Ex-Fox News Host Gretchen Carlson Sues Roger Ailes For Sexual Harassment

[werepossum]

Can't fire her now, that's for sure. Right, wrong or indifferent she just gave herself maybe a decade of job security. She's 50 & Faux isn't famous for aging female personas.

Wait - she's STILL there?

EDIT: She is NOT still there.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money...nt-lawsuit-against-foxs-roger-ailes/86752408/

Her contract ran out June 23 and she filed a lawsuit July 6, so it's safe to assume she's felt this way for some time. Nonetheless, I am suspicious. According to Breitbart, Ailes said: “I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago and then you’d be good and better and I’d be good and better,” Ailes allegedly told Carlson in his office, according to the lawsuit.

I cannot imagine even Roger Ailes trying to convince someone that ANYONE would be good OR better after having sex with Roger Ailes. I picture him more as a "C'mon, it won't be nearly as disgusting as you think it'll be, mostly 'cause it'll be over quickly. How about a little charity for Christ's sake?"

 

[Brian Stirling]

The thing is, Gretchen Carlson is only 50. There are numerous female anchors who have persisted to much older ages: Katie Couric, Barbara Walters, Jane Pauley, Connie Cheung, Diane Sawyer (still active at 70), etc. Either Fox News viewers are more shallow than the general population or there's more to this firing than the fact that she is a little less doable than she was 10 years ago.

Women on the national news programs tend to have longer careers but they are also selected in the first place based, in no small way, on physical attractiveness. Diane Sawyer, for example, competed in many beauty pageants in the 60's. But, when you get outside of the national news programs and down to the local news there is a lot of beautiful young news casters of both sexes.

As an aside I've traveled all over the country and I've noticed a pattern to the local news outfits no matter where they are. You could be in the deepest southern state and way out in the sticks and the local news will likely have the two main leads that sound like they could be from NY or CA as they have little or no local accent. You do tend to see the sports guy with a local accent and maybe the weather guy, but the main anchors all sound like they've been stamped out of a factory in NY or CA.


Brian

 

[werepossum]

Women on the national news programs tend to have longer careers but they are also selected in the first place based, in no small way, on physical attractiveness. Diane Sawyer, for example, competed in many beauty pageants in the 60's. But, when you get outside of the national news programs and down to the local news there is a lot of beautiful young news casters of both sexes.

As an aside I've traveled all over the country and I've noticed a pattern to the local news outfits no matter where they are. You could be in the deepest southern state and way out in the sticks and the local news will likely have the two main leads that sound like they could be from NY or CA as they have little or no local accent. You do tend to see the sports guy with a local accent and maybe the weather guy, but the main anchors all sound like they've been stamped out of a factory in NY or CA.


Brian

If memory serves, it's the middle or plains midwest accent that is sought, for that accent is judged by every other region as being no accent at all.

To your first point, Gretchen Carlson is a former Miss America or similar. Of all the Fox News girls, I can't think of one except Gretta who isn't a babe. Although most are also former federal prosecutors or such, so clearly they aren't selected only for looks.

 

[Brian Stirling]

If memory serves, it's the middle or plains midwest accent that is sought, for that accent is judged by every other region as being no accent at all.

To your first point, Gretchen Carlson is a former Miss America or similar. Of all the Fox News girls, I can't think of one except Gretta who isn't a babe. Although most are also former federal prosecutors or such, so clearly they aren't selected only for looks.

No, I don't think so -- there is a range of accents in the mid west and plains and the default accent is defined by the accent that has dominated from the beginning when only the major metro areas like NYC were available. To be sure they were not the typical Brooklyn accent of street types but more the refined speaking voices.

My point though is that the news business is first of all a business and that they have perfected the methods over many decades and know what works (sells). And, on point, attractive sells way better than ugly.


Brian

 

[woolfe9998]

Women on the national news programs tend to have longer careers but they are also selected in the first place based, in no small way, on physical attractiveness. Diane Sawyer, for example, competed in many beauty pageants in the 60's. But, when you get outside of the national news programs and down to the local news there is a lot of beautiful young news casters of both sexes.

As an aside I've traveled all over the country and I've noticed a pattern to the local news outfits no matter where they are. You could be in the deepest southern state and way out in the sticks and the local news will likely have the two main leads that sound like they could be from NY or CA as they have little or no local accent. You do tend to see the sports guy with a local accent and maybe the weather guy, but the main anchors all sound like they've been stamped out of a factory in NY or CA.


