A CBS producer and showrunner who has been the subject of three investigations into allegations he sexually harassed women on his set and made racist and misogynistic comments has been fired the network.
Brad Kern was terminated by CBS on Monday, ten months after reporter Maureen Ryan began to detail the growing number of allegations that had been made against the producer of shows including NCIS: New Orleans, Charmed and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
‘We have ended Brad Kern’s role as consulting producer on NCIS: New Orleans and his overall deal with the studio,’ a spokesperson for CBS told The Hollywood Reporter.
The three investigations took place in just the past two years, and began after members of the cast and crew of NICS told human resources that Kern ‘harassed and unfairly penalized women, repeatedly bullied a nursing mother and made racially insensitive statements.’
Despite those claims, and the reporting of Ryan, CBS re-upped Kern’s deal back in the spring for two additional years.
He was then suspended in June pending the results of the third investigation, which wrapped up just prior to his termination this week.
Gone: Brad Kern (above with Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano) was fired by CBS on Monday after a third investigation into claims of harassment and sexual misconduct on the set of NCIS: New Orleans
Farewell: He allegedly ‘harassed and unfairly penalized women, repeatedly bullied a nursing mother and made racially insensitive statements’ (Kern on left in 2009 with Jonathan Steinberg)
A number of people said that they believe Kern would still be with CBS is not for the exit of former chairman and good friend Les Moonves.
‘This is the domino effect,’ said one former NCIS: New Orleans employee.
‘I hope all the networks take a much closer look at who they give power to and how those people treat their employees, and pay serious attention to who gets propped up and protected, even if they harass people or behave inappropriately.’
Moonves was still president at the time Kerns was resigned to a two-year deal, despite Ryan having released two stories about his alleged misconduct by that time.
It was reported by Vulture soon after Kern signed his new deal that at one meeting, Kern informed those in attendance that he planned to cast an actress because an executive at the network wanted ‘to f*** her.’
His termination is particularly sweet for those who have been fired by Kern over the years.
‘My thoughts are with everyone who had worked for Mr. Kern who was unjustly fired, made miserable until they quit or otherwise endured unpleasantness,’ said another former NCIS: NO worker.
‘I