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‘House of Cards,’ ‘Transparent,’ ‘Today Show’ and More: A Complete Guide To TV Rocked By Sexual Harassment Scandals

A roundup of where things stand on TV productions impacted by Kevin Spacey, Jeffrey Tambor, Matt Lauer, Louis C.K., Russell Simmons, Charlie Rose and others' scandals.
Sexual Harassment Scandals: Complete Guide To TV Shows Impacted
Matt Lauer, Kevin Spacey, Russell Simmons, Charlie Rose
Shutterstock

Hollywood’s sexual harassment scandals have had an immediate effect on the industry — and on TV viewers as well. As networks and studios are confronted with allegations of misconduct and assault by their stars, producers, and even executives, heightened publicity has also prevented them from sweeping such news under the rug.

Instead, from morning to primetime, broadcast, cable and streaming services have been faced with making big moves on some of their biggest properties. In the $1 billion morning show competition, both NBC’s “Today” and CBS’ “This Morning” fired key anchors. Netflix’s and Amazon’s signature, award-winning dramas are expected to return without their lead stars. Paramount Network planned to launch by leveraging the Weinstein brand — but that strategy is dead. And FX must now rebuild its comedy brand without the producer who inspired much of it.

Here’s a continually updated roundup of TV productions that have been impacted by talent accused of terrible things, and the status of those programs going forward.

Mario BataliThe New York Botanical Gardens Edible Academy Family Garden Picnic, New York, USA - 28 Sep 2014
Mario BataliMcGaw/BFA/REX/Shutterstock

“The Chew” (ABC)
“Molto Mario” (Food Network)

Who: Co-host Mario Batali

Status: Batali has exited as co-host of ABC’s daytime talk show “The Chew,” which he had been a part of since its 2011 launch. Batali also exited his day-to-day role at the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group. Food Network has put on hold its plans to revive Batali’s program “Molto Mario.”

What happened: The celebrity chef was accused of sexual harassment by four women in a new report published by Eater New York, dating back two decades. “Much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted,” he said.

“We have asked Mario Batali to step away from ‘The Chew’ while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,” ABC said in a statement. “ABC takes matters like this very seriously as we are committed to a safe work environment. While we are unaware of any type of inappropriate behavior involving him and anyone affiliated with the show, we will swiftly address any alleged violations of our standards of conduct.”

Louis C.K., co-creator/writer/executive producer, participates in the "Better Things" panel during the FX Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour at the Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, Calif2017 Summer TCA - FX, Beverly Hills, USA - 09 Aug 2017
Louis C.K.Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock

“Louie” (FX)
“Better Things” (FX)
“Baskets” (FX)
“One Mississippi” (Amazon)
“The Cops” (TBS)
Louis C.K. standup specials (Netflix)

Who: Executive producer/actor/writer/director Louis C.K.

Status: FX has severed all ties with C.K., which means that “Louie,” which had already been on an extended (and potentially permanent) hiatus, is even less likely to ever return again. “Better Things,” “Baskets,” and “One Mississippi” continue, but with C.K. and his production company no longer involved. Production on the animated series “The Cops” was suspended, and it’s not expected to continue. Netflix scrapped a second stand-up special it had previously ordered from C.K.

What happened: Years of reports and whispers about C.K.’s harassment and inappropriate behavior toward women led to a detailed New York Times article, which spoke to several women who had been victimized by the comedian.

“Now is not the time for him to make television shows,” FX wrote in a statement. “Now is the time for him to honestly address the women who have come forth to speak about their painful experiences, a process which he began today with his public statement.”

KTTV
Steve EdwardsKTTV

“Good Day L.A.” (KTTV Los Angeles)

Who: Host Steve Edwards

Status: Edwards is no longer with the show, which is also anchored by Megan Colarossi (who just joined “Good Day LA” last week as Edwards’ new co-host). Maria Quiban is weather anchor.

What happened: According to FTV Live, Edwards — who had hosted the show since 1995 (and was a local L.A. TV fixture for more than a decade before that) “was fired after sexual harassment allegations were made against him.”

NFL analyst Marshall Faulk speaks during a pre-game show before an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans, in CincinnatiTexans Bengals Football, Cincinnati, USA - 14 Sep 2017
NFL analyst Marshall FaulkAP/REX/Shutterstock

NFL Network programming/Thursday Night Football (NFL Network)

Who: On-air analysts Marshall Faulk, Ike Taylor and Heath Evans

Status: All three have been suspended, pending an investigation.

What happened: Wardrobe stylist Jami Cantor has accused the three analysts of sexual harassment, filing suit in L.A. Superior Court, reports Bloomberg.

