[Blind Gossip] You know by now that Fox News fired CEO Roger Ailes because he was sexually harassing female employees.
Several women quit, were fired, or walked away from the company after the scandal broke.
Let’s talk about one of the female employees who did not walk away.
You may remember Andrea Tantaros from this interesting BG dating blind item from last year.
Tantaros was a savvy political analyst and news commentator on several Fox shows. She mysteriously disappeared from the air a few months ago. She didn’t quit. She wasn’t fired. She just… disappeared.
Fox says she is not on the air because of a book promotion contract dispute.
Tantaros says it’s because Fox knew that Roger Ailes had sexually harassed her and Fox wouldn’t let her back on the air until she promised not to file a complaint.
As soon as she said that Ailes had harassed her, some of her colleagues – like Geraldo Rivera and Greta Van Susteren – attacked her, claiming she was a liar and vindictive and that her assertions were “obviously false.” After Ailes resigned, Geraldo apologized and Greta left the network.
Fox then offered Tantaros a seven-figure settlement to keep her mouth shut. Tantaros declined, saying that the money alone would not ensure a change in culture at Fox.
On Good Morning America, she explained what she is doing.
Former Host Andrea Tantaros Hopes to Bring ‘Accountability’ to Fox News
Former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros hopes to bring “accountability” to the network, which is at the center of allegations of sexual misconduct, she said today on ABC News’ “Good Morning America.”
“Fox News has plenty of money. They’ve bought off a lot of women. What they don’t have is accountability,” Tantaros said this morning, in an exclusive appearance to explain her speaking out.
In August, Tantaros joined other female Fox News personalities to allege abusive behavior at the company when she filed a lawsuit claiming that the network “operates like a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion–like cult, steeped in intimidation, indecency and misogyny.”
In court filings responding to the suit, Fox News said that Tantaros “is not a victim; she is an opportunist” and that her “unverified” lawsuit “bears all the hallmarks of the ‘wannabe.’”
Tantaros told “GMA” today that “Ailes sexually harassed me numerous times. I was walking to a taping once and just said simply hello to him, and he said, ‘We need to get you a tighter dress.’”
Today she reiterated a claim made in her lawsuit that Fox News used the publication of her book to attempt to silence her.
In her lawsuit, she alleged that she was taken off the air this spring “based upon the outrageously false and pretextual claim that Tantaros’ still unpublished book had been written in violation of Fox News’ rules for books authored by Fox News employees.”
At the time, a Fox News representative said, “Issues have arisen regarding Andrea’s contract, and Fox News Channel has determined it best that she take some time off. She is still under contract with the network.”
Tantaros also said that settling the lawsuit would require her to, among other things, renounce her sexual harassment complaints and pledge silence. She said she was not comfortable agreeing to those conditions.
Good for you, Andrea!
On to the blind item.
Did you catch the “Fox News has bought off a lot of women” comment?
We know that Gretchen Carlson settled with Fox for $20 million.
Which other female newscasters do you think settled with Fox?
How much do you think they received?
Are they still working there?
Related: Red Hot New Couple Alert
Related: Sex With Roger Ailes
Newscasters:
[Optional] If you were a female newscaster at Fox and were sexually harassed, what would you do? Stay/quit/sue/demand change?
celebiddy says
well kimberly guilfoyle, dana perino, harri faulkner, kennedy, megyn kelly, meghan mccain, melissa francis & the horribly annoying julie roginsky, are all on everyday, so any of them could’ve taken the hush money. i miss andrea, she is one smart cookie! always looked forward to her input. gretchen and geraldo both suck by the way! (not as much as julie roginsky though)
celebiddy says
oh and honestly i’m not that noble, i would’ve taken the money and split
amagod121 says
Megyn Kelly settled. Big bucks. Probably a cool $20 mill, just like Gretchen Carlson. And in Megyn’s case, a stipulation in her contract that she could wear the secsiest clothes she wanted to wear while reporting the news.
Turbo65 says
Yeea eye candy on Fox News.
Cranny07 says
I would sue and demand change, but if they have put a hand on me on me, they would receive some broken or missing fingers once I try to twist them off.
As for Geraldo Rivera, I never care much for him, this confirm my opion of him as a jerk.
Greta Van Susteren, totally lost respect for her.
As for Andrea Tantaros, she became my hero.
amagod121 says
True about Greta but then she said she hadn’t known everything that was going on and left Fox immediately due to the culture it fostered from Ailes’ treatment of women. So I guess she left Fox to support the ladies cause? I’m not sure. Oh yeah, and Geraldo is, a jerk. But at least he apologized, which I think took a lot of guts. Tantaros I do not know but telling the true story instead of taking the hush money takes integrity. A LOT of integrity (I would have taken the money.)
PizzaDog says
Fox News ‘operates like a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion–like cult, steeped in intimidation, indecency and misogyny’?? Shocking! Said no one ever.
No idea who the women were who were paid off, but they might want to learn a thing or two about integrity and dignity from Ms Tantaros.
bella245 says
Dunno. Maybe Megyn K. $30mil.
bernice sanders says
That yappy Hasslebeck picked up and moved to Nashville.
Jeddadia Bila is now on the View.
They probably should have waited it out for a better payday.
PinkSlip says
Meh who cares…..take as much money as possible and get the hell out, and leave all those bloodsuckers to leech each other to nothingness
BennyLavaandtheJets says
I love this. I may have to adopt it as my personal motto this holiday season!
RingsofSaturn says
Might Elisabeth Hasselbeck be on of those women??
lepidoteran says
I definitely think Megyn Kelly got a huge hush-money paycheck. If she had evidence of harrassment, that would help with contract negotiations.