New Lawsuit Claims Charlie Rose Used His Show as a “Sexual Hunting Ground”

Gina Riggi claims Rose "used the show as an instrument of his predatory sexual behavior"

charlie rose
A new lawsuit by a former makeup artist alleges that Charlie Rose physically assaulted her and used his show as "a sexual hunting ground." (Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for IWMF)

Charlie Rose lost his long-running PBS talk show and his gig at CBS News back in November 2017 after allegations of his sexual misconduct at work came to light, but a new lawsuit filed on Sept. 19 by a makeup artist who worked with the host for two decades provides a more detailed picture of the toxic work environment.

Gina Riggi, who managed makeup for Rose for 22 years, alleges that Rose was “using the show as an instrument of his predatory sexual behavior, and the Bloomberg studio where he recorded it as a sexual hunting ground.” She claims she was verbally abused on an “almost daily basis” and that Rose “regularly swatted at her physically as she attempted to comb his hair or adjust his makeup…On one occasion, while taping on location outside of the studio, Mr. Rose became upset while Ms. Riggi applied his makeup, and forcefully grabbed and twisted her arm, physically hurting her.”

“Mr. Rose routinely groped and pawed at his female staff, pressed himself against them, hugged them, kissed them, pulled them toward him, whispered in their ears, stared at their breasts, looked down their shirts and otherwise subjected them to inappropriate and unwanted physical contact,” the suit also alleges, adding that he “targeted young, attractive women just beginning their journalism careers, dangling internships and jobs to lure them to ‘interviews’ and ‘career discussions’ with him, often over drinks and dinner.”

Rose’s lawyer Jonathan Bach told the Guardian that Rose “vehemently denies and will vigorously contest these allegations.”

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