PBS host Tavis Smiley suspended for allegations of sexual misconduct. He vows to âfight back.â â TheBlaze
Tavis Smiley
PBS announced Wednesday that it has âindefinitely suspendedâ the âTavis Smileyâ show and its namesake host amid sexual misconduct allegations  but  the talk show host  said  he  plans to âfight back.â
 Smiley  took to social media after the announcement and unequivocally denied the accusations of any wrongdoing against  him .
My response to PBS suspension full text here: https://t.co/SzcQLfQWeX pic.twitter.com/8KX2QIr660 â Tavis Smiley (@tavissmiley) December 14  2017
The investigation âfound credible allegations that  Smiley  had engaged in sexual relationships with multiple subordinatesâ and that some feared âtheir employment status was linked to the status of a sexual relationship with  Smiley  â an unnamed PBS spokeswoman told PBS NewsHour.
The investigation   Smiley  alleged on social media  was âbiased and sloppy  which led to a rush to judgment  and trampling on a reputation that I have spent an entire lifetime trying to establish.â
What else did  Smiley  say?
âI have the utmost respect for women and celebrate the courage of those who have come forth to tell their truth. To be clear  I have never groped  coerced  or exposed myself inappropriately to any workplace colleague in my entire broadcast career  covering 6 networks over 30 years â  Smiley  wrote. âNever. Ever. Never.â
How did  Smiley  learn about the investigation and  his  suspension?
The story of  his  suspension first broke on Variety  and  according to  Smiley   Variety knew about it before  he  did.
âI learned of the investigation when former staffers started contacting me to share the uncomfortable experience of receiving a phone call from a stranger asking whether  I had ever done anything to make them uncomfortable  and if they could provide other names of persons to call â  he  wrote.
 Smiley  threatened a lawsuit after learning about the inquiries.
PBS investigators âreluctantlyâ agreed to a meeting that lasted three hours   he  said. Soon after the meeting ended on Wednesday  Variety published the story.
In February  Observer published a piece written by Jacques Hyzagi  a former producer on Smileyâs television show. Hyzagi wrote about a trip he and  Smiley  took together for a special show taping.
 Smiley âs âmisogyny is always creeping around  barely camouflaged by Midwestern good manners â Hyzagi wrote.
PBS announced Wednesday that it has âindefinitely suspendedâ the â [TGT] â show and its namesake host amid sexual misconduct allegations  but  the talk show host  said  he  plans to âfight back.â
 Smiley  took to social media after the announcement and unequivocally denied the accusations of any wrongdoing against  him .
My response to PBS suspension full text here: https://t.co/SzcQLfQWeX pic.twitter.com/8KX2QIr660 â  [TGT]  (@tavissmiley) December 14  2017
The investigation âfound credible allegations that  Smiley  had engaged in sexual relationships with multiple subordinatesâ and that some feared âtheir employment status was linked to the status of a sexual relationship with  Smiley  â an unnamed PBS spokeswoman told PBS NewsHour.
The investigation   Smiley  alleged on social media  was âbiased and sloppy  which led to a rush to judgment  and trampling on a reputation that I have spent an entire lifetime trying to establish.â
What else did  Smiley  say?
âI have the utmost respect for women and celebrate the courage of those who have come forth to tell their truth. To be clear  I have never groped  coerced  or exposed myself inappropriately to any workplace colleague in my entire broadcast career  covering 6 networks over 30 years â  Smiley  wrote. âNever. Ever. Never.â
How did  Smiley  learn about the investigation and  his  suspension?
The story of  his  suspension first broke on Variety  and  according to  Smiley   Variety knew about it before  he  did.
âI learned of the investigation when former staffers started contacting me to share the uncomfortable experience of receiving a phone call from a stranger asking whether  I had ever done anything to make them uncomfortable  and if they could provide other names of persons to call â  he  wrote.
 Smiley  threatened a lawsuit after learning about the inquiries.
PBS investigators âreluctantlyâ agreed to a meeting that lasted three hours   he  said. Soon after the meeting ended on Wednesday  Variety published the story.
In February  Observer published a piece written by Jacques Hyzagi  a former producer on Smileyâs television show. Hyzagi wrote about a trip he and  Smiley  took together for a special show taping.
 Smiley âs âmisogyny is always creeping around  barely camouflaged by Midwestern good manners â Hyzagi wrote.