Adding to this thread on a pattern of misconduct -- and coverups -- at one entertainment media conglomerate. This 2 yr old thread is on CBS. But these ingrained patterns can (and do) exist all over the industry. Some context for this Criminal Minds development:
In 2018, Variety's @gdanielholloway reported on a years-long pattern of alleged abuse by DP of Criminal Minds. 19 sources on "a toxic environment on set, groping male staffers, threatening them physically, and firing anyone who complained" per Dan's story variety.com/2018/tv/news/c…
Not long after that first CM story, @gdanielholloway reported on how below the line crew are especially at risk re Hollywood-style abusive/toxic behaviors. This is a story the media has barely touched on, but it's important. variety.com/2018/biz/news/…
In 2019, a Criminal Minds crew member filed suit against the DP, Gregory St. Johns, alleging sexual harassment. "Colleagues who accepted St. Johns' harassment were rewarded with gifts and better assignments, the plaintiff claims." hollywoodreporter.com/news/criminal-…
Criminal Minds aired on CBS but was an ABC Studio prodctn. This week, "Cal Dept of Fair Employment filed a discrimination suit against Disney & CBS Studios, alleging companies allowed [CM DP] Greg St. Johns to get away with sexual harassment for 14 years." variety.com/2020/tv/news/c…
Cal Dept Fair Employment complaint re Criminal Minds & Gregory St Johns: "Protected by the executive production team — including [EPs] Erica Messer, Harry Bring, John Breen Frazier, dir Glenn Kershaw & UPM Stacey Beneville — St. Johns continued his unlawful conduct for years."
ABC Studios issued a statement re the Cal Fair Employment complaint: "The Company works hard to maintain a work environment free from discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.... We now intend to defend the asserted claims vigorously.”
I'll leave you w/ this, from 5/26/2020 discrimination complaint: "Defendants’ executive team not only had actual & constructive knowledge of St. Johns’ abusive conduct, they condoned it.... executives fired anyone who resisted or who tacitly evaded St. Johns’ advances or abuse."
And this: "It was not until the media made St. Johns’ conduct public and potentially threatened their brand that Defendants removed St. Johns from the show. Even when they did so, despite the allegations against him, corporate Defendants paid St. Johns an 'enhanced severance.'"
Big picture question: Do I think any person driven from *any* show by a toxic person who has protection & free reign got "enhanced severance"? Or were they more likely to have unfair, harmful & false reports re their work performance spread by vindictive toxic person & friends? 
Anyway the great thing is that everything is fixed now at CBS and everywhere else and there are definitely no more monstrous people being protected anywhere in Hollywood
