Victims speak up about sexual abuse after Harvey Weinstein scandal – The Verge

Neil deGrasse Tyson will return to National Geographic after sexual misconduct allegations

2019-03-16T11:45:12-04:00

National Geographic has completed its investigation reports of sexual misconduct by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, and will resume plans to air two shows that he is involved with, Star Talk and Cosmos: Possible Worlds, reports Entertainment Weekly.

According to EW, National Geographic did not disclose the findings of its investigation, only that it had concluded. We've reached out to National Geographic for comment, and will update this post if we hear back.

In 2017 and 2018, Three women stepped forward claims of sexual misconduct, two of which accused deGrasse Tyson of unwanted advances, while the other said that he raped her while t …

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Woody Allen sues Amazon for $68 million for refusing to release his films

2019-02-07T16:26:18-05:00

Writer-director Woody Allen filed a $68 million lawsuit against Amazon Studios today. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, Allen claims the company breached its contract with him when it declined to release four of his films.

"Seeking to capitalize on Mr. Allen's international stature, talent, and track record, Amazon-a technology giant but Hollywood novice-sought to develop its nascent entertainment studio by entering into a series of deals with Mr. Allen and his company, Gravier, promising to finance and distribute his future films and to be his "home" for the rest of his career," the suit reads in part. "In June 2018, howev …

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Ousted Pixar CCO John Lasseter to head new animation division

2019-01-09T17:45:19-05:00

John Lasseter at the 2017 D23 Expo in Anaheim, California. | Photo by Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney

Production company Skydance Media announced today that it is hiring John Lasseter, the former chief creative officer of Pixar Animation and Walt Disney Animation Studios, to head Skydance's nascent animation division. Lasseter, who worked his way up from an animator job at Pixar to a powerful position overseeing Disney's animation strategy and storytelling, was first placed on a leave of absence from Disney in November 2017, then was pushed out of the company in June 2018, following a wave of complaints about sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and groping female employees at Disney's companies.

Skydance CEO David Ellison issued a mem …

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Fox and National Geographic are investigating misconduct claims against Neil deGrasse Tyson

2018-12-01T13:16:08-05:00

Fox and National Geographic say that they have launched investigations into claims made against astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson after two women came forward with allegations that he made inappropriate sexual advances towards them.

deGrasse Tyson hosts the Fox and National Geographic reboot of the classic Carl Sagan documentary series, which first premiered in 2014. Earlier this summer, Fox renewed the series for a second season, Possible Worlds, which will premiere in 2019.

In a statement to Deadline, producers for Cosmos say that they "have only just become aware of the recent allegations regarding Neil deGrasse Tyson," and that they h …

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CBS chief Les Moonves has resigned following new allegations of sexual misconduct

2018-09-09T14:39:49-04:00

CBS CEO and chairman Les Moonves has stepped down from his post following a new report from Ronan Farrow in The New Yorker, which brought new allegations of sexual misconduct. CBS's board made the announcement on Sunday evening, following a report from CNN that broke word of his departure.

CBS says that its board of directors and its parent company National Amusements announced that they reached a settlement this evening that would see Moonves step down immediately. CBS will also donate $20 million to organizations that support the #MeToo movement, the amount of which will be "deducted from any severance benefits that may be due Moonves fol …

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What James Gunn’s firing says about the rising stakes of social media

2018-08-01T15:06:27-04:00

Industry insiders were reportedly shocked about Disney's sudden firing of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn two weeks ago, in response to an orchestrated outcry over tasteless jokes he'd made on Twitter years earlier. But the most surprising thing was how quickly the entire story moved. The right-wing troll attacks on Gunn, who was in the process of pre-production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, peaked late on Thursday the 19th; by mid-Friday the 20th, Disney had removed him, describing the tweets as "indefensible and inconsistent with our studio's values."

At San Diego Comic-Con, where Gunn's scheduled appearance to promote a …

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Les Moonves will stay at work as CBS investigates sexual misconduct claims

2018-07-30T18:07:24-04:00

In a New Yorker report last week, six women accused CBS Corporation CEO Les Moonves of sexual misconduct, with dozens more describing an environment of sexual harassment and intimidation at the company. Today, the broadcasting company has announced that it is in the process of hiring outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation of the allegations, The Hollywood Reporter writes.

Moonves, one of the highest-paid executives in the world, is a highly influential figure who oversaw popular shows such as The Big Bang Theory at CBS. He is a Television Hall of Fame inductee whose career includes stints as the CEO of Warner Bros. Televisi …

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New investigation accuses CBS chief Les Moonves of sexual misconduct

2018-07-27T18:54:23-04:00

A new investigation from journalist Ronan Farrow tracks sexual misconduct accusations against Les Moonves, the influential 68-year-old chief executive officer of CBS, by six women. Farrow's articles detailing extensive sexual assault and harassment from Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein won him a Pulitzer Prize for public service, and kickstarted the backlash against sexual harassment and abuse that later spawned the #MeToo movement.

The investigation was published in The New Yorker this evening, following a leak earlier today to The Hollywood Reporter, which published news of Farrow's imminent report and immediately caused CBS stock to d …

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Former Pixar employee details how the company’s rampant sexism went far beyond John Lasseter

2018-06-28T17:08:10-04:00

When John Lasseter, Pixar's former chief creative officer, left the esteemed animation studio in early June 2018, the public word on his transgressions were vague. Lasseter reportedly had "missteps" that made some people feel "disrespected and uncomfortable." Today, a former Pixar employee has detailed how things at Pixar have been, and it's much worse than Pixar had previously disclosed.

In a guest column for Variety, edited from a much lengthier original post on the Be Yourself vertical at Medium, graphic designer Cassandra Smolcic - who spent her late twenties at Pixar, from 2009 to 2014 - levels specific accusations about Lasseter and o …

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Pixar’s John Lasseter to leave Disney following sexual harassment complaints

2018-06-08T19:17:47-04:00

John Lasseter, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios' chief creative officer, will leave both companies by the end of 2018, following revelations last year that he sexually harassed employees, according to The New York Times. Lasseter has been on a leave of absence from the studio since November, when he first acknowledged what he worded as "missteps" that left his employees feeling "disrespected and uncomfortable." In the months since, media organizations and entertainment industry critics widely speculated on whether he could return to Pixar, or whether Disney would force him to resign.

Lasseter was one of Pixar Animation Studios' first …

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