Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera went on a Twitter storm to defend fired Today co-anchor Matt Lauer. But Rivera probably made himself look worse instead of making Lauer look better.
Lauer, who was fired Wednesday for inappropriate sexual behavior, turned out to have quite a record of sexual harassment.
But Rivera seemed to think Lauer’s behavior was no big deal. Rivera took to Twitter to suggest that “the current epidemic” of sexual harassment allegations “may be criminalizing courtship.”
Sad about @MLauer great guy, highly skilled & empathetic w guests & a real gentleman to my family & me. News is a flirty business & it seems like current epidemic of #SexHarassmentAllegations may be criminalizing courtship & conflating it w predation. What about #GarrisonKeillor?
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 29, 2017
A jerk's a jerk in dating. #SexHarassment should be confined to situations where superior imposes himself on subordinate who feels unable to complain because of power of perp or feared consequences to victim's employment. Shouldn't be used to get even w bad bosses or hated ex's
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 29, 2017
Heard well-regarded women in media today suggesting morning shows go to an all-female format. That should be as unacceptably retro as the other way around.
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 29, 2017
#SexHarassment allegations should require: 1-made in a timely fashion-say w/n 5 yrs. 2-some contemporaneous corroboration, like witnesses, electronic or written communications. W $ settlements in multi-millions slight chance exists some victims are motivated by more than justice
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 29, 2017
This issue is so red hot right now there is no room for any thought or opinion but hang em high. If News wasn’t (formerly) a flirty biz then how do we explain so many newsroom courtships that have led to happy marriages?
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 29, 2017
Those tweets did not sit well with Fox News. the New York Daily News reported that Fox issued a statement saying, "Geraldo's tweets do not reflect the views of FOX News or its management," and "We were troubled by his comments and are addressing them with him." After that statement, Rivera, apologized on Twitter:
Reaction to my tweets today on #sexharassment makes clear
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 30, 2017
I didn't sufficiently explain that this is a horrendous problem
long hidden-Harassers are deviants who deserve what is coming
to them-Often victims are too frightened to come
forward in a timely fashion-I humbly apologize
But Rivera's bad press did not end there. In addition to the smackdown by Fox, reporter Yashar Ali tweeted out an old interview clip of Bette Midler. "She says @GeraldoRivera and his producer shoved her into her bathroom, stuck poppers under her nose, and proceeded to grope her," Ali wrote.
The Daily News also noted that Rivera has boasted about having bedded "1,000 women thanks to lax 'workplace protections' in the '70s and '80s."
Watch the Midler clip below, via Yashar Ali:
(Rivera image via screen grab)
WATCH: @BetteMidler to Barbara Walters in an interview over 20 years ago. She says @GeraldoRivera and his producer shoved her into her bathroom, stuck poppers under her nose, and proceeded to grope her. pic.twitter.com/Ax1MJwrP69
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) November 29, 2017