and even tantrum in an attempt to get his needs met.” She continued, saying, “This personality type cannot help but create an atmosphere where everyone is constantly off guard and unsure where they stand. It is the kind of atmosphere where a comment like ‘You owe it to me to show me your naked body’ may—or may not—be a joke. And it may—or may not—lead to a demotion or even the end of a career.”
JB Lacroix70/100Mark Schwahn
After former One Tree Hill writer Audrey Wauchope accused the showrunner of sexual harassment, numerous female cast and crew members joined together to write an open letter, alleging repeated instances of misconduct and abuse by Schwahn. Not long after, the women who make up the cast and crew of his show The Royals published their own letter chronicling instances of sexual harassment by Schwahn on the set of the E! drama.
His Response:
Schwahn has not publicly addressed the allegations.
The Fallout:
On November 16, Schwahn was suspended from The Royals as Lionsgate investigated his behavior. Variety reported on December 21 that Schwahn had been fired. "We have concluded our investigation and Mark will not be returning to The Royals,” a spokesperson for Lionsgate TV said in a statement to Variety.
Rich Fury71/100Louis C.K.
Five women accused comedian Louis C.K. on November 9, 2017, of sexual misconduct, detailing to The New York Times alleged incidents that occurred a decade ago in which C.K. exposed himself to and masturbated in front of them.
His Response:
In a statement on November 10, C.K. confirmed the women’s allegations: “These stories are true. At the time I said to myself that what I did was OK because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your dick isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly.”
The Fallout:
In decisions announced on November 9 and 10, HBO, Netflix, and FX cut ties with the producer, and the distributor of his latest film, I Love You, Daddy, canceled its release. Also on November 10, TBS said it had suspended production on C.K.'s animated comedy The Cops before announcing on January 8 that it was scrapping the project entirely.
By December, C.K. was making his way back to the stand-up circuit, and his material—which went viral at the end of the month via a leaked bootleg recording—seemed to pander to the alt-right. In the recording, he is heard mocking survivors of the Parkland shooting: “You’re young, you should be crazy, you should be unhinged, not in a suit… you’re not interesting," he says. "Because you went to a high school where kids got shot? Why does that mean I have to listen to you? ... You didn’t got shot, you pushed some fat kid in the way, and now I’ve gotta listen to you talking?” He also made disparaging jokes questioning gender identity and mocked people who have intellectual disabilities.
Mark Sagliocco72/100André Balazs
In a New York Times article published November 9, 2017, several women accused the hotelier—who is behind such properties as the Chateau Marmont, the Standard, and the Mercer—of sexual harassment and groping. Among the women bringing forward allegations was Amanda Anka, the wife of Jason Bateman, who said Balazs grabbed her crotch during a party at one of his hotels.
His Response:
Balazs did not return requests for comment ahead of The New York Times' report detailing the allegations.
The Fallout:
Balazs had stepped down from the board of the Standard in March 2017 to spend more time on his luxury hotels; little else has been reported about the current status of his professional life. On May 3, 2018, Balazs reportedly joined Uma Thurman on the red carpet at the premiere of her movie, The Con Is On.
Brynn Anderson73/100Roy Moore
The Washington Post reported on November 9, 2017, that then-Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore initiated sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl when he was 32 and pursued relationships with three other teenage girls when he was in his thirties. At least four additional women came forward after the Post’s initial report, including a woman who said Moore sexually assaulted her when she was 16.
His Response:
Following the first Post story, Moore said in a November 9 statement, “These allegations are completely false and are a desperate political attack by the National Democrat Party and The Washington Post on this campaign.” He later sent a now-deleted tweet claiming that “the Obama-Clinton machine’s liberal media lapdogs just launched the most vicious and nasty round of attacks against me I’ve EVER faced!” and said his campaign was “in the midst of a spiritual battle with those who want to silence our message.”
The Fallout:
The Republican National Committee withdrew funding from Moore’s campaign on November 15, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called on Moore to drop out of the race (Moore refused). Addressing the allegations on November 21, President Trump reportedly told journalists, “We don’t need a liberal Democrat in that seat” and added, “Roy Moore denies it—that’s all I can say.” By December 4, however, Trump officially endorsed Moore, the RNC had restored funding to the campaign, and Mitch McConnell rescinded his earlier criticism, saying Alabama voters should "make the call."
Moore ultimately lost the December 16 election.
On March 3, 2018, Moore wrote a Facebook post asking for $250,000 in donations from supporters to help face mounting legal bills. Six days later, one of Moore's accusers announced that, spurred by the #MeToo movement, she'd be running for office in Florida.
