On Monday, PBS host Charlie Rose, who has been accused of sexual harassment by eight women, including charges that he groped their breasts, buttocks or genitals, made lewd phone calls to them, and walked around naked in front of them, denied that he had committed any “wrongdoing.”
As he walked into his New York City apartment, Rose was asked by a photographer if he had any response to his accusers. The exchange went like this:
Photographer: Mr. Rose?
Rose: How are you?
Photographer: Do you want to say anything to those accusers? Those accusing you? You want to say anything to those accusers, the people that’s accusing you of all these wrongdoings?
Rose: It’s not wrongdoings.
Oddly, Rose’s claim to the photographer seems to contrast with the statement he offered The Washington Post after the paper published the expose that detailed the accusations against him:
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 accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate.
The Post had reported that the women accusing Rose had either worked for him on PBS’ “Charlie Rose” show or aspired to work there between the late 1990s and 2011. Rose also co-hosted “CBS This Morning” and was a contributor on “60 Minutes.”
On Monday afternoon, Rose was suspended by CBS News, and PBS stated it would halt production and distribution of his show.
Video below: