PBS shows the receipts on Tavis Smiley sexual assault allegations
Tavis Smiley is the latest powerful African American man to be taken down by the #MeToo movement. Last year, Tavis was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a woman on his staff and PBS canceled his show.
Tavis fought back against the allegations and asked PBS to do a full investigation. He thought the investigation would exonerate him. He was wrong.
Unfortunately for Tavis, the report/investigation uncovered 'multiple' new allegations of sexual harassment against him.
Here are some of the allegations contained in the just-surfaced PBS report:
*** A former employee alleged that Smiley asked her to lunch, and then asked about her bra size, offering a trip to Victoria’s Secret at The Grove. The woman was eventually laid off from the show and was allegedly told that she “knew too much” about Smiley’s actions, according to the report.
*** Several women interviewed for the report claimed consensual relations with Smiley, but said that the power differences made for an uneasy relationship. One guest on the show who was involved claimed she was not invited back despite submitting to Smiley.
*** Another producer on the Smiley show who had a sexual relationship with him was told that the relationship would be kept secret. However, she was terminated when others found out. She told the investigators that she believed other office sexual relationships played a role in her dismissal.
*** Still another accuser said Smiley asked her why she was “playing so hard to get” on a business trip.
*** A woman claimed in 2000, Smiley grabbed her buttocks during a photo session, and then later purposely made contact between his penis and her buttocks.
*** One woman claimed that when she visited Smiley’s house, he opened the door and was not wearing pants. He later asked her to have a threesome with him and his executive producer Kimberly McFarland, who, the report claimed, was seen naked in Smiley’s bed with a frightened look.
Tavis Smiley fires back at sexual harassment allegations: 'PBS made a huge mistake' {VIDEO}
Talk show host Tavis Smiley
About four months ago, Tavis Smiley came under fire after alleged sexual harassment claims were levied by subordinates. In response, PBS initially suspended his contract while they conducted an internal investigation. Ultimately, based on the findings, the network decided to terminate Smiley.
Smiley then sued PBS for breach of contract and, among other things, being “racially hostile” in their working relationship. (He seeks damages in the “multiple millions.”)
Initially PBS attempted to downplay the situation by describing Smiley’s lawsuit as an attempt to “distract the public from his pattern of sexual misconduct in the workplace.” However, it seems like the company is ready to go to war and has officially responded with a scathing countersuit.
All the receipts
PBS released a 32-page answer and countersuit that states that Smiley violated the network’s morals clause and seeks $1.9 million in returned salary plus unspecified damages, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Their response comes two months after Smiley filed his suit.
Allegations Of Sexual Harassment
According to the Hollywood Reporter:
The controversial allegations that took Tavis off the air ocurred just weeks after a similar scenario saw Charlie Rose kicked off the broadcaster.
Among the more interesting pieces in the filing, is the detail that Smiley informed PBS’ third-party investigator that he was the subject of two workplace discrimination or harassment/retaliation claims. The host also admits to “probably” telling sex jokes in the workplace and that he “may” have sent pornographic images to subordinates.
PBS Says Its Investigation Is Thorough
Although Smiley has been very public in his denial and insists that PBS’s investigation was incomplete, PBS disagrees. The network states “it was thorough — and that its third party investigators’ lack of interviews with current Smiley employees is due to the host refusing to waive their NDAs,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Witness statements add fuel to the harassment argument with claims of Smiley “commenting about subordinates’ body parts in the presence of a colleague,” “informing a female subordinate that he would like to see her on her back more often,” “informing a subordinate that he thought she must be good in bed,” “persistently pursuing subordinates for sex” and, among other things, “having or requesting sexual encounters with subordinates in hotels or at his home.”
Smiley sticks to his story
During an interview on Good Morning America in December, Smiley insisted that he hadn’t acted inappropriately and that his relationships with his employees had all been consensual.
“I have never groped, I have never coerced, I have never exposed myself inappropriately to anyone. In 30 years, over six different networks, there has never been any allegation of that,” Smiley said.
When asked if he could see how his relationships with his subordinates might be an abuse of power, Smiley admitted that he understood that viewpoint but insisted that “office relationships” were not forbidden.
“We don’t forbid them, Paula, because I don’t know where your heart’s going to lead you,” Smiley insisted. “I don’t know who you’re going to hang out with or date or fall in love with.”
As for whether or not the women he dated felt their jobs might be in danger, Smiley insisted, “I have never given anyone any employment instruction to do anything with anyone with whom I had a consensual relationship. Ever.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, a spokesperson for Smiley sent the following statement: “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. We look forward to the full truth coming out in court.”
Smiley has since moved on to religious platform The Word Network with his series, The Upside With Tavis Smiley.
Tavis Smiley issues video response to claims of sexual misconduct
Talk-show host taxis smileydefended himself again against sexual misconduct allegations today, saying, "PBS made a huge mistake here."
