News Anchor Off the Air after Claims of Misconduct
A News Anchor has been taken off the air after some women have come forward claiming that the Anchor acted inappropriately.
E! News Anchor Ken Baker (it's OK....I have no clue who he is either) is off the air as the network launches their own investigation into the matter.
Here's what Baker had to say in a statement earlier today.
"I am very disturbed by these anonymous allegations, which make my heart ache. I take them very seriously. I care deeply for people's feelings and sincerely live in a way that treats people with dignity and respect."
TVWeb writes that the first accuser, a former E! News employee, revealed that in 2012, Ken Baker called her into his "dimly-lit office," and at one point, asked her to sit on his lap. He had called her in to look at a script, and she needed to lean across him to see the screen, which is when he said she could sit on him. She added that the comment could have been taken as a joke, but he then pushed his chair back so she could actually sit on his lap. She added that he often made "inappropriate comments" or touched her in ways that made her feel uncomfortable, and that after that incident, she made it a point to make sure that other young women weren't alone in a room with Baker. Here's what the accuser, speaking under the condition of anonymity, had to say about his inappropriate behavior.
"He makes physical comments like, 'That's a really cute outfit' or 'That's a really tight shirt.' He would put his hand on my waist and leave it there too long. I almost feel like it's a power trip. It's like, 'I can do these things.'"
The second accuser, also speaking under the condition of anonymity, was a former intern at E! News, who said Baker kissed her without consent in 2011 and propositioned her for sex numerous times over the years, and in 2015, he wanted to give her a "Tiffany dildo with Ken Baker engraved on the shaft."
The ex-intern's story was corroborated by the first accuser, along with the ex-intern's life coach (only in LA do Interns have life coaches), who is also speaking under the condition of anonymity, and said that she wanted to report Ken Baker immediately after the ex-intern showed her the texts.
The ex-intern didn't want to turn him in, worried that she might lose career opportunities if she came forward. Here's what E! News had to say in a statement about the allegations.
"E! has a longstanding commitment to providing a safe working environment in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity. We take all complaints of misconduct seriously, and thoroughly investigate all allegations of harassment."
H/T TVWeb