Mark Halperin
Mark HalperinDavid Buchan/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

“The Circus” (Showtime)
Untitled 2016 Presidential Election limited-run series (HBO)

Who: Journalist Mark Halperin

Status: HBO scrapped plans to develop a limited-run series based on an untitled book on the 2016 presidential election, which Halperin was co-writing with John Heilemann. (The book has also been canceled.) Showtime is evaluating its options on “The Circus,” but Halperin would not be back should the show return.

What happened: Five women have accused Halperin of sexual harassment, including allegations that he grabbed one woman’s breasts against her will, and that he pressed his erection again women’s bodies.

“HBO has no tolerance for sexual harassment within the company or its productions,” the network said. Meanwhile, “there is no tolerance for sexual harassment within Showtime and its productions,” that network said.

EXCLUSIVEIn the UK: UK MAGS - Exclusive - Min fees apply, please call to agree fees. UK PAPERS - Exclusive All Round - Minimums: Web - £50 per pic. Print - call for price In the US: Exclusive - Premium rates apply Mandatory Credit: Photo by Angela Pham/BFA/REX/Shutterstock (9244188bg) Johnny Iuzzini Gwyneth Paltrow presents the goop GIFT shop opening, New York, USA - 27 Nov 2017
Johnny IuzziniAngela Pham/BFA/REX/Shutterstock

“The Great American Baking Show” (ABC)

Who: Chef Johnny Iuzzini, one of the show’s judges

Status: ABC has pulled the show, which was in the middle of its holiday run. This season’s winner will be announced at a later date; ABC will air repeats of other holiday specials in its place.

What happened: According to Variety, four of Iuzzini’s former employees claimed that the celebrity chef sexually harassed and abused them. “In light of allegations that recently came to our attention, ABC has ended its relationship with Johnny Iuzzini and will not be airing the remainder of ‘The Great American Baking Show’ episodes,” an ABC spokesperson told Variety. “ABC takes matters such as those described in the allegations very seriously and has come to the conclusion that they violate our standards of conduct.”

Andrew Kreisberg
Andrew KreisbergPar/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock

“The Flash” (The CW)
“Supergirl” (The CW)

Who: Executive producer Andrew Kreisberg

Status: Kreisberg has been fired; in his absence, Greg Berlanti will assume additional responsibilities on both “The Flash,” where he will work closely with executive producer/co-showrunner Todd Helbing, and “Supergirl,” where he will work closely with executive producers/co-showrunners Robert Rovner and Jessica Queller.

What happened:  Variety reported that, “according to 15 women and four men who have worked with him,” Kreisberg has “engaged in a pattern of alleged sexual harassment and inappropriate physical contact over a period of years.”

Matt Lauer
Matt LauerErik Pendzich/REX/Shutterstock

“Today Show” (NBC)

Who: Anchor Matt Lauer

Status: Lauer was fired from the morning show, and will not be paid severance. Hoda Kotb has joined “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie on a temporary basis, but NBC hasn’t yet revealed how it will replace Lauer permanently.

What happened: Lauer was removed right before news reports emerged accusing the anchor of sexual misconduct. A report from Variety included three women who came forward accusing the former anchor of sexual harassment. One of the women said Lauer gave her a sex toy as a present and wrote an explicit note describing how he wanted to use it on her, while a woman told Variety that Lauer asked her to come into his office one day and that he exposed himself to her when she entered. The New York Times followed up that report with stories from additional women.

Danny MastersonREX/Shutterstock

“The Ranch” (Netflix)

Who: Star Danny Masterson (Jameson “Rooster” Bennett)

Status: Masterson has been fired, and will be written out of the show as production resumes in 2018. But ten more episodes from Season 2 will premiere on Dec. 15 with Masterson, as well as the first ten episodes from Season 3, scheduled to launch in 2018.

What happened: Masterson was fired following multiple rape and sexual assault allegations made against him that date back to the early 2000s. “As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of ‘The Ranch,’” Netflix said in an official statement. “[Monday] was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him.”

USA Embargo 10th Nov 2017Mandatory Credit: Photo by Sundholm Magnus/action press/REX/Shutterstock (9134594a)Jeremy Piven'Wisdom of the Crowd' film photocall, Four Seasons Hotel, Los Angeles, USA - 11 Oct 2017
Jeremy PivenMa/action press/REX/Shutterstock

“Wisdom of the Crowd” (CBS)

Who: Star Jeremy Piven (Jeffrey Tanner)

Status: “Wisdom of the Crowd” hasn’t been picked up for a full season, due to low ratings — resolving the fate of the show.

What happened: Piven has been accused of assault by reality star Ariane Bellamar, as well as “predatory behavior” by “Longmire” and “Smallville” star Cassidy Freeman.

