Bette Midler Receives Lackluster Apology From Geraldo Rivera For 'Public Embarrassment'
Geraldo Rivera defended Matt Lauer on Twitter on Thursday and it caused a stir from social media users.
It also pushed award-winning actress Bette Midler to post a video from her 1991 interview with Barbara Walters where she discusses Rivera's insidious behavior toward her.
During their conversation, she revealed that the Fox correspondent allegedly assaulted her in the 1970s. Midler said footage of the interview is "a gift from the universe" because Rivera never apologized for his behavior and the alleged assault.
Tomorrow is my birthday. I feel like this video was a gift from the universe to me. Geraldo may have apologized for his tweets supporting Matt Lauer, but he has yet to apologize for this. #MeToo pic.twitter.com/TkcolFWfA2
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) November 30, 2017
“Geraldo may have apologized for his tweets supporting Matt Lauer, but he has yet to apologize for this,” the First Wives Club star wrote on Twitter.
Will Geraldo Rivera Apologize?
After receiving backlash for his defense of Lauer and beliefs on who can and can’t report sexual assault, Rivera apologized for not being clear or thorough about the subject matter. Once his atonement was reported sans Midler apology, many asked if he would ever say sorry for his alleged actions.
On Friday, Dec. 1, Rivera published his apology to Midler.
“Although I recall the time @BetteMidler has alluded to much differently than she, that does not change the fact that she has a right to speak out & demand an apology from me, for in the very least, publically [sic] embarrassing her all those years ago. Bette, I apologize,” he wrote on Twitter.
Twitter Weighs In
However, Twitter users believe Rivera’s apology to Midler was not sincere. In response to his apology, many wrote that they hope he'll live out the pain he caused Midler and others.
“Another pathetic male apology. You guys just don't get how pervasive this is. Women are not protected by law from your kind. Even when you're caught raping an unconscious woman, you still get of [sic] lightly because you swim fast! Always some stupid reason,” Twitter user KC Shaw tweeted about Rivera's disingenuous tone toward Midler.
Shaw also alluded to the outcome of the Brock Turner rape case, where Turner, an athlete for Stanford University only served a three-month sentence for raping an unconscious woman.
Geraldo Rivera's Final Words
Prior to saying sorry to Midler, Rivera also apologized to those who were highlighted in his 1991 book, Exposing Myself, claiming the book was “tawdry.” Nevertheless, Rivera also noted that his memoir only featured alleged “consensual” events from the 1970s.
“27 years ago I wrote a tawdry book depicting consensual events in 1973-45 years ago-I’ve deeply regretted its distasteful & disrespectful tone & have refrained from speaking about it-I’m embarrassed & profoundly sorry to those mentioned-I have & again apologize to anyone offended,” he tweeted.
Aside from speaking about Rivera's nonchalant attitude, Twitter users also wrote to Midler to discuss how women are taught not to react or express pain after being assaulted, especially if much time has passed.