PBS suspended the distribution of his namesake talk show earlier this month after an investigation, citing "multiple, credible allegations," the network told ABC News in a statement.
A PBS spokesperson said, "PBS engaged an outside law firm to conduct an investigation immediately after learning of troubling allegations regarding Mr. Smiley. 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."
During a live sit-down interview on "Good Morning America" today, Smiley, 53, said, "I've never groped, I've never coerced" female staffers into sexual relations "in 30 years over six different networks."
He added, "I celebrate and applaud these women who had the courage to come out," but he's concerned that because of the recent climate, "people end up being guilty simply by accusations."
Smiley had relationships with women while working on "The Tavis Smiley Show," he said, adding he can prove they were consensual "with letters, cards, gifts and, certainly, photographs."
He noted that one woman with whom he had a romantic relationship still works for him now.
"I certainly understand people can have a viewpoint any consensual relationship in the workplace is wrong ... but there are also other points of view on this," he said. "While we don't encourage [them] ... we don't forbid them."
He added that during those relationships, he never instructed the "team" that runs his company on any employment matters.
"I never gave any favoritism upward or downward," he said.
Smiley also pushed back on claims that he has created a hostile work environment, saying, "I have feelings. I have emotions, and when the ball gets dropped," he has had to pick it back up.
"The environments are intense at times," he said. "I'm not an angry black man, and this notion of a hostile environment just doesn't fit."
After the investigation, Smiley said, he was unsure whether he would return to PBS, which distributes his talk show.
"PBS made a huge mistake here. They need to fix it. They need to correct it," he said. "I'm going to do anything to protect my reputation."
PBS responded to Smiley's appearance on "GMA," writing in a statement, "Tavis Smiley needs to get his story straight."
"First, today on 'Good Morning America,' Mr. Smiley acknowledged he has had multiple sexual encounters with his employees, then struggled to recall the number of current employees with whom he has had sex. This contradicts his Facebook post from last week, where he cited only one previous relationship with an employee. Mr. Smiley even told viewers, 'I don't know where your heart's going to lead you.' PBS is certain that it should not lead to multiple sexual relationships between the owner of a company and subordinates over many years, particularly where employment decisions may be linked to sex.
"Second, Mr. Smiley claims he applauds women who have come forward, yet his company requires former and current employees to sign nondisclosure agreements. Witnesses who have bravely come forward to speak with the independent investigators retained by PBS report a fear of retribution for speaking out. PBS stands by its decision to respect the anonymity of those who are afraid to come forward publicly. Additional allegations are continuing to come to light since last week's announcement.
"In contrast, PBS has been consistent: PBS stands by the integrity of its investigation, which has been conducted by an outside firm with expertise in such matters. Mr. Smiley's own words today, coupled with the information discovered during the investigation, confirms PBS' decision to indefinitely suspend the distribution of 'Tavis Smiley.'"
Smiley previously denied the allegations and criticized the investigation in a video posted to Facebook.
"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," he said. "This has gone too far. And I, for one, intend to fight back."
"The PBS investigators refused to review any of my personal documentation, refused to provide me the names of any accusers, refused to speak to my current staff and refused to provide me any semblance of due process to defend myself against allegations from unknown sources," Smiley added. "Their mind was made up."
But in a separate statement, PBS defended its investigation.
"Following receipt of a complaint, PBS hired an independent law firm to conduct an investigation, and we stand by its integrity. The totality of the investigation, which included a three-hour interview of Mr. Smiley, revealed multiple sexual relationships with subordinates over many years and other acts that together constitute a pattern of conduct inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS," a network spokesperson told ABC News in a statement.
Rich Fury/Invision/AP, FILE
Tavis Smiley appears at the 33rd annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards in Los Angeles, April 27, 2016.
A sponsor of his talk show, Walmart, paused its relationship with him in light of the investigation.
"We take these issues very seriously and are troubled by the recent allegations," the company said in a statement obtained by ABC News. "As a result, we are suspending our relationship with Mr. Smiley, pending the outcome of the PBS investigation."
Walmart was also backing Smiley's upcoming touring show, "Death of a King: A Live Theatrical Experience," based on his 2014 book of the same name. The show, centered on the life of Martin Luther King Jr., was expected to reach 40 cities nationwide until it was canceled by its production company, Mills Entertainment, according to a statement obtained by ABC News.
A statement from the company read, "In light of the recent allegations concerning Tavis Smiley, Mills Entertainment will not be moving forward with the 'Death of a King' project at this time. We believe deeply in the message of this production and the importance of commemorating Dr. King in this crucial moment; however, we take seriously the allegations and will be suspending our relationship with Tavis Smiley and T.S. Productions."