Brian

Right, I agree they are selected for looks in the first place. Gretchen Carlson was no exception. I just don't think some decline in her looks is a likely reason for poor ratings. Others have continued on long after their looks declined.

 

[firstalltheway]

I picture him more as a "C'mon, it won't be nearly as disgusting as you think it'll be, mostly 'cause it'll be over quickly. How about a little charity for Christ's sake?"

Funniest thing I have read today.

 

[werepossum]

No, I don't think so -- there is a range of accents in the mid west and plains and the default accent is defined by the accent that has dominated from the beginning when only the major metro areas like NYC were available. To be sure they were not the typical Brooklyn accent of street types but more the refined speaking voices.

My point though is that the news business is first of all a business and that they have perfected the methods over many decades and know what works (sells). And, on point, attractive sells way better than ugly.

Brian

Agreed.

Right, I agree they are selected for looks in the first place. Gretchen Carlson was no exception. I just don't think some decline in her looks is a likely reason for poor ratings. Others have continued on long after their looks declined.

According to her, her cable show was the highest rated cable news show in its slot. I have no idea how its ratings compare to the show it replaced, non-cable news shows in the same time slot, or FoxNews shows in general, mostly because I cannot muster a spare fuck to invest in searching out such data, so I have no idea if there was a relevant drop in ratings.

Funniest thing I have read today.

Then my job here is done.

 

[AreaAffect]

You mean this lady:

Didn't want to sleep with this... uhh... man? Is that a man or Jaba the Hutt?

I'm SHOCKED!

My question for Mr. Ailes is... why didn't you go for this one?

 

[AreaAffect]

I think Ailes is going to be hit pretty hard by these allegations. It's likely more women with details of bad behavior will come out of the shadows. Enough that Fox will have to make changes.


It also seems like he definitely has a "type" he likes for anchors, correspondents, reporters, contributors, etc.

(Note: I found this online. It's a "meme" which means it has been "fairly balanced" to make an amusing point. So take it with a grain of salt. I know not all Fox News folks are represented here)

Well I guess it's good he is giving them jobs and a paycheck instead of... uh... cutting them up and dumping them in the river? Most men who have a "type" like this are doing the latter... or maybe I watch too much Crime TV.

 

[werepossum]

You mean this lady:

Didn't want to sleep with this... uhh... man? Is that a man or Jaba the Hutt?

I'm SHOCKED!

My question for Mr. Ailes is... why didn't you go for this one?

Man's got to know his limitations.

 

[jackstar7]

My question for Mr. Ailes is... why didn't you go for this one?

He likely goes for all of them.

 

[kage69]

I'm more interested in will he have to show his junk to the Police to prove there is no identifiable characteristic or will other fox news babes be dragged into the court room or will he do what every smart wealthy guy does and make a big private settlement.

Well I agree Bill O'Rielly is at least wealthy. Something tells me pay off day is going to hurt Ailes more though. He harassed a popular figure and I expect it will cost him more.

Heard in the car yesterday even Steve Doocey has his share of complaints from the ladies, which confounds me in many ways. That sniveling little worm actually tries to dominate and sexually harass women? Picturing that makes me laugh in amazement.


Yeah, no culture of this shit at Fox at all.

 

[kage69]

Man's got to know his limitations.

Or a man sees the fear of not being "in with the pretty ones" and/or being professionally marginalized as a lubed shoehorn for a pile of red, marbled, possibly infected Hutt genitals.

 

[Blackjack200]

To your first point, Gretchen Carlson is a former Miss America or similar. Of all the Fox News girls, I can't think of one except Gretta who isn't a babe. Although most are also former federal prosecutors or such, so clearly they aren't selected only for looks.

Really; that's interesting. I knew Megyn Kelly and Greta Van Susteren were lawyers, didn't know they had any federal prosecutors or people at that level.

As an aside, I think it's funny that I don't watch Fox News, but I know the anchors and reporters better than any other network.

Kelly, O'Reilly, Van Susteren, Brett Baire, Brit Hume, Chris Wallace, etc. etc. are like cultural figures.

I cannot muster a spare fuck to invest in searching out such data, so I have no idea if there was a relevant drop in ratings.

This.

 

[HomerJS]

You mean this lady:


Didn't want to sleep with this... uhh... man? Is that a man or Jaba the Hutt?

