Three former CBS employees are suing television journalist and talk show host Charlie Rose for sexual harassment and threatening their jobs when they were in their 20s. The lawsuit, which was filed in the New York Supreme Court today, “alleges that Rose habitually made sexually suggestive comments and engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with the three employees,” reports Variety. The lawsuit also complains that CBS executives knew that Rose routinely harassed women but did not warn new employees.
From the lawsuit:
At various times, Mr. Rose threatened to fire Plaintiffs, intimidated them and/or verbally abused them as part of his predatory behavior, sexual dominance over them, and retaliation against them. A few examples of his conduct include:
(a)Mr. Rose told Ms. Harris that she lacked skills and talent and “I didn’t know that I hired a fucking kindergartner;”
(b)Mr. Rose told Ms. McNeal “you can’t be a fucking idiot and have this job”; and
(c)Mr. Rose told Ms. Wei she was a “fucking idiot” for booking a flight on a plane that did not have flat folding seats, when Ms. Wei had previously advised Mr. Rose of same before booking the flight