TV News anchor Charlie Rose TV News anchor Charlie Rose walks through the Trump Tower, in New YorkTrump, New York, USA - 21 Nov 2016
Charlie RoseKaster/AP/REX/Shutterstock

“CBS This Morning”/”60 Minutes” (CBS)
“Charlie Rose” (PBS)

Who: Anchor Charlie Rose

Status: Rose has been fired by both CBS and PBS. “CBS This Morning” continues with anchors Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell; CBS News has not yet announced whether Rose’s slot will be replaced, or by whom. Rose will also no longer contribute to “60 Minutes.” At PBS, production on “Charlie Rose,” produced by Rose for PBS, which distributed the show in late night, has halted — but staffers will be paid until the end of the year. PBS will temporarily begin offering “Amanpour on PBS,” a version of Christiane Amanpour’s CNN International interview program “Amanpour,” to stations to air at 11 p.m. ET, and is mulling how to fill the 11:30 p.m. timeslot.

What happened: Rose was fired after a Washington Post report revealed that eight women accused Rose of making unwanted sexual advances towards them. Among the allegations: Rose walked around naked in front of female co-workers, had lewd phone calls with them in which he shared sexual fantasies, and groped them.

“The Loud House” (Nickelodeon)

Who: Creator Chris Savino

Status: Savino has been fired by Nickelodeon; “The Loud House” Season 3, which has already been produced, will premiere in early 2018 as scheduled.

What happened: At least a dozen women have accused Savino of harassment over the last decade. “Chris Savino is no longer working with Nickelodeon. We take allegations of misconduct very seriously, and we are committed to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment that is free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct,” the channel said.

Mark Schwahn
Mark SchwahnShutterstock

“The Royals” (E!)

Who: Executive producer Mark Schwahn

Status: Mark Schwahn has been suspended, but not fired, from the show, as series producer Lionsgate and E! parent NBCUniversal investigate multiple allegations against the writer. “The Royals” has already finished production on its fourth season, which is set to return in March.

What happened: Schwahn has been accused of harassment by at least 40 women, including female cast and crewmembers from his previous series “One Tree Hill.” That was followed by a letter, signed by 25 female crew members on “The Royals,” who described “repeated unwanted sexual harassment.”

“E!, Universal Cable Productions and Lionsgate Television take sexual harassment allegations very seriously, investigate them thoroughly and independently, and take appropriate action,” the companies said in a statement. “Lionsgate has suspended Mark Schwahn from ‘The Royals’ as we continue our investigation.”

Russell SimmonsTreats! Magazine 3rd Annual White Party Presented by Absolute Elyx and Stella Artois, Los Angeles - 07 Sep 2015
Russell SimmonsNancy Gomez/BFA/REX/Shutterstock

“All Def Comedy” (HBO)

Who: Executive Producer Russell Simmons

Status: Simmons has been removed from the series, and his credits scrubbed from the show, which debuted on Dec. 1.

What happened: Simmons has been accused by multiple women of assault, including one woman who told the Los Angeles Times that the mogul forced her to perform oral sex on him while director Brett Ratner watched. Also, “Rachel Getting Married” screenwriter Jenny Lumet accused Simmons of assaulting her in 1991 when she was 24 years old.

“HBO will be airing ‘All Def Comedy’ as planned,” an HBO spokesperson said. “However, Russell Simmons will not appear in the new series and we will be removing his name from the show moving forward.  The series is a platform for promising and upcoming comedians and we do not want to deprive them of an opportunity to showcase their talents to a national audience.  We have no other projects with Russell Simmons.”

Author and talk show host Tavis Smiley speaks at Book Expo America in New York. Smiley and director Kenny Leon are developing a play based on Smiley's new book about his long friendship with Maya Angelou, "My Journey With MayaTheater-Maya Angelou, New York, USA
Tavis SmileyLennihan/AP/REX/Shutterstock

“Tavis Smiley” (PBS)

Who: Host Tavis Smiley

Status: Distribution of the talk show “Tavis Smiley,” which had aired on PBS since 2004, has been suspended.

What happened: “PBS engaged an outside law firm to conduct an investigation immediately after learning of troubling allegations regarding Mr. Smiley,” the broadcaster told Variety. “This investigation included interviews with witnesses as well as with Mr. Smiley. The inquiry uncovered multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS, and the totality of this information led to today’s decision.”

Kevin Spacey House of Cards
Kevin SpaceyNetflix

“House of Cards” (Netflix)

Who: Star/executive producer Kevin Spacey (Frank Underwood)

Status: Spacey has been fired, and “House of Cards” will return for an eight-episode sixth and final season led by star Robin Wright. “We are excited to bring closure to fans,” Netflix’s Ted Sarandos said at a conference. The show is currently on production hiatus but will resume filming in 2018.

