Eight women have told The Washington Post that longtime television host Charlie Rose made unwanted sexual advances toward them, including lewd phone calls, walking around naked in their presence, or groping their breasts, buttocks or genital areas. The women were employees or aspired to work for Rose at the Charlie Rose show from the late 1990s to as recently as 2011. They ranged in age from 21 to 37 at the time of the alleged encounters. Rose, 75, whose show airs on PBS and Bloomberg TV, also co-hosts CBS This Morning and is a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes. (WaPo)
In a statement, Rose said: “It is essential that these women know I hear them and that I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accepted responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate.” (TVNewser)
Monday night’s broadcast of the CBS Evening News devoted two full minutes to the story about Rose. (TVNewser)
Following the Post’s report, PBS and Bloomberg on Monday announced that both will stop distributing Rose’s eponymous show, which is produced by his company, Charlie Rose Inc. CBS also announced it would suspend Rose from his CBS News hosting duties. (THR)