Content warning: sexual assault. 20th Century Fox put out a brief today that Roger Ailes has resigned as CEO of Fox News Channel. Ailes departs the conservative television news empire after multiple women accused him of sexual assault.
Twenty-First Century Fox chairman Rupert Murdoch will take over as chairman and acting CEO of Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network until a suitably demonic, bulldog-jowled, elderly white male replacement with testicles that look like hamburger meat can be found.
"[Roger Ailes] very gingerly pulled out his genitals and said, 'Kiss them.' And they were red, like raw hamburger. "
Ailes founded the cable channel in 1996, and is widely credited for transforming it into a highly profitable, highly watched, and highly influential force in American politics. Is there a more powerful conservative media brand in America? Donald Trump will likely take care of that white power vacuum when he loses the election, is my prediction. I hope I'm at least right about the second half of that sentence.
Fox News parent biz Twenty-First Century Fox was negotiating with Ailes over his departure as the sexual assault charges piled up, a person briefed on the discussions told Reuters Tuesday.
Snip from Reuters:
The exit marks a swift downfall for Ailes, the 76-year-old media executive who advised several U.S. Republican presidents, including George H.W. Bush, and turned Fox News into the most-watched U.S. cable news channel.
Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson sued Ailes earlier this month, claiming sexual harassment. Ailes has denied the charges. Fox hired the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to conduct an internal investigation.
New York magazine followed up with reports of other women who said they had been harassed by Ailes as far back as the 1960s. On Tuesday, the magazine said that popular Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly had told investigators hired by Fox that Ailes "made unwanted sexual advances toward her" about 10 years ago.
Ailes denies all charges of sexual harassment, according to a statement attributed to his lawyer in the New York Times on Tuesday.
Roger Ailes, chairman and CEO of Fox News and Fox Television Stations, answers questions during a panel discussion at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, California July 24, 2006. Picture taken July 24, 2006. REUTERS
That New York magazine story, tho. 6 more women came forth with tales of sexual predation involving the Fox News boss. Here was one of many first-hand accounts of sexual assault involving Ailes published in that feature article, by "Susan,*" 66, a former model who does not wish to be sued or harassed.
I was 16 years old, living in Radnor, Pennsylvania. I was sent over for a walk-on part on The Mike Douglas Show in the winter of 1967. It was 6:30 in the evening and the place was totally closing up. Ailes took me into this big office and locked the door with a key. He reclined on a couch in a seating area under a map that had flags of all the cities they were syndicated in. He proceeded to pull down his pants and very gingerly pull out his genitals and said, "Kiss them." And they were red, like raw hamburger. He was pretty meticulously dressed, with long white shirttails coming out. It was like he was just at the end of a long day and I was supposed to know what to do. I was a kid — I'd never seen a man's privates before. I jumped up, but the door was locked and nobody was out there. He chased me around the office, and at some point it dawned on him that this just wasn't going to happen. He finally pulled up his trousers. He was very angry and rushed over to his desk, pulled open a door, and had a reel-to-reel tape recorder going. He said to me, "Don't tell anybody about this. I've got it all on tape." I think he knew I was 16.
Disclaimer: Years ago, I was in talks with Roger Ailes and Fox Business Network to become on-air tech talent with the television news operation before its launch. Mr. Ailes interviewed me, and yes, I can attest to the world that he is a total creep.