I think its Alfred Hitchcock

 

[werepossum]

Really; that's interesting. I knew Megyn Kelly and Greta Van Susteren were lawyers, didn't know they had any federal prosecutors or people at that level.

As an aside, I think it's funny that I don't watch Fox News, but I know the anchors and reporters better than any other network.

Kelly, O'Reilly, Van Susteren, Brett Baire, Brit Hume, Chris Wallace, etc. etc. are like cultural figures.

This.

Jeanine Piro and Kimberly Guilfoyle were district attorneys, Lis Wiehl is an attorney and former investigative counsel for House of Representatives, Jamie Colby is an attorney and former law professor. Ailes likes for them to look like pole dancers, but there are some smart women there.

 

[woolfe9998]

According to her, her cable show was the highest rated cable news show in its slot. I have no idea how its ratings compare to the show it replaced, non-cable news shows in the same time slot, or FoxNews shows in general, mostly because I cannot muster a spare fuck to invest in searching out such data, so I have no idea if there was a relevant drop in ratings.

There seems to be some dispute about the ratings. One would think this is subject to verification. It is obviously a critical issue in her lawsuit.

I've got a feeling that Fox News is going to have to pay up on this one.

 

[woolfe9998]

You mean this lady:

Didn't want to sleep with this... uhh... man? Is that a man or Jaba the Hutt?

I'm SHOCKED!

My question for Mr. Ailes is... why didn't you go for this one?

I think Gretchen is attractive for a woman of 50. Sure, the younger ones are generally better looking. Nonetheless, this whole point about being skeptical of the allegations because of her looks is just weird.

 

[werepossum]

There seems to be some dispute about the ratings. One would think this is subject to verification. It is obviously a critical issue in her lawsuit.

I've got a feeling that Fox News is going to have to pay up on this one.

Ratings are easily verified, but can be extensively argued in context. Especially when mapped against payroll.

I suspect they'll offer her a couple hundred grand to go away. Maybe even half a mil; with her lawsuit filed this quickly after her non-renewal, I suspect she's been documenting evidence for quite some time. Although it's worth pointing out that Guilfoyle, a former prosecutor, reviewed her filing and found zero evidence submitted with it. I don't know if that's common, but if not, this thing may get dismissed quickly. If not, then I think Ailes will pay to make it go away, since there are apparently plenty of other women willing to jump on the bandwagon.

As a lawyer, how damaging will Carlson's book thanking and praising Ailes be to her case? Seems to me that alone would make success unlikely.

 

[sunzt]

Ratings are easily verified, but can be extensively argued in context. Especially when mapped against payroll.

I suspect they'll offer her a couple hundred grand to go away. Maybe even half a mil; with her lawsuit filed this quickly after her non-renewal, I suspect she's been documenting evidence for quite some time. Although it's worth pointing out that Guilfoyle, a former prosecutor, reviewed her filing and found zero evidence submitted with it. I don't know if that's common, but if not, this thing may get dismissed quickly. If not, then I think Ailes will pay to make it go away, since there are apparently plenty of other women willing to jump on the bandwagon.

As a lawyer, how damaging will Carlson's book thanking and praising Ailes be to her case? Seems to me that alone would make success unlikely.

Just because she praised him in the book when she was an employee of his doesn't preclude him being a sexual predator at the time or before.

 

[werepossum]

Just because she praised him in the book when she was an employee of his doesn't preclude him being a sexual predator at the time or before.

That's true, but it has to be strong evidence against her claim OR a smear on her character. Either she didn't believe he was a sexual predator two years ago, or she wrote that glowing praise about a sexual predator strictly for her own financial gain.

 

[Brian Stirling]

In the absence of additional women coming forward to verify her claims she's likely to lose. There does, however, appear to be other women making similar claims and if they testify in court then the advantage swings to Carlson. But, the statement she made about Ailes being a great guy in the book may be the death sentence for her case whether her claims are true or not...


Brian

 

[pcgeek11]

There does, however, appear to be other women making similar claims and if they testify in court then the advantage swings to Carlson.


Brian

There are always opportunist ready to jump onto a perceived gravy train.

 

[jackstar7]

There are always opportunist ready to jump onto a perceived gravy train.

Spoken like a real SQW.

 

[pcgeek11]

Spoken like a real SQW.

Nope. Just the facts.