Charlie Rose turned studio into a ‘sexual hunting ground’, new lawsuit alleges

• Makeup artist claims ‘misogynistic, abusive behavior’
• Rose attorney says allegations ‘makes a good tabloid story’

Victoria Bekiempis
Sun 22 Sep 2019 21.03 BST
Last modified on Sun 22 Sep 2019 21.06 BST

The disgraced TV host Charlie Rose used his eponymous PBS interview show as “an instrument of his predatory sexual behavior”, turning his studio into a “sexual hunting ground”, his longtime makeup artist has alleged in a new lawsuit.

Rose, now 77, saw his PBS show cancelled in November 2017 after misconduct allegations emerged. A high-profile casualty of the first phase of the #MeToo era, in which a number of famous men faced accusations of sexual misconduct and assault, he was also fired by CBS News.

Responding to the new lawsuit, which was filed in Manhattan state court, Rose’s attorney said he denied allegations that “makes a good tabloid story, but not much else”.

Gina Riggi managed makeup for the Charlie Rose show for 22 years. She claims to have endured “misogynistic, abusive behavior … demeaning, embarrassing and degrading her because of her gender, ridiculing her physical appearance and physically accosting her on the set, forcing her to use a hand mirror to protect herself from him”.

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