A bombshell lawsuit alleges that CBS’s “60 Minutes” has long been a cesspool of sexual harassment – including allegations that celebrity correspondent Lesley Stahl once asked an applicant if she would be willing to “use her body to “To save stories.”
Alexandra Poolos, who worked as a producer at the renowned television news show for more than a decade before her firing last February, filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday against CBS and its parent company Paramount over rampant “misogyny” on the Tiffany Network.
Among her explosive claims: In 2011, Poolos was interviewed for a job on “60 Minutes” by Stahl, who allegedly inquired about whether she was willing to “use her body to secure stories,” the lawsuit says .
The lawsuit did not elaborate on the allegation.
“Poolos has never heard anything [60 Minutes] “The correspondent suggests that a man is using his body to get a story,” the lawsuit says.
A CBS spokesman said: “We do not comment on pending litigation.”
“60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl reportedly asked a producer if she would be willing to “use her body to secure stories.”Getty Images
Stahl did not respond to a request for comment.
Poolos claimed in her lawsuit that she was “not exempt from the toxic environment toward women that has long plagued the network” and that her former boss, producer Shachar Bar-On, “subjected Poolos to repeated emotional abuse and abuse over time.” subjected to sexual harassment.” of several years.”
These included allegations that Bar-On “made derogatory comments about the physical appearance of other women,” including Stahl, adding that he “regularly mocked Stahl’s face and body, calling her ‘disgusting,'” it said in the complaint.
The lawsuit also cited the firing of former “60 Minutes” showrunner Jeff Fager, who was fired in 2018 over sexual misconduct allegations made against him.
According to the lawsuit, Bar-On’s behavior in the newsroom was no secret – including to Bill Owens, Fager’s successor as executive producer of “60 Minutes,” who allegedly told Poolos that he “had his own experience with Bar-On’s temper.” ‘ and believed Bar-On had a mood disorder.
Alexandra Poolos, who worked as a producer on “60 Minutes” for more than 10 years before being fired last February, sued CBS and Paramount on Tuesday over rampant “misogyny” at the Pulitzer Center
Owens also reportedly told Poolos that she “could move to another team but would not be able to continue working with Stahl as an associate producer.”
Owens then “put the burden on her” by telling her that because of Bar-On’s behavior, she “had to tell Stahl directly that she wanted to transfer,” the complaint says.
The complaint alleged that Fager was also aware of Bar-On’s alleged reputation.
After Poolos screened her first self-produced story in 2013, Fager remarked “that she must feel good about being away from Bar-On, alluding to his abusive behavior,” the complaint says.
Poolos alleged that her former supervisor, Shachar Bar-On, “subjected Poolos to repeated emotional abuse and sexual harassment over the course of several years.” LinkedIn/Shachar Bar-On
Likewise, Stahl also reportedly once told Poolos that she “respected” her because she “didn’t formally complain about” Bar-On and “instead had ‘focus.'”[ed] At [her] work.”
This is despite years of alleged harassment of Poolos by Bar-On, who was her manager between 2011 and 2017.
According to the lawsuit, Bar-On told Poolos, “He had been watching pornography on his work computer one evening and was extremely concerned the next morning because Stahl had asked to use his laptop at the airport and he wasn’t sure if he could.” had the window closed.” with the pornography.”
On another occasion, Bar-On once reportedly referred to Stahl as “See you next Tuesday” – a “euphemism” for a sexist insult.
In addition to her own allegations, Poolos pointed to the $30.5 million that CBS and former CEO Leslie Moonves paid last year as part of a settlement with New York Attorney General Letitia James over multiple allegations of sexual harassment against the network the former manager had covered up.
Poolos alleged that Bar-On frequently subjected her to verbal abuse and sexual harassment.Muck Rack/Alexandra Poolos
Poolos claimed she complained to a senior producer about Bar-On’s behavior, but according to the documents, no one at the company ever bothered to investigate.
Poolos alleged that CBS retaliated against her “even after she was fired” last February, the complaint said.
After Poolos notified CBS of “her intent to pursue legal claims against the company,” the network “solicited negative information about Poolos from colleagues inside and outside the company in an attempt to undermine her well-documented success and reputation in her industry. “ .”
According to Poolos.WireImage’s complaint, Jeff Fager was an executive producer of “60 Minutes” when the alleged harassment occurred
According to the complaint, Bar-On and another producer, Keith Sharman, once “joked about actress Natalie Portman and her ‘little’ body parts in front of Poolos in Bar-On’s office, clearly referring to her breasts.”
Bar-On, who is still employed as a producer at “60 Minutes,” referred an inquiry about the allegations to CBS. Sharman, Fager and Owens could not immediately be reached.
The complaint also alleged that a “drunk” Bar-On “assaulted Poolos” and “pressured her to come to his hotel room” while the two were on a business trip to Italy.
Bar-On is said to have “regularly commented on Poolos’ body and weight” – he even “encouraged” her to “stay at certain weights” while “telling her what clothing accentuated her body,” the report says Complaint.
Bill Owens, who succeeded Fager as executive producer, was allegedly aware of Bar-On’s reputation, according to Poolos.AP’s complaint
At a 2016 Emmy Awards, Bar-On allegedly “commented on Poolos’ dress and its fit and told Poolos that her shoes made her legs look good,” the complaint says.
In March 2016, Poolos, who had recently announced her pregnancy at the time, was reportedly told by Bar-On that she would have to “make a big change if she had the baby, including quitting her job at 60 Minutes.” it in the complaint.
In August 2016, a male employee asked Bar-On to borrow a copy of Vanity Fair magazine, which contained a picture of actress Margot Robbie.
Poolos claimed in the complaint that CBS was rife with “misogyny” and “sexual harassment.”Getty Images
According to the complaint, Bar-On allegedly told the employee that he could borrow the magazine as long as he didn’t return it with “sticky” pages.