Ryan Seacrest's Sexual Harassment Accuser Would 'Withdraw Her Claims If I Paid Her Millions Of Dollars'
TV host Ryan Seacrest is breaking his silence over the sexual harassment allegations made by his stylist on Monday that had shocked everyone.
A day after the allegation went public, Seacrest had issued a statement on the matter. The prominent TV persona vehemently shot down his accuser's claims that he sexually harassed her, and even said that she was just trying to get money from him.
"This person who has accused me of horrible things offered, on multiple occasions, to withdraw her claims if I paid her millions of dollars. I refused," the 43-year-old former American Idol host claimed.
Seacrest further stated that he had toiled in order to get what he was having now and the accuser's wants would simply not permit him to throw away hard-earned things.
He backed this up with an E! investigation on the matter, saying it did not find enough proof of the accusation. The network administered an inquiry, which the company described as "extremely comprehensive and thorough," on this matter in November but that they found "insufficient evidence."
Disappointment
Seacrest also expressed disappointment over Variety's move to release the account of the stylist even without asking for his side of the story, which, he said, already lacked accuracy. The stylist, Suzie Hardy, alleged him of slapping his buttocks and grabbing her genital.
However, Variety's Claudia Eller called Seacrest's statement off and clarified that the team actually tried to talk with the host directly, but that "his reps declined to make him available."
In her account, Hardy narrated that she got the attention of E! in 2013, the time she revealed the actions of Seacrest. Just weeks after her tell-all with the human resources, she got fired. In November last year, her lawyer again contacted the network.
It can be remembered that this was the heightened moment when, one by one, victims started coming out, recounting their harrowing experiences of sexual assault. Additionally, Hardy said the investigator was clearly "whitewashing it for Seacrest's side," and added that E! did not get the four people she stated as witnesses.
Meanwhile, E! denied Hardy's claims and explained that their lawyer had a remarkable history. It also opposed Hardy regarding her witnesses, and said that it actually asked more than 20 people.
Interestingly, this came days before the Oscars on Sunday, where Seacrest was set to host. But as for his other stint, Live with Kelly and Ryan, it seemed that his position is not affected. His hosting for the American Idol, to premiere on March 11, is still a go.