Alberto E. Rodriguez74/100Jeffrey Tambor
In mid-November 2017, at least two members on the cast and crew of the Amazon series Transparent accused Jeffrey Tambor of sexual misconduct and harassment, including making lewd comments. A third accuser said on November 22 Tambor forcibly kissed her on the set of Never Again in 2011 (she was a makeup assistant for the film).
His Response:
Following the allegations from the first two accusers, Tambor issued a statement: “I know I haven’t always been the easiest person to work with. I can be volatile and ill-tempered, and too often I express my opinions harshly and without tact. But I have never been a predator—ever. I am deeply sorry if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being sexually aggressive or if I ever offended or hurt anyone. But the fact is, for all my flaws, I am not a predator and the idea that someone might see me in that way is more distressing than I can express.”
The Fallout:
Amazon launched an investigation into the allegations. Tambor said November 19 that he would be leaving Transparent, telling Deadline, “I’ve already made clear my deep regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being aggressive, but the idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue. Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to Transparent.” But in early December, The New York Times reported that the actor seemingly changed course by announcing that he has yet to officially depart from the show. According to a representative for Tambor, “What he said was that given the toxic atmosphere and the politicization on the set, it’s very hard for him to see how he can possibly return. But no final decision for next year has been made, either by Jeffrey or by Amazon.”
On February 15, 2018, Amazon Studios "formally fired" him, announcing he wouldn't return to Transparent. While details of the investigation were not revealed, sources said that his behavior "could not be justified or excused under scrutiny.”
It is still unclear how the show will address Tambor's absence, but creator Jill Solloway released the following statement: “I have great respect and admiration for Van Barnes and Trace Lysette, whose courage in speaking out about their experience on Transparent is an example of the leadership this moment in our culture requires. We are grateful to the many trans people who have supported our vision for Transparent since its inception and remain heartbroken about the pain and mistrust their experience has generated in our community. We are taking definitive action to ensure our workplace respects the safety and dignity of every individual, and are taking steps to heal as a family.”
In May, reports broke that Netflix had nominated Tambor for an Emmy for his work on Arrested Development.
Jeff Spicer75/100Ed Westwick
By mid-November 2017, three women had accused the Gossip Girl actor of rape. One of the women, actress Kristina Cohen, said she filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department. On March 8, 2018, reports of a fourth woman emerged, who accused Westwick in an unrelated lawsuit of holding her hostage for two days while allegedly sexually assaulting her.
His Response:
Following the first allegations from Cohen, Westwick posted a statement to social media saying, "I do not know this woman. I have never forced myself in any manner, on any woman. I certainly have never committed rape."
In response to the second woman’s accusations, Westwick tweeted, "It is disheartening and sad to me that as a result of two unverified and provably untrue social media claims, there are some in this environment who could ever conclude I have had anything to do with such vile and horrific conduct. I have absolutely not, and I am cooperating with the authorities so that they can clear my name as soon as possible."
The Fallout:
The LAPD is investigating Cohen’s allegations, as reported by Deadline on March 26, 2018. After initially pulling an Agatha Christie adaptation that would have starred Westwick, the BBC reshot sections of the drama and completely cut the actor from project, replacing him with Christian Cooke. The BBC also paused filming on the actor’s comedy series White Gold. As of June 14, the show's webpage was still live, but it wasn't available through streaming or regular broadcast.
At the end of July, Los Angeles County prosecutors decided not to file rape charges against Westwick, due to insufficient evidence.
Michael Tran76/100Brett Ratner
Six women, including actresses Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, accused the director of unwanted sexual advances in a Los Angeles Times investigation published November 1, 2017—with Munn recalling a 2004 incident in which she was asked to bring food to the filmmakers' on-set trailer and found a naked Ratner masturbating while holding a shrimp cocktail. In a subsequent November 10 Facebook post, actress Ellen Page accused Ratner of sexual harassment and of outing her when she was 18 years old and filming X-Men: The Last Stand. Several additional women have also accused Ratner of misconduct, saying that he and producer Russell Simmons engaged in sexual harassment together.
His Response:
Ratner’s attorney Marty Singer wrote a 10-page letter to the Times defending his client, with the following included in the investigation's publication: “I have represented Mr. Ratner for two decades, and no woman has ever made a claim against him for sexual misconduct or sexual harassment,” Singer said. “Furthermore, no woman has ever requested or received any financial settlement from my client.” Variety reported on November 1 that Ratner had filed a libel suit against a woman who accused him of being a “rapist” in a Facebook post.
