Jian Ghomeshi Scandal: New Details Emerge From Radio Host's Ex-Employer

Hollywood Reporter ^ | October 31, 2014 | Elan Vlessing

[Loyalist]

Canada's CBC has begun to lay out its version of events leading up to the firing of Jian Ghomeshi last Sunday, which includes evidence of "physical injury to a woman."

The embattled radio host first told the pubcaster last spring that the Toronto Star newspaper was investigating allegations by an ex-girlfriend that "he had engaged in non-consensual 'rough sex,'" Heather Conway, head of English services at the CBC, said in an internal memo to employees obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.

Ghomeshi advised the CBC he had a letter from the newspaper that made allegations about his private life. "When directly confronted, Jian firmly denied there was any truth to those allegations," Conway recounted, without specifying what the allegations were.

Also read timeline of events points to a June 24 letter sent to Ghomeshi in which it said it was "investigating allegations from women who say that you have been physically and verbally abusive to them during sexual encounters. These are very serious allegations and we want to give you every opportunity to respond and give your side of the story."

The newspaper added Ghomeshi's lawyer wrote back on June 25 to indicate the radio host was being "harassed" by a former girlfriend in contact with other "women friends and former partners" to support her allegations.

The CBC's Conway, in her version of events, recalls in early summer 2014 that an employee of Q, the CBC and NPR/PRI radio show that Ghomeshi hosted, received a letter from an unnamed reporter inquiring about Ghomeshi's "behavior" and suggested it may have "crossed over' into the workplace.

The CBC memo indicates the pubcaster opened an investigation and interviewed employees and management before concluding "there were no complaints of this nature about Jian’s behavior in the workplace."

Also read Jian Ghomeshi Dropped by The Agency Group

Ghomeshi at the time assured the CBC the ongoing allegations were untrue and that his lawyers could disprove them, according to the CBC. "At that time, the Toronto Star did not move ahead with the story and, based on Jian’s denial, we continued to believe Jian," Conway recalled in her memo.

But the Toronto Star did not drop its investigation and the newspaper, in its account, says Ghomeshi, fearing publication of a story, requested a meeting with CBC execs on Thursday, Oct. 23. The CBC's own version of events confirms that crisis meeting where, no longer willing to buy his account of events and needing assurance, received from Ghomeshi "for the first time graphic evidence that Jian had caused physical injury to a woman."

The Toronto Star report indicates Ghomeshi presented "photos and a series of videos the radio host "believed were exculpatory to his conduct." A rival account in the Globe and Mail newspaper points to "texts, emails, and photos of the host’s sexual encounters."

The CBC's Conway, in her memo, while not specifying what the materials were, underlines Ghomeshi crossed a line leading to his dismissal three days later on October 26: "Jian’s conduct in causing physical injury to a woman was inconsistent with the character of the public broadcaster, was fundamentally unacceptable for any employee, was likely to bring the reputation of his fellow employees and CBC into disrepute and could not be defended by CBC,"

The senior exec goes on in the memo to recall the CBC took "immediate steps to remove Jian from the workplace and terminated his employment on October 26." Before that, on Friday, Oct. 26, the CBC announced Ghomeshi had been placed on indefinite leave.

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The radio host, aiming to downplay concerns among his fans, took to his "Twitter account to announce: "Thanks for all the well wishes, you guys. I'm ok. Just taking some much needed personal time." A CBC spokesman, citing privacy reasons, told THR that "we never discuss or comment on the terms of separation with any employee."

But the Globe and Mail newspaper in its account suggests the CBC allowed Ghomeshi over Saturday to "think about his situation and decide whether he had anything further to say to CBC managers." When all parties returned on Sunday for another meeting, Ghomeshi reportedly held firm to his position that his sexual relations with women had been consensual.

The the CBC on Sunday afternoon informed the former radio host he was fired. "The CBC is saddened to announce its relationship with Jian Ghomeshi has come to an end," the pubcaster said in a statement issued that day.

The CBC explained in a statement to the media also issued Sunday afternoon that "information came to our attention recently that in CBC's judgment precludes us from continuing our relationship with Jian."

The radio host, with lawyers and PR/crisis management specialist Navigator in his corner, took to Facebook later on Sunday to defend himself, saying that he had been in a relationship that involved "rough sex," but that the interactions had been consensual.

