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PBS Countersues, Detailing Tavis Smiley’s Alleged Misconduct

Mar 23, 2018  •  Post A Comment

“PBS on Friday filed a countersuit against former talk-show host Tavis Smiley, seeking $1.9 million in salary and providing detail about the alleged misconduct that led to his show being canceled,” Variety reports. “The move comes in response to a suit filed in February by Smiley against the public broadcaster. In that suit, alleging breach of contract, Smiley accused PBS of being ‘racially hostile’ and inadequately supporting his show.”

PBS pulled the plug on “Tavis Smiley,” the veteran host’s national talk show, back in December after an investigation into Smiley’s alleged sexual misconduct. After initially suspending the show, which was also produced by Smiley through his company TS Media, PBS canceled it.

“The countersuit spells out four patterns of behavior on Smiley’s part that led to PBS terminating his contract, accusing him of ‘having sexual encounters with subordinates’; ‘making unwanted sexual advances toward subordinates, including requests for specific sexual acts’; ‘inappropriate sexual jokes or lewd comments, including about subordinates’ body parts’; and ‘creating a verbally abusive and threatening work environment, including that he aggressively cursed and belittled subordinates,'” Variety reports.

The Hollywood Reporter has published the entire 32-page PBS answer and countersuit to Smiley’s original suit. To get to it, please click here and then scroll down until you see it.

One Comment

  1. Tavis sounds like he had this coming. He sounds like an arrogant, ungrateful prick.

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