"The Tavis Smiley Show" has aired on PBS for 14 seasons.
In a statement released Wednesday, PBS said that it launched an independent investigation through a law firm that included interviews with the accusers and Smiley.
Smiley, however, says he knew of no investigation until former staffers began reaching out to him after they received phone calls from investigators trying to determine if Smiley had been inappropriate on the job.
“After 14 seasons, that’s how I learned of this inquiry, from the streets,” Smiley added. “Only after being threatened with a lawsuit, did PBS investigators reluctantly agree to interview me for three hours.”
Smiley does, however, admit to previously having a “consensual relationship” with a colleague.
“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,” he said.
He continues:
The PBS investigators refused to review any of my personal documentation, refused to provide me the names of any accusers, refused to speak to my current staff, and refused to provide me any semblance of due process to defend myself against allegations from unknown sources. Their mind was made up. Almost immediately following the meeting, this story broke in Variety as an ‘exclusive.’ Indeed, I learned more about these allegations reading the Variety story than the PBS investigator shared with me, the accused, in our 3 hour face to face meeting.
Smiley slammed PBS’ “sloppy investigation” and accused the network of overreacting.
Their “rush to judgment,” he said, is “trampling on a reputation that I have spent an entire lifetime trying to establish.”
“This has gone too far. And, I, for one, intend to fight back,” he adds. “It’s time for a real conversation in America, so men and women know how to engage in the workplace. I look forward to actively participating in that conversation.
El-Bull i hea you yes you have to becareful too many freelaoders and want everything easy, my uncole says becareful of the women i lay with because those women measure my level of success, if you deal with trash women and you end up with one, you life will be misreable you will have to carry every weight especially if you have kids with her, but if you get with a woman who live to fight and work for hers she will not rely on you, even when things dont work out she will move on and keep building, so do what i do have your gadgets ready when you get with them, i have pen and button cam i bring on dates, i have lights cam if i bring them to my space, i will always have proof especially these days they love to yell rape, i will make a female's life miserable if she tries to destroy mine, every one has a choice to say yes or no, i dont play that nonsense with these females, you want something give up the p**** or get it like i do, work hard for it, these days all you have walking around are trash online looking for sugar dadddies, or sleepig online with strangers to drive nice cars or buy nice stuff to show off to their friends, and always broke too
mr1stroke My aunt told me before she passed; "You like women and women like you and I'mm afraid a woman is going to be your down fall." Nowadays, I'm afraid of women because when I get in certain situations, my aunts voice pops up in my head and I run scared....CAN'T TRUST DEM HOES BRO
Comment by mr1stroke on January 7, 2020 at 12:38am
The only thing i day to those men have some type of proof if you dont want to video record the proof, audio record it, at least have something, thats what weinstein did to that hoe who cake after home, they show the video how she got down under the table sucking his dick at the restaurant, that's how majority of them got in hollywood, many females had to suck dick for something
Comment by mr1stroke on January 7, 2020 at 12:35am
El-Bull 99% of men who have something to offer have f***** on the job, women are attracted to money and power and those men who possess one or bother will be attracted to beautiful women, it is always those who are incompetent to something always willing to judge, but if ot was them they would make excuse to be right once people know, any one who lives to impress society will die miserable
mr1stroke I have smashed many married and single women at work and while on the job, many of them were mercenary lovers, in sad relationships or were looking to advance themselves----ALL of them were mercenary lovers. Is it my fault they presented themselves to me and because I love puzzzy and they loved this dik, I took them up on their offers....LOL I guess now they'll have me up for trial.....
And people need to start being educated, but go on and judge others, those women are coming forward because they seek and attention and looking for easy money, all of them got f*** because they wanted something, the law was always the law, how come they didnt cry rape of go to the authority if he was wrong. Stop the bullshit, the only person who have not f*** a co-worker is the person who have nothing to offer or was not worth it, with power comes everything available to a man, if you are a woman who is fine eventually there is that one man who will smash you especially the married one who are unhappy who greedy
Lol damn i used to call him uncle Tom that negro thought he was better than most black hosts on Tv and he was more educated and did not consider himself black, now i am feeling sorry for him they will make an example out of all those negros who dont want to play by the rules, time has change when you have jealous white people who seeks power they will come for your position, and there is nothing you can do especially when you think they are your step dad, they own everything how can you win, thats why my family and i live to stay self owned, no latter how much we make we split the profits as well as share the loss, we dont call on banks or any one other than investors if we want to use other peoples money and we definitely stay away from jealous negros the worse enemy than a racist white person, so good luck Tavis boy
What goes around comes around. I remember how the uncle Tom, treated Obama, guess what racist Trump is in the white house. Go geta job. You send porn to your co workers at work your going to get fired idiot.
Comment by evolution on December 21, 2017 at 5:57am
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