What happened: Actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making sexual advances toward him in 1985, when he was only 14 years old. Since then, other allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct have been revealed, including from eight members of the “House of Cards” crew, who told CNN that Spacey allegedly harassed young men who worked on the show.

“As the producer of the show, creating and maintaining a safe working environment for our cast and crew has always been our top priority,” production company MRC said in a statement. “We have consistently reinforced the importance of employees reporting any incident without fear of retaliation and we have investigated and taken appropriate actions following any complaints.”

Jeffrey TamborBAFTA Tea Party, Los Angeles, USA - 16 Sep 2017
Jeffrey TamborRob Latour/REX/Shutterstock

“Transparent” (Amazon)

Who: Star Jeffrey Tambor (Maura Pfefferman)

Status: Unclear, as Tambor initially said that he was exiting the series following several accusations of sexual harassment against the Emmy-winning actor. But Tambor has now told the New York Times that he hasn’t quit the show. Amazon has so far not commented on the status of Tambor’s employment.

What happened: Tambor has been accused of sexual misconduct by his former assistant Van Barnes and his “Transparent” co-star Trace Lysette, as well as makeup assistant Tamara Delbridge, who said Tambor forcibly kissed her on the set of the film “Never Again” in 2001. In light of the news, reports had already emerged that “Transparent” was considering writing Tambor out of the show, when he announced that he was leaving.

“Playing Maura Pfefferman on Transparent has been one of the greatest privileges and creative experiences of my life,” Tambor said in a statement to Deadline. “What has become clear over the past weeks, however, is that this is no longer the job I signed up for four years ago. I’ve already made clear my deep regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being aggressive, but the idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue. Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to Transparent.”

Matthew Weiner
Matthew WeinerLatour/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

“The Romanoffs” (Amazon)

Who: Executive producer/creator Matthew Weiner

Status: Production on “The Romanoffs,” an anthology series about people who are believed to be the descendants of the Russian family, continues. The show features a wide guest cast including Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Amanda Peet, Isabelle Huppert, Corey Stoll, Janet Montgomery, Paul Reiser and Andrew Rannells. Amazon Studios is now solely producing, having taken over sole oversight from Weinstein Television.

What happened: Amazon parted ways with Weinstein Co. after multiple reports of sexual assault by company founder Harvey Weinstein. Separately, “The Romanoffs” creator Matthew Weiner faced a sexual harassment allegation after former “Mad Men” writer Kater Gordon said Weiner, who created the critically acclaimed AMC series, told her one night while working on a script that “he said she owed it to him to let him see her naked.” A spokesperson for Weiner said, “He does not remember saying this comment nor does it reflect a comment he would say to any colleague.”

Harvey Weinstein
Harvey WeinsteinMichael Hurcomb/REX/Shutterstock

Untitled David O. Russell project (Amazon)
“Project Runway” (Lifetime)
“Six” (History)
“Waco” (Paramount Network)
“Yellowstone” (Paramount Network)

Who: Weinstein Co. partner Harvey Weinstein

Status: The pricey $160 million series from director David O. Russell, set to star Julianne Moore and Robert De Niro, was canceled by Amazon in light of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Weinstein Co. shows that have already been filming, including Lifetime’s long-running “Project Runway,” History’s “Six” and Paramount Network’s “Waco” and “Yellowstone,” have been stripped of Harvey Weinstein’s executive producer credit.

What happened: Weinstein was fired from the company in light of several damning accusations of sexual harassment and assault, as well as evidence that the mogul attempted to thwart an internal investigation of his actions. The decision to cancel production on the Russell project also came a day after Amazon Studios boss Roy Price, who picked up the show, was placed on indefinite leave due to sexual harassment allegations. He later left the company.

Ed WestwickBAFTA Tea Party, Los Angeles, USA - 16 Sep 2017
Ed WestwickSalangsang/BFA/REX/Shutterstock

“Ordeal by Innocence” (BBC/Amazon)
“White Gold” (BBC/Netflix)

Who: Star Ed Westwick

Status: The Agatha Christie special “Ordeal by Innocence,” set to air during the Christmas season on the BBC, will no longer air. (It’s unclear whether the show will still be on Amazon). Filming on the 1980s-set comedy “White Gold,” which had started last month, has now been halted.

What happened: Kristina Cohen has said Westwick assaulted her, and filed a police report against him with the Los Angeles Police Department.  Former actress Aurélie Wynn has accused him of raping her in July 2014.

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