The Fallout:
After it was reported that she would not film Wonder Woman 2 if Ratner was involved—he helped finance the first film—actress Gal Gadot told Today that the filmmaker would not be involved in the production of the sequel (however, this decision was made prior to Gadot’s initial remarks).
On March 1, 2018, Ratner's legal team asked for permission to question, under oath, the woman who accused him over Facebook as part of the libel lawsuit.
On June 1, The Hollywood Reporter published an article with sources saying that Ratner was looking to make a comeback by directing the upcoming Rush Hour 4, though "studio sources" denied it.
Daniel Zuchnik77/100Jeremy Piven
Three women accused the Entourage actor of sexual misconduct at the beginning of November 2017, including several allegations of sexual assault.
Two months later, the total number of women alleging sexual misconduct grew to eight, including three more women who made their allegations to BuzzFeed on January 27.
His Response:
Piven denied one accuser's specific allegations, saying in a statement to People on November 9, “Let me be absolutely clear, this simply did not happen. I would never force myself on a woman, ever. I cannot speak as to why a person would create a story like this.”Following the two additional November allegations, he expanded on his comment further in a tweet on the ninth.
In response to the late January 2018 allegations, his lawyers said they were “conjured up in an opportunistic effort to capitalize on the current media storm in order to obtain attention and/or money.” Piven also responded: “These allegations, which in one case goes back more than 30 years and the two others more than 20 years ago, are false. As evidenced by the lie detector test I took and passed, I have never forced myself on anyone, nor have I ever exposed myself or restrained anyone against their will. To the contrary, if any woman ever said no, I stopped.”
The Fallout:
A pretaped interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was canceled following the initial allegations. CBS also announced in late November that they'd be dropping his show, Wisdom of the Crowd. As mentioned above, Piven offered to take a lie detector test to refute the claims and reportedly passed “with no signs of deception.”
Gilbert Carrasquillo78/100Dustin Hoffman
Anna Graham Hunter, who at 17 was an intern on the set of 1985's Death of a Salesman, told The Hollywood Reporter on November 1, 2017, that on set Hoffman “was openly flirtatious, he grabbed my ass, he talked about sex to me and in front of me.” On December 15, two more women accused him of sexual assault and a third woman says he exposed himself to her when she was a teenager.
His Response:
In a statement to THR included in Hunter's account, Hoffman said, “I have the utmost respect for women and feel terrible that anything I might have done could have put her in an uncomfortable situation. I am sorry. It is not reflective of who I am."
The Fallout:
The effects the allegations could have on Hoffman’s current career options have yet to be seen. In early December, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver grilled him during a panel he was moderating—an effort, Oliver says, meant to try to get Hoffman to self-reflect.
Jason LaVeris79/100Andy Dick
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter on October 31, 2017, at least four people on the set of Dick’s then-film, Raising Buchanan, accused the actor of unwanted groping, kissing, licking, and sexual propositioning.
His Response:
As Dick told The Hollywood Reporter the same day allegations were made public: "I didn't grope anybody. I might have kissed somebody on the cheek to say goodbye and then licked them. That's my thing—I licked Carrie Fisher at a roast. It's me being funny. I'm not trying to sexually harass people.”
"I didn't grab anybody's genitals. Of course I'm going to proposition people. I'm single, depressed, lonely, and trying to get a date. They can just say no, and they probably did, and then I was done."
The Fallout:
Dick was fired from the indie film the day the allegations broke. Judd Apatow also announced that Dick wouldn't be returning to Netflix's Love show, where he played himself in seasons one and two. On November 1, Vulture reported that Dick had been fired from a film on October 18 for allegedly "sexually assaulting a crew member, multiple accusations of sexual harassment, and appearing intoxicated." On February 21, 2018, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Dick had allegedly licked the assistant of a photographer shooting for a profile of Dick for Germany's Der Spiegel magazine.
Chuck Zoeller80/100Michael Oreskes
According to a New York Times article published November 1, 2017, three women accused Michael Oreskes, the then-head of news at NPR, of sexual harassment. Two of the alleged incidents reportedly occurred while Oreskes was the Washington bureau chief of the Times, and the alleged third reportedly during his tenure with NPR. An external investigation of how NPR handled the allegations, reported on by NPR on February 20, 2018, revealed that questions about his behavior with women were flagged both before his hire and through his time at the organization.
His Response:
In a statement on November 1, 2017, Oreskes said, “I am deeply sorry to the people I hurt. My behavior was wrong and inexcusable, and I accept full responsibility.”
