Ex-ESPN host sues network, claims it is ‘rife with misogyny’
Former ESPN host and legal analyst Adrienne Lawrence sued the network in federal court on Monday, claiming the company is "rife with misogyny" and asserting that she was fired after complaining about being sexual harassed by a senior anchor.
In the 84-page complaint, filed in United States District Court in Connecticut, Lawrence alleges that male employees kept scorecards for female colleagues and casually watched pornography and made sexually explicit comments.
In a statement, ESPN said it conducted a “thorough investigation” and found Lawrence’s allegations to be “entirely without merit.”
Lawrence was hired into a two-year talent development program and was told her contract wouldn’t be renewed, the statement said, adding that the network told the same thing to others with more experience.
“The company will vigorously defend its position and we are confident we will prevail in court,” the statement said.
The suit says Lawrence quit her job as a lawyer in 2015 to join the network as a fellow. Senior "SportsCenter" anchor John Buccigross, who has worked at the network since 1996, offered to mentor her, though he was soon making unwelcome advances and using “calculated grooming” tactics, the suit says.
In text messages, the suit says, 52-year-old Buccigross commented on Lawrence’s “#longlegs” and “pretty face,” and sent her shirtless photos of himself, saying: “I’m a white boy and I’m jacked.”
In another text, he asked for a photo of her and offered to oil himself up "like a flag bearer from Tonga."
In the 84-page complaint, filed in United States District Court in Connecticut, Lawrence alleges that male employees kept scorecards for female colleagues and casually watched pornography and made sexually explicit comments.
In a statement, ESPN said it conducted a “thorough investigation” and found Lawrence’s allegations to be “entirely without merit.”
Lawrence was hired into a two-year talent development program and was told her contract wouldn’t be renewed, the statement said, adding that the network told the same thing to others with more experience.
“The company will vigorously defend its position and we are confident we will prevail in court,” the statement said.
The suit says Lawrence quit her job as a lawyer in 2015 to join the network as a fellow. Senior "SportsCenter" anchor John Buccigross, who has worked at the network since 1996, offered to mentor her, though he was soon making unwelcome advances and using “calculated grooming” tactics, the suit says.
In text messages, the suit says, 52-year-old Buccigross commented on Lawrence’s “#longlegs” and “pretty face,” and sent her shirtless photos of himself, saying: “I’m a white boy and I’m jacked.”
In another text, he asked for a photo of her and offered to oil himself up "like a flag bearer from Tonga."
Source: nbcnews
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