According to a Hollywood Reporter story, disgraced ex-CBS This Morning co-host Charlie Rose may have made a former intern watch an sadomasochistic sex scene, had a nickname of “Charlie Fuckin’ Rose,” and intimidated his co-hosts who might consider standing up to his alleged sexual abuse.
In the deposition (from November, but made public this week), a lawyer asked, “Did you have a nickname in the studio, Charlie fuck'n Rose?” Rose responded in the affirmative and confirmed that co-host Gayle King called him that. According to Hollywood Reporter writer Eriq Gardner, the lawyer for the now-fired host wouldn’t let his client respond to this:
But there were some lines that Rose wouldn't cross. For instance, he was asked about a line in the Washington Post exposé about forcing an ex-intern to watch an S&M movie scene. Before he could answer, his attorney Jonathan Bach interjected.
King and former co-host Norah O’Donnell are both liberal journalists in good standing. So, one might assume they would stand up for women’s rights. But both have stated they would have been scared to challenge Rose. In an April 2018 interview for The Hollywood Reporter, they conceded:
“I would not have felt comfortable having that conversation with him. I think he would’ve screamed at me.” King agreed: “He might’ve screamed.” O’Donnell pointedly said to King: “He would not have screamed at you, he would’ve screamed at me.”
King previously expressed annoyance about having to cover the sexual abuse allegations against Rose. On May 3, 2018, she scolded, “I don't know what to say about this.... I don't know what more we can do to Charlie Rose except a public flogging. He's gone.... I’m sick of handling it.”
Speaking of the man who allegedly exposed himself to multiple women, grabbed them, and made sexual comments, the co-host still called him a friend: “When the story first broke, I said Charlie was my friend. I still consider him a friend. I know that's probably not the politically correct thing to say at this moment. But I don't believe in abandoning people when they're down.”
The next day, under pressure, she reversed course and concluded, “Let the chips fall where they may.”
Not surprisingly, CBS hasn’t covered the latest on Rose.
