If only we could all have a super cool office nickname like ex-CBSer Charlie Rose.
As revealed to lawyers during a deposition for a sexual harassment lawsuit brought against him by three women who say he did and said a bunch of creepy things, it’s “Charlie Fuck’n Rose.” (RELATED: Charlie Rose Got One Hell Of A 75th Birthday Present)
Except there was largely no actual alleged fucking involved. Just (well, not just) wannabe workplace fucking and weird stuff like inappropriate naked swimming fantasies, dirty comments, and unwanted touching. The women named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Katherine Brooks Harris, Sydney McNeal, and Chelsea Wei. Rose was executive producer of his Charlie Rose black-screened talk show between 1991 and 2017.
The nickname whispers something sweet. Yet flip. And screams understated cowboy. Some details of the depo — which included questions he had to answer about his fabulous nickname — were reported in The Hollywood Reporter Tuesday.
The deposition, which happened in November, is now public. However, in it, Rose’s lawyer has a lengthy exchange with the plaintiffs’ lawyer about the deposition being forked over to the media.
“In other words, what we do not want you to do is to take the deposition or any other information you obtain in this litigation and go to the press with it,” said Jonathan Bach, Rose’s attorney.
Plantiff attorney Kenneth Goldberg replied that he stands behind any “representations” he made concerning the deposition, but could not remember what those were. He said the plaintiffs have the right to use the information.
To be sure, the court filings are bursting with details. One day Brooks found Rose “staring at her.” He then began taking her to lunch at expensive restaurants and “floating job opportunities” at 60 Minutes and Charlie Rose. He allegedly told her, “You help me get through the day.” Harris eventually worked as his assistant producer.
In one vivid example, Harris once wore a mini skirt with roses on it.
Rose allegedly said they were his roses.
Other allegations include touching the women’s thighs, giving unwanted hugs and pulling them close and giving them wet kisses on the cheek. There were allegedly questions about their sex lives as well as suggestions that the women have sex with each other. “I better not hear stories about two young women swimming naked together,” he allegedly said when Harris and McNeal visited his home in Bellport, New York.
In a deposition, Harris said, “He looked for opportunities to touch me. …On at least one occasion, I was wearing a skirt, and after I sat down on a bench, Rose sat down and intentionally slid his hand under my buttocks.”
Rose didn’t always find things — pardon the expression — rosy.
He also, on occasion, allegedly grew angry with the women. The court filing says he degraded the women by saying things like, “I didn’t know I had hired a fucking Kindergartener.” He also allegedly called them “fucking idiots.”
Goldberg, the plaintiff attorney, questioned Rose about his infamous nickname.
GOLDBERG: Did you have a nickname in the studio, Charlie fuck’n Rose?
ROSE: I’ve heard that, yes.
GOLDBERG: Did Gayle King refer to you that way?
ROSE: Yes.
GOLDBERG: How about Norah O’Donnell, did she use that term with you?
ROSE: I could imagine she did, but I don’t remember specifically.
….
GOLDBERG: Did you ever flirt with Gayle King?
ROSE: Yes.
GOLDBERG: Did you flirt with Norah O’Donnell?
ROSE: Yes.
Rose could not remember if he had ever kissed King or O’Donnell on the lips, but said it was possible in “special circumstances.” (RELATED: Gayle King Talks To BFF Oprah Amid Stinky Rose Debacle)
Goldberg pressed Rose repeatedly on whether he had sexual relationships with any of his employees. To which he replied, “Yes,” before his lawyer objected to the questions of this nature again, again and again.
He also questioned Rose on whether he also kissed and hugged male employees. To which he said, “Yes,” but could not recall which ones.
In November, 2017, The Washington Post reported that eight women had come forward to say that Rose had sexually harassed them. Excerpts of the story are in the filing. After the story emerged, Rose fired Harris and McNeal.
In November of that year, CBS fired Rose and he released a statement on Twitter.
He “deeply apologized” for his behavior while saying that he has been an “advocate” for women in his workplaces. He said he had reached a new “profound respect” for women. He denied many of the allegations against him and said he “always felt” that he was “pursing shared feelings.”
The entire stomach-churning document goes on for 226 pages.
Ugh. Gross.
