Bette Midler says Geraldo Rivera groped her in the 1970s

A decades old interview of Bette Midler emerged Wednesday in which she claimed frequent Fox News face, Geraldo Rivera, shoved her in a bathroom, stuck poppers up her nose and groped her.

The clip came to light after Rivera unleashed a series of tone-deaf, ‘mansplaining’ tweets following the news of Lauer’s firing from the Today Show. In his first tweet he called the disgraced Today Show host a ‘great guy’ who was ‘highly skilled & empathetic w guests & a real gentleman to my family & me.’ 

Midler’s 1991 interview with Barbara Walters surfaced after Rivera tweeted support for ‘great guy’ Matt Lauer, after he was fired from the Today Show as allegations of sexual assaults on his NBC subordinates became public. 

In a 1991 interview, Bette Midler said Geraldo Rivera (pictured) and his producer pushed poppers under her nose and groped her during an interview they were doing at her home in the 1970's

In a 1991 interview, Bette Midler (left, during interview) said Geraldo Rivera and his producer pushed poppers under her nose and groped her during an interview they were doing at her home in the 1970’s

The interview surfaced after Rivera unleashed a series of tone-deaf tweets supporting Lauer

The interview surfaced after Rivera unleashed a series of tone-deaf tweets supporting Lauer

In the series of tweets he 'mansplained' about how allegations should be made and called alleged victims who received settlements could be 'motivated by more than justice'

In the series of tweets he ‘mansplained’ about how allegations should be made and called alleged victims who received settlements could be ‘motivated by more than justice’

In the clip, the legendary singer recounts her first time meeting Rivera for an interview, and says the meeting was ‘not funny,’ and that she might get in ‘trouble’ for the story of what happened when they met, but tells it anyway. 

‘Geraldo and his producer came to do an interview with me, in the ’70s, in the early ’70s. This was when he was very hot. He and his producer left the crew in the other room, they pushed me into my bathroom, they pushed two poppers under my nose, and proceeded to grope me. I did not offer myself up on the altar of Geraldo Rivera. He was unseemly.’ 

He continued and blamed the industry, ‘News is a flirty business & it seems like current epidemic of Sex Harassment Allegations may be criminalizing courtship & conflating it w predation. What about #GarrisonKeillor?’ 

Rivera shown here in the early 70's, when the legendary singer had alleged she was groped by the journalist/ talk show host

Bette Midler, 1970s

Rivera (left in 1974) and Midler (right in 1977) the now legendary singer alleged she was groped by the journalist/ talk show host in an newly uncovered 1991 interview 

'A jerk's a jerk.' Rivera mansplains what sexual harassment is, but these tweets were sent just a half hour after the bombshell report in Variety came out- perhaps the newsman missed it

‘A jerk’s a jerk.’ Rivera mansplains what sexual harassment is, but these tweets were sent just a half hour after the bombshell report in Variety came out- perhaps the newsman missed it

By the time Rivera apologizes, he likely has had time to read up on the exact allegations against disgraced newsman Lauer and was more than likely was aware the Midler clip had resurfaced 

By the time Rivera apologizes, he likely has had time to read up on the exact allegations against disgraced newsman Lauer and was more than likely was aware the Midler clip had resurfaced 

The one time lawyer also gave instructions for alleged victims coming forward- again in response to the claims against his buddy Lauer.

He tweeted: ‘Sex Harassment allegations should require: 1-made in a timely fashion-say w/n 5 yrs. 2-some contemporaneous corroboration, like witnesses, electronic or written communications. W $ settlements in multi-millions slight chance exists some victims are motivated by more than justice.’

Rivera’s next tweet makes it apparent that the newsman had not yet read Variety’s bombshell report on Lauer, which had been published a half hour earlier.  

‘Sexual harassment should be confined to situations where superior imposes himself on subordinate who feels unable to complain because of power of perp or feared consequences to victim’s employment. Shouldn’t be used to get even w bad bosses or hated ex’s,’ he wrote.

In the shocking exposé, allegations against Lauer were lobbed against Lauer from staffers in NBC family. One woman claimed the anchor flashed his penis at her, and another alleged he bought her a sex toy and included a note about how he wanted to use it on her.

It appeared in his final tweet on the matter, shortly after 10pm EST, Rivera had in fact read the reports out about Lauer. He also had likely been reminded of that little old Midler clip from 1991.

He offered this apology in that tweet: ‘Reaction to my tweets today on sex harassment makes clear I didn’t sufficiently explain that this is a horrendous problem long hidden-Harassers are deviants who deserve what is coming to them-Often victims are too frightened to come forward in a timely fashion-I humbly apologize.’

Midler's claims against Rivera were made after Walters asked the singer about the talk show host claiming he had an affair with her in his autobiography titled 'Exposing Myself' (1991)

Midler’s claims against Rivera were made after Walters asked the singer about the talk show host claiming he had an affair with her in his autobiography titled ‘Exposing Myself’ (1991)

Bette Midler’s 1991 claims against Geraldo Rivera 

Midler told Barbara Walters in a newly surfaced 1991 interview, what she says happened when she first met Rivera:

‘Geraldo and his producer came to do an interview with me, in the ’70s, in the early ’70s. This was when he was very hot. He and his producer left the crew in the other room, they pushed me into my bathroom, they pushed two poppers under my nose, and proceeded to grope me. I did not offer myself up on the altar of Geraldo Rivera. He was unseemly.

In the clip, the explanation of how Midler first met Rivera was prompted by the journalist’s own claims that he had an affair with the legendary singer.

He said he and Midler had an affair in his autobiography titled ‘Exposing Myself’ (1991). 

At first, when asked about it by Walters, Midler laughs off the claim, saying his ‘penis got to his brain,’ but then goes into the details of what she says happened when she met him that first time in the early 1970s.

Midler decides to make sure if she’s telling a story that she could get ‘in trouble for’ she’s going to go out with a bang and tells Walters had she known he was going to become a ‘slimy talk show host,’ she ‘wouldn’t have let him in the room.’

 



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