The Fallout:
Oreskes was asked to resign from his post at NPR—and did so—on November 1. In late February 2018, NPR announced new measures to help shift its workplace culture, including changes in management structure, the creation of a diversity committee, and pay audits.
Astrid Stawiarz81/100Hamilton Fish
Numerous women brought forward complaints after interactions with Fish, the publisher and president of The New Republic.
His Response:
In an email to employees at the beginning of November 2017, Fish wrote, “As I understand it, some employees, to my deep dismay, complained this week that my presence had led them to feel uncomfortable at The New Republic. Women have longstanding and profound concerns with respect to their treatment in the workplace. Many men have a lot to learn in this regard. I know I do, and I hope for and encourage that new direction.”
The Fallout:
Fish resigned from The New Republic on November 3 after being placed on leave for a week, and the publication will continue an investigation into his behavior. On March 12, 2018, Rachel Rosenfelt took over as vice president and publisher.
Daniel Zuchnik82/100Kevin Spacey
In an interview with BuzzFeed published October 30, 2017, actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making a sexual advance toward him when he was 14 years old and Spacey was in his twenties. Since then, numerous others have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct. Among them: eight current or former cast and crew members on House of Cards—including one production assistant who said Spacey sexually assaulted him—as well as 20 individuals who worked with Spacey at London’s Old Vic theater.
His Response:
Following Rapp’s interview, Spacey released a statement apologizing for the incident, saying he did not “remember the encounter,” and came out as gay man. In the aftermath of the numerous other allegations, a representative for the actor told Variety, “Kevin Spacey is taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment.”
The Fallout:
Spacey was suspended from House of Cards and dropped from several other projects that were in the works, including the movie All the Money in the World, which had already been completed (his role was reshot with Christopher Plummer instead). On January 31, 2018, Netflix announced they'd be replacing Spacey in the sixth and final season of House of Cards with Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear, reworking the season to focus on Claire Underwood's character instead. On February 28, 2018, Spacey's foundation in the U.K. shut down. CinemaBlend reported on June 14, 2018, that Billionaire Boys Club, which Spacey filmed two and a half years ago, will be released in July.
According to the New York Times, prosecutors declined to move forward with a case in which a man accused Spacey of sexually assaulting him in 1992, citing statute of limitations. Prosecutors are looking into an additional allegation received on Aug. 21, 2018.
Bizarrely, Spacey posted a video to his Twitter on Christmas Eve 2018 as the news of charges of sexual assault and battery from an incident in Nantucket broke, titled "Let Me Be Frank." It appeared to be a response to the allegations but done in character as Frank Underwood, his former role on House of Cards. "Of course, some believed everything and have been just waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all. They're just dying to have me declare that everything said is true and that I got what I deserved. Only you and I both know it's never that simple, not in politics and not in life," he says in the video. "All this presumption made for such an unsatisfying ending, and to think it could have been such a memorable sendoff."
He continues in the video: "I can promise you this. If I didn't pay the price for the things we both know I did do, I'm certainly not going to pay the price for the things I didn't do."
On January 7, 2019, Spacey was arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery in Nantucket District Court; he pled not guilty. The charge stems from an alleged assault in July 2016 on a then-18-year-old male at a bar in town.
On December 30, Spacey was spotted out in Baltimore wearing a "Retired Since 2017" hat.
On July 5, the man suing Spacey for alleged assault and battery in Nantucket "abruptly" dropped his civil lawsuit, according to The Hollywood Reporter, although the criminal charges still stand.
David Hume Kennerly83/100George H.W. Bush
On October 24, 2017, actress Heather Lind alleged that the former president touched her backside during a photo op four years ago. Since then, multiple women have come forward saying that Bush senior had initiated similar unwanted sexual contact—with one woman telling CNN he groped her while he was still president in 1992 and several saying that Bush told the same joke as he touched them: “Do you know who my favorite magician is? David Cop-a-Feel.”
His Response:
Following the initial allegations, Bush spokesman Jim McGrath issued the following statement on October 26: "At age 93, President Bush has been confined to a wheelchair for roughly five years, so his arm falls on the lower waist of people with whom he takes pictures. To try to put people at ease, the president routinely tells the same joke—and on occasion, he has patted women's rears in what he intended to be a good-natured manner. Some have seen it as innocent; others clearly view it as inappropriate. To anyone he has offended, President Bush apologizes most sincerely."
The Fallout:
To be determined.
Frederick M. Brown84/100Mark Halperin
In late October 2017, five women accused the veteran political analyst of sexual harassment, alleging that he kissed, groped, and pressed his genitals against them without consent. By October 27, according to CNN, at least one dozen women had accused him of harassment.
His Response:
Halperin apologized on October 27 for his “outrageous conduct," saying, “I am profoundly sorry for the pain and anguish I have caused by my past actions. I apologize sincerely to the women I mistreated.” He also denied some of the allegations made against them.
The Fallout:
On October 26, HBO canceled a planned adaptation of Halperin’s book documenting the 2012 election, Double Down: Game Change 2012, and his forthcoming book chronicling the 2016 race was dropped. Halperin was dismissed on October 30 from NBC and MSNBC. On January 3, 2018, Showtime announced that they were replacing him in an upcoming docuseries with female CBS morning news anchor Alex Wagner.
Aaron Davidson85/100Knight Landesman
In a lawsuit reported by the New York Times on October 25, 2017, nine women accused art industry titan and Artforum publisher Knight Landesman of sexual harassment, saying he groped them and sent them suggestive text messages. All in all, around two dozen women have reportedly made allegations against him.
His Response:
In an email to Artnet News, the contents of which were published October 24, Landesman wrote, “I fully recognize that I have tested certain boundaries, which I am working hard to correct. I have never willfully or intentionally harmed anyone. However, I am fully engaged in seeking help to insure that my behavior with both friends and colleagues is above reproach in the future.”
The Fallout:
Landesman resigned on October 25 from his role at Artforum magazine and was later removed from its board of directors. In December, Artforum and Landesman moved to dismiss the lawsuit brought by one of the magazine's former employees, who had accused Landesman of sexual harassment. As of February 9, 2018, he was still listed as a co-owner of Artforum. In a statement issued the same day, the magazine said that there are "no legal means by which Artforum can simply divest him of his shares" though it was "actively engaged" in recovering them.
Paul Archuleta86/100Steven Seagal
More than a dozen women have accused the actor of sexual harassment and assault, including actresses Julianna Margulies, Portia de Rossi, Jenny McCarthy, Lisa Guerrero, and Rachel Grant. In a November 8, 2017, tweet, de Rossi described an audition she had with Seagal: “He told me how important it was to have chemistry offscreen as he sat me down and unzipped his leather pants.” These are not the first accusations of sexual misconduct against the actor, and Seagal was previously sued for sexual assault. By January 2018, at least two women had filed police reports about Seagal with the Los Angeles Police Department.
His Response:
Seagal has remained quiet on the newest crop of allegations, but a rep denied McCarthy’s claims in an October 2017 statement to The Daily Beast. He also denied Grant's allegations in a statement from his lawyers published January 15, 2018.
The Fallout:
According to an article published by Variety on January 12, the LAPD confirmed that they had opened a sexual assault investigation against Seagal, with the alleged incident occurring in 2005. As of February, he was endorsing a new type of cryptocurrency that ran into some legal trouble in New Jersey.
On August 5, news broke that Russia had named Seagal a "special representative" for US-Russia humanitarian ties, promoting relations between the countries "in the sphere of culture, public and youth exchanges," per CNN.
According to the New York Times, prosecutors declined to charge Seagal after he was accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in 1993, citing statute of limitations expiration. They are reviewing another allegation against him.
Dan Balilty87/100Leon Wieseltier
A longstanding editor at The New Republic, Wieseltier was accused by multiple women of sexual harassment and inappropriate advances. According to the women who came forward via The New York Times on October 24, 2017, “Male staff members routinely witnessed Mr. Wieseltier’s behavior and did nothing.” As Glamour contributor and former New Republic staffer Hillary Kelly told The Atlantic on October 27, “A male colleague, who was a friend of mine, teased me that I looked like I was going to a funeral. Leon overheard the conversation and said, ‘The only problem with that dress is that it’s not tight enough.' More than once, before a function outside the office, he’d tell me to ‘wear something tight’ and then wink or smile.” In a Vox essay published November 9, a former assistant editor at the New Republic wrote an essay alleging Wieseltier kissed her without her consent, adding that when she reported it to the male editor of the magazine, she was dismissed.
His Response:
Wieseltier apologized for his actions in an October 24 statement, saying, "For my offenses against some of my colleagues in the past I offer a shaken apology and ask for their forgiveness. The women with whom I worked are smart and good people. I am ashamed to know that I made any of them feel demeaned and disrespected. I assure them I will not waste this reckoning.”
The Fallout:
Wieseltier was fired from the Emerson Collective on October 24, and the organization also canceled a new magazine Wieseltier had been working on. On November 24, the Brookings Institution, at which Wieseltier was a senior fellow, suspended him without pay.
Fernando Leon88/100Terry Richardson
Longstanding allegations against the fashion photographer resurfaced on October 23, 2017, in the aftermath of the Harvey Weinstein scandal—including claims of sexual harassment and exploitation by numerous models who have said Richardson coerced them into performing sexual acts during photo shoots.
His Response:
Richardson has continuously denied the claims but in a statement to The Daily Beast on October 24, a spokeswoman confirmed the sexual nature of some of his work, saying, "He is an artist who has been known for his sexually explicit work, so many of his professional interactions with subjects were sexual and explicit in nature but all of the subjects of his work participated consensually."
The Fallout:
Numerous fashion brands, including Valentino and Bulgari, as well as publishing company Condé Nast (which publishes Glamour) pledged to stop working with Richardson. As of the beginning of January, New York police were investigating Richardson.
Michael Kovac89/100James Toback
Nearly 40 women spoke to the Los Angeles Times about allegations of sexual harassment by the director in an article published October 22, 2017. Several described incidents in which Toback pressed his crotch against them or masturbated in front of them. Following the initial report, more than 200 additional women came forward with stories of misconduct against Toback, including actresses Rachel McAdams and Selma Blair. As of January 7, 2018, the number of women accusing Toback of sexual misconduct numbered 395—and those were just those who reached out to the Los Angeles Times to report it.
His Response:
Toback denied the allegations and told the Times it would be “biologically impossible” for him to have committed these actions due to several medical conditions. He also offered an expletive-filled denial to Rolling Stone.
The Fallout:
Toback was dropped by his longtime agent, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter on October 22. Several women told the Times that they’d reached out to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to file complaints. As of January 3, 2018, prosecutors in Los Angeles were weighing five criminal charges against him, but they were dropped in early April—four due to expired statutes of limitations, one reportedly because the accuser "stopped cooperating" with detectives and didn't agree to an interview with prosecutors.
Michael Loccisano90/100John Besh
On October 21, 2017, in an article published by Nola.com, 25 women accused John Besh, the celebrity chef and owner of the Besh Restaurant Group, of sexual harassment. They also said Besh fostered a corporate culture in which men allegedly “touched female employees without consent, made suggestive comments about their appearance and—in a few cases—tried to leverage positions of authority for sex.”
His Response:
Besh apologized for his behavior in an October 21 statement, saying, “I alone am entirely responsible for my moral failings. This is not the way the head of a company like ours should have acted, let alone a husband and father. But it should not taint our incredible team of more than 1,000 employees, nor undermine our unyielding commitment to treating everyone with respect and dignity, regardless of gender, race, age and sexual preference."
The Fallout:
The restaurateur stepped down from his restaurant company's operations on October 23 following the allegations. In December, he was also cut from an upcoming episode of Top Chef after serving as a guest judge for numerous seasons. As of January 18, 2018, according to the New York Times, Besh remains an owner in the renamed BRG Hospitality Company, with "full approval on major business decisions."
Hal Horowitz91/100Lockhart Steele
At least one former Vox Media employee accused Steele, then the site’s editorial director, of sexual harassment and kissing her in a taxi without her consent. Her post was published October 12, 2017.
His Response:
Vox CEO Jim Bankoff wrote in a Slack message to the company that Steele "admitted engaging in conduct that is inconsistent with our core values and will not be tolerated at Vox Media."
The Fallout:
Steele was fired by Vox Media on October 19.
DPA92/100Robert Scoble
Several women in Silicon Valley accused technologist and writer Robert Scoble of sexual assault and harassment. Among them was journalist Quinn Norton, who alleged on October 19, 2017, that Scoble groped her at a tech conference in the early 2010s on her Medium page. The same day, Michelle Greer, a former coworker of Scoble, accused him of groping her at a tech conference in 2010.
His Response:
On October 21, USA Today published an interview in which Scoble said the alleged behavior occurred when he was struggling with a drinking problem. "I did some things that are really, really hurtful to the women and I feel ashamed by that," Scoble told the outlet. "I have taken many steps to try to get better because I knew some of this was potentially going to come out." He also said he did not remember the incident cited by Norton.
Four days later, in a lengthy statement on his blog, Scoble denied any accounts of wrongdoing and questioned the journalistic integrity of the sites that originally reported the allegations: “Even the most rudimentary fact check by news outlets would have caught a few obvious things. If I were guilty of all the things said about me, I would still not be in a position to have sexually harassed anyone.”