That was followed late Sunday by the Toronto Star publishing a first article in which it pointed to four unnamed woman accusing Ghomeshi of unwanted and unwarned violent sexual abuse. Lawyers for the former radio host on Monday filed a $55 million lawsuit against the CBC, alleging breach of faith and breach of confidence against the pubcaster in its dealing with Ghomeshi.

Through the week, another five women came forward with yet more allegations of sexual violence against Ghomeshi. Two put their names alongside their accounts, the first being Trailer Park Boys actress Lucy DeCoutere and then Reva Seth, a lawyer and author.

As the number of accusers grew, an unrepentant Ghomeshi on Thursday issued a second Facebook statement: "I want to thank you for your support and assure you that I intend to meet these allegations directly. I don’t intend to discuss this matter any further with the media."

In addition, Ghomeshi has seen his support network peel away, including Navigator and his PR agency rock-it promotions, followed Friday by his agent of representation, Toronto-based The Agency Group.

Late Friday, Toronto police announced that two unnamed women had come forward with complaints about Ghomeshi and that a criminal investigation into the former radio host had begun.

[Loyalist]

I didn't see anything here about this and was a bit surprised our usual Canadian news posters didn't pick this up because this story has been huge here this week.

This is the equivalent of Ira Glass getting busted for beating women half to a bloody pulp and calling it consensual sex.

Apparently Ghomeshi's proclivities were well-known in the Canadian entertainment and media scene for years and most women in them wouldn't be caught dead alone in a room with him for five seconds.

This greaseball was the most prominent public face of CBC for years and it is embarrassed no end that this dirty little secret has got out.

[bt-99]

refresh my memory, “non-consensual rough sex” isn’t there some other name for that?

[Loyalist]

'Trailer Park Boys' Star Lucy DeCoutere Accuses Jian Ghomeshi of Assault

Lucy DeCoutere--she was Lucy, Ricky's girlfriend on Trailer Park Boys--was the first to put her name to the allegations. This guy deserves a trailer park arse-kicking for choking her and bashing her around the head.

[Loyalist]

Ghomeshi is of Iranian Muslim ancestry, although he’s what you’d call a cultural Muslim: drink booze, eats pork, but still beats women.

[JudyinCanada]

I see he is born in England, but, being the big fan of diversity that I am, I wondered what his heritage might be - Indian, perhaps.

In any case, I am not surprised by the CBC covering for this guy, as I am sure they did. Ezra Levant was on about it last night. The head of the CBC for 7 years of the Ghomeshi escapades was the same dame who defended the CBC having a link to French pornography on the website, available to all ages, all hours. Did you see what Ezra did when he exposed that little piece of information?

[JudyinCanada]

Thanks. Saw this after I posted the question.

[Jonty30]

Ezra is the best.

What a reporter should be.

[canuck_conservative]

This guy is a real creep, his “rough sex” means suddenly choking a woman during, with no warning.

And weird - one accounts relates how he talks to a toy teddy bear just before getting violent, saying something like “Mr. Teddy shouldn’t see this” - what adult man does that??

[JudyinCanada]

He truly is an amazing man. I hope he has security. I have never seen anyone so unafraid of telling the truth.

[Jarhead9297]

Lol I lost it at Mr. Teddy Now that’s some kinky stuff right there.

[Loyalist]

The word is that Big Ears Teddy--to whom he dedicated his biographical account of his teen years, 1982--is a nanny cam he used to video some of his encounters. Perhaps it took the videos he showed CBC execs in his bizarre defence to the allegations as "consensual rough sex."

You can't make this stuff up.

[BerryDingle]

isn’t there some other name for that?

Possibly "forcing the tugboat up into tuna town".

[Steven Tyler]

A guy who puts a secret video camera in his Big Ears Teddy Bear, so when he turns the bear, the camera is pointing at the bed, couch, floor...

[Steven Tyler]

Rough sex aside, can you imagine an employee stating he has proof the encounters were consensual, and then plays a tape, for the Boss, of him having sex (WTF!!!)

[Steven Tyler]

I believe Ghomeshi, like 0bama, uses his race as both a shield and sword. The Ghomeshi race card is very effect in Progressive circle, like the CBC. That’s why the CBC let him go this far.

[bubman]

Here is the Ezra segment on this creep that i believe you are alluding to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z51js4JXZk

[upchuck]

What a soap opera!

The guy looks like a real scumbag.

And he needs a shave.

[golux]

Gomeshi is Iranian.