--- title: PBS Suspends Tavis Smiley Show Over Sexual Misconduct Claims description: PBS has suspended distribution of Tavis Smiley's show after an investigation uncovered "multiple, credible allegations" of sexual misconduct canonical: https://time.com/5063812/tavis-smiley-sexual-misconduct-accusation/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-14T00:59:23.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-14T21:06:13.000Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: PBS Suspends Tavis Smiley's Show After Sexual Misconduct Probe og:description: Smiley denied any misconduct and said that he intends to "fight back" og:url: https://time.com/5063812/tavis-smiley-sexual-misconduct-accusation/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta852be2286c65ff2/6988f5070a4a22a84a9d1116/tavis-smiley-sexual-misconduct.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3680 og:image:height: 2070 og:image:alt: Courting Justice: Little Rock, Arkansas og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: PBS Suspends Tavis Smiley's Show After Sexual Misconduct Probe twitter:description: Smiley denied any misconduct and said that he intends to "fight back" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta852be2286c65ff2/6988f5070a4a22a84a9d1116/tavis-smiley-sexual-misconduct.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # PBS Suspends Tavis Smiley's Show After Sexual Misconduct Investigation > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: TIME Person of the Year 2017: The Silence Breakers [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Person of the Year 2017: The Silence Breakers](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/jbtW5SvJ.m3u8) (5:02)  _Published 2017-12-06. For giving voice to open secrets, for moving whisper networks onto social networks, for pushing all of us to stop accepting the unacceptable, the Silence Breakers are the 2017 Person of the Year._  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Updated: Dec 14, 2023 9:06 PM UTCPublished: Dec 14, 2017 12:59 AM UTC  Tavis Smiley officiates Courting Justice: Little Rock, Arkansas at Central Arkansas Library on Sept. 23, 2016 in Little Rock, Arkansa. Tavis Smiley officiates Courting Justice: Little Rock, Arkansas at Central Arkansas Library on Sept. 23, 2016 in Little Rock, Arkansa. Earl Gibson III—Getty Images  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Updated: Dec 14, 2023 9:06 PM UTCPublished: Dec 14, 2017 12:59 AM UTC PBS has suspended distribution of Tavis Smiley’s self-titled nightly show after an investigation uncovered “multiple, credible allegations” of sexual misconduct against him. The investigation found that Smiley, who has contributed opinion writing to TIME and hosted his show since 2004, had sexual relationships with multiple subordinates and created a verbally abusive and threatening environment, [_Variety_ reported](http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/tavis-smiley-pbs-1202639424/). PBS distributes the show, but does not employ Smiley or fund the production. Smiley did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “Effective today, PBS has indefinitely suspended distribution of ‘Tavis Smiley,’ produced by TS Media, an independent production company,” PBS said in a statement, according to Variety. “PBS engaged an outside law firm to conduct an investigation immediately after learning of troubling allegations regarding Mr. Smiley. This investigation included interviews with witnesses as well as with Mr. Smiley. The inquiry uncovered multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS, and the totality of this information led to today’s decision.” Last month, PBS [cut ties with Charlie Rose](http://time.com/5033808/pbs-fires-charlie-rose/), another host of a long-running interview show, after several women accused him of sexual misconduct. Both Rose and Smiley are among [dozens of men](http://time.com/5015204/harvey-weinstein-scandal/) who have been accused of sexual harassment or assault in the wake of allegations against [Harvey Weinstein](http://time.com/magazine/us/4979222/october-23rd-2017-vol-190-no-16-u-s/), which [fueled a reckoning about the treatment of women](http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2017-silence-breakers-choice/?xid=homepage), particularly in the workplace. Smiley responded to the suspension late Wednesday, telling TIME in a statement that he intends to “fight back.” “PBS overreacted and conducted a biased and sloppy investigation, which led to a rush to judgment, and trampling on a reputation that I have spent an entire lifetime trying to establish,” he said. “I have the utmost respect for women and celebrate the courage of those who have come forth to tell their truth,” he continued. “To be clear, I have never groped, coerced, or exposed myself inappropriately to any workplace colleague in my entire broadcast career, covering 6 networks over 30 years.” “If having a consensual relationship with a colleague years ago is the stuff that leads to this kind of public humiliation and personal destruction, heaven help us,” he said. ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] We can't all be ****. We can't all be asking for it. I am here to give you permission to be angry. This reality might not have to be our reality anymore. I felt this crushing sense of powerlessness. This is the time to take my power back. Here's my story. Uber promises. Investigation into sexual harrassment. Fox News cutting its ties with Bill O'Reilley. I felt it was my duty for the women who are silent to be brave. It's okay to stand up for yourself. Taylor Swift appearing in court today. Harvey Weinstein, the New York- People forget a lot that there's a human behind this. Someone who was very hurt and wronged. [ MUSIC ] [ CROSSTALK ] I always thought maybe things could change for my daughter. I never thought things could change for me. [ MUSIC ] Honestly, I was furious. I have had a man grope me in front of multiple collegues and I was tired of wondering if it was something I wore, I was tired of wondering if it was a vibe I was giving off and when I talked to other women they were furious too >> I felt that if I can speak out, may be if I just stand up then someone else would stand up with me >> There wasn't a place For us to report these experiences. But I sure did talk about it a lot over the years. The least I could do was actually tell my own story and validate theirs for them in a way, just as I was hoping someone much bigger than me would help validate my story. And I knew that other women Would continue to apple for jobs there and that made me feel really uncomfortable. I was afraid of the retaliation, I know the power of patriarchy. I know what men can do when their angry. They did everything that they could to prevent me from raising my concerns further. They asked me if there were other girls, maybe that he has done this too and can I go get them. I had to show them that I wasn't lying And it's like they took me for a joke. And if they couldn't stop us from talking, well, they were gonna stop everybody from listening to us. People digging into my Instagram and pulling up sexy photos as if they kind of discredited me. Well, I've seen you in committee. You're really tough. Why didn't you just hit him? Why did you let it go on for so long? I was a smart young woman that had gone to college, that knew how to fight, and I still was manipulated and conned. I felt ashamed that I hadn't spoken out sooner, not having the strength earlier on to make it stop. The feeling of being humiliated as a woman And there's a point you think is it my fault? For so long I went around harboring this ridiculous belief that because I was a non white woman in my 20s, it was expected that I would have to be treated this way. We don't have to just live like this. Few things could change from my daughter I never thought things could change from me. I'm here to give you permission to be angry, people are afraid specially women where conditioned since birth to be polite. To be nice, to be kind, to be liked to not make waves. ****. We can't all be crazy, we can't all be ****, we can't all be asking for it. And I'm telling you that all the people who stand up, all the people who speak out you are teaching people how to treat and you should not be shamed for that. The shame is not ours to hold, the shame is on perpetrator. Me Too can be a conversation starter or it can be the whole conversation. It took away the power from the predator. And placed the power on the victim. And maybe, just maybe we would be able to get a glimpse at the magnitude of this problem. The amount of people sharing the stories with me is so intense. People that were complete strangers reached out to tell very personal stories. It's What they did with this and they did a lot and not only in France in Hong kong japanese. The most months >> I feel like the day that I spoke up and I said you are a sexual harasser I changed >> some of the. Things in the night. [ FOREIGN ]. It's an honor to be the person that hey I spoke up about this. I took on the risk. And I was very humbled and I was very proud. I'm very glad now that the story has been heard. It's a direct response to that arrogance and that show of power and [ UNKNOWN ]. A sense, we won't be silenced. 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