Therapist backs Fox gal’s tale of harass by perv Ailes
A SWORN affidavit from Andrea Tantaros’ former therapist backs up the ex-Fox News host’s sexual harassment claims against the network and its disgraced head, Roger Ailes.
Tantaros told her psychologist on multiple occasions from 2014 to 2016 about Ailes’ “demeaning and overtly predatory behavior toward her, as well as the abusive conduct of Fox News’ public relations department,” Dr. Michele Berdy said in Sept. 15 testimony made public Wednesday by Tantaros’ lawyer Judd Burstein.
The former co-host of “The Five” and ex-Daily News columnist (photo right) — who alleged in a $30 million lawsuit against Fox News and Ailes (far right) last month that the network operated like “a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult” — apparently complained to her therapist about Ailes’ “highly inappropriate and offensive behavior,” including asking her to turn around “so he could view her posterior” and talking about how she’d look in a bikini.
Berdy also recalled Tantaros’ relating Fox News exec Bill Shine’s alleged instructions to “let this one go” because Ailes was “a very powerful man.”
“I recall Andrea being shocked and devastated after a meeting with Mr. Shine in which he told her that she needed to stop complaining about Mr. Ailes’ sexual advances towards her, and his subsequent retaliation,” Berdy testified in papers obtained by The News.
The clinical therapist went on to back Tantaros’ allegation that pundit Bill O’Reilly had begun sexually harassing her in February of last year.
“I also recall a number of occasions when Andrea complained to me about recurring unwanted advances from Bill O’Reilly, which included an invitation to his ‘very private’ beach house, and comments about his perception that she was ‘wild,’ ” she wrote.
Berdy reached out to Tantaros — who was suspended by Fox News this year for apparently failing to seek network approval for her new book — after seeing media reports of her lawsuit and the network’s subsequent denials, she said in her statement.
Fox lawyer David Garland branded Tantaros an “opportunist” in an August court filing, claiming she hadn’t alleged harassment from Ailes until July, when fellow Fox News alum Gretchen Carlson filed her own sexual harassment suit against the network big.
Garland’s filing said Tantaros was required by her contract to participate in arbitration with the network.
Burstein, Tantaros’ lawyer, fired back Wednesday in a blistering statement claiming Berdy’s testimony showed Shine and Ailes are “not only misogynists; they are liars.”
Ailes stepped down from the cable network in July after several Fox News women came forward to allege sexual harassment spanning decades. Carlson received $20 million in a deal with the network this month.