The Fallout:
Scoble’s business partner, Shel Israel, announced in an October 22 Facebook post that Scoble resigned as a partner of the Transformation Group, LLC. On June 28, 2018, Scoble will appear as a keynote speaker at the ISPO Digitize event in Munich.
Vivien Killilea93/100Chris Savino
At least 12 women came forward with sexual harassment allegations in October 2017 against Chris Savino, the creator of the Nickelodeon show Loud House. Accusations included unwanted sexual advances and threats of professional retaliation after ending consensual relationships—and rumors of such behavior trailed Savino for over a decade.
His Response:
In a Facebook post published October 23, Savino acknowledged the allegations, writing, "I am deeply sorry and ashamed. Although it was never my intention, I now understand that the impact of my actions and communications created an unacceptable environment.”
The Fallout:
Savino was fired by Nickelodeon on October 19. On May 30, 2018, the Cartoon Guild (a trade union representing animation artists in L.A.) suspended Savino for one year as part of a plea arrangement he made with the union. Other terms reportedly include 40 hours of community service, a $4,000 fine paid to a charitable organization of the union artists' choice, a certificate of sexual harassment training, ongoing therapy, and a letter to each of the guild's member studios letting them know about the union's ruling.
Craig Barritt94/100Roy Price
The Man in the High Castle producer Isa Hackett accused the then-Amazon Studios head Roy Price of sexual harassment on October 12, 2017, saying he made lewd comments to her and tried to pressure her for sex.
His Response:
Price declined to comment on the allegations, but a representative for Amazon gave The Hollywood Reporter the following statement when the publication's story broke: "We take seriously any questions about the conduct of our employees. We expect people to set high standards for themselves; we encourage people to raise any concerns, and we make it a priority to investigate and address them. Accordingly, we looked closely at this specific concern and addressed it directly with those involved."
The Fallout:
Price resigned from Amazon Studios five days after the THR story was published. In February 2018, Jennifer Salke (formerly of NBC) replaced him after the company was reported to deliberately be considering female candidates to assume Price's former role.
NBC95/100Ben Affleck
Several women, including actress Hilarie Burton and makeup artist Annamarie Tendler, accused the actor of groping in October 2017.
His Response:
Affleck tweeted almost immediately in response to Burton’s October 11 allegations, saying, “I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize.” Affleck has not addressed Tendler’s claims.
The Fallout:
Affleck used his promotional tour for his film Justice League to control his own talking points and address these allegations, as well as the culture of sexual harassment in Hollywood. "This is just the kind of thing that we have to, as men, as we become more aware of it, be really, really mindful of our behavior and hold ourselves accountable,” he told Stephen Colbert during a November 16 appearance on The Late Show.
MICHAEL CAMPANELLA96/100Oliver Stone
Following Oliver Stone’s October 13, 2017, comments seemingly defending Harvey Weinstein, multiple women accused the director of sexual harassment, including model Carrie Stevens, who said Stone once grabbed her breast at a party. Patricia Arquette also tweeted on October 13 about a "weird" encounter she had with him. On November 21, actress Melissa Gilbert said that he sexually harassed her during an audition for the 1991 film The Doors.
His Response:
On November 22, Stone denied Gilbert’s claims in a statement to USA Today, saying, “We auditioned dozens of actors for roles in The Doors, and it was made clear from the outset that our film was going to be a raunchy, no-holds-barred rock ‘n’ roll movie. Anyone auditioning was told the scenes would be rehearsed and performed from a script, with my casting director, Risa Bramon Garcia, present throughout the process to ensure a safe environment for all actors who auditioned."
The Fallout:
After his initial remarks saying that what Weinstein was going through was “not easy,” Stone attempted to clarify his remarks and, on October 13, recused himself from a project that was affiliated with the Weinstein Company.
Albert L. Ortega/WireImage97/100Andy Signore
Andy Signore, the then-senior vice president of content at Defy Media, who worked on popular YouTube series like Screen Junkies and Honest Trailers—was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women in early October 2017. At least five women shared their accounts on social media, including April O’Donnell who said Signore repeatedly tried to sexually assault her, and Emma Bowers, who said Signore tried to masturbate in front of her.
His Response:
Signore has not spoken publicly about the allegations, but his lawyer denied the allegations.
The Fallout:
Signore was suspended from Defy Media on on October 6, 2017, and fired two days later.
Getty Images98/100Ryan Adams
On February 13, 2019, the New York Times published an exposé in which several women accused musician Ryan Adams of sexual harassment. Ava, who the Times identified with her middle name because she was a minor at the time of the alleged incident, claims that Adams started to harass her when she was 14. She alleges that Adams exposed himself to her during Skype sex and repeatedly asked for sexual photos. In texts Ava shared with the Times, Adams wrote: “If people knew they would say I was like R Kelley lol,” “I just want you to touch your nipple,” and “tell me that your mom is not gonna kill me if she finds out we even text.”
His ex-wife, Mandy Moore, also detailed the psychological abuse she allegedly suffered during their marriage. “His controlling behavior essentially did block my ability to make new connections in the industry during a very pivotal and potentially lucrative time—my entire mid-to-late 20s,” she told the Times. His reported behavior exposes a pattern of offering to help young women, sometimes underage, start their career, and then sexually pursuing them.
His Response:
Through his lawyer, Adams has denied all of the allegations.
On July 20, Adams tweeted, "I have a lot to say. I am going to. Soon. Because the truth matters. I know who I am. What I am. It's time people know. Past time. All the beauty in a life cannot be reduced to rubble for lies. This madness. My work was a map for the lost. Not a billboard. So soon." He also posted a clip of a new song on Instagram, indicating a possible attempt at a comeback.
The Fallout:
The New York Times reports that the FBI is opening an inquiry into whether Adams committed a crime by "engaging in sexually explicit communications with an underage fan" and Variety says that his upcoming album release is on hold.
On March 1, reports broke that Adams' scheduled tour of the U.K. and Ireland had been cancelled in light of the allegations against the singer. "The Ryan Adams UK & Ireland tour has been cancelled," Ticketmaster Ireland tweeted, adding that tickets purchased from "authori[z]ed outlets" would be fully refunded.
Neilson Barnard99/100Dr. Willie Parker
On March 25, Texas-based activist Candice Russell wrote a lengthy post on Medium in which she accused Willie Parker, M.D., of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior. Parker is a prominent doctor, abortion rights advocate, and public speaker who wrote the book Life’s Work: A Moral Argument for Choice and who currently chairs the Board of Physicians for Reproductive Health.
According to Russell, Parker's misconduct toward women has been an open secret in reproductive rights circles—she cites "stories about his inappropriate and predatory behavior, which had become increasingly prevalent" in her Medium article. She also insinuates that she was too drunk to consent to sex one night with Parker: "My memories of the night I spent with Willie are as out of focus and frayed around the edges as you would expect them to be after four martinis and an entire bottle of wine, gaps and spaces in time where things get too blurry to be able to make out."
Russell said videos taken of Parker dancing uncomfortably close to a woman at an event led her to speak out. "I hadn’t gone back to that place in my mind in a very long time when I watched those videos. Eventually I found out that I wasn’t an exception to some rule but a repeated pattern," she explained in her piece.
His response:
Parker also went on Medium to publish a response. In it, he says that he knew Russell as a friend and maintains that their sexual encounter was consensual. He thanks her in the post for writing and opening up an opportunity for him to respond to allegations.
"First, Candice is entitled to her story. I don’t know why she is now remembering the whole of our acquaintance or our sexual encounter differently, but her story is her story. I don’t have to call her a liar. Every person who feels like they have been wronged has a right to be heard," Parker said.
In response to allegations of Russell being too drunk to consent, he said, "I have never had sex with anyone without obtaining their consent or giving mine. Consent is core to my practice of medicine, and for precisely the same reason it has been core to my sexual practices as well. I could not take someone for surgery who has been drinking, and I wouldn’t take someone to bed who had been drinking either. There was nothing about Candice’s behavior on that night that would have indicated to me that she was intoxicated."
The fallout:The National Network of Abortion Funds released a statement saying that it stands “is in solidarity with those who have come forward” with allegations against Parker. One of the network's internal national abortion funds had previously been named after Parker, but it had already been in the process of being merged and renamed before the allegations surfaced. Those efforts will continue.
Getty Images100/100David Blaine
The New York Police Department is currently investigating two sexual-assault complaints against magician David Blaine, according to the Daily Beast. However, one of the accusations might fall outside the statue of limitations—since one of the women alleges that Blaine sexually assaulted her in his Manhattan apartment in 1998.
This isn't the first time Blaine has been accused of sexual assault. Two years ago, former model Natasha Prince came forward in 2017 alleging that Blaine raped her in London, in 2004. Scotland Yard detectives declined to take further action after investigating her claim.
His Response:
Blaine has denied Prince's accusation, and has yet to comment on the NYPD's investigation.
The Fallout:
TBD.
