After PBS suspended distribution of “Tavis Smiley” amid allegations of sexual misconduct, the talk show host fired back at the network.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In a Facebook video posted Thursday morning, Smiley said the sudden suspension and investigation into his behavior caught him by surprise. He said was unaware of the investigation until one of his former staffers told him that they’d been confronted by “some PBS investigator.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Smiley explained his frustration with the way PBS went about their investigation, saying, “only after threatening a lawsuit,” did the network investigators agree to hear his side of the story. “And even then, their minds must have been made up.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“It is clear that this has gone too far,” Smiley said, adding that he intends to “fight back” against the network’s “sloppy investigation.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“It’s time for a real conversation in this country about where the lines are, about how men and women can engage each other in the workplace and I looked forward to actively participating in that conversation,” he said.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Smiley also took the time to deny the allegations of sexual misconduct, saying, “Let me also assure you that I have never groped, inappropriately exposed myself or coerced any colleague in the workplace ever in my 30-year career.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“If having a consensual relationship with a colleague years ago is the stuff that leads to this kind of public humiliation and personal destruction, heaven help us,” he continued in a written statement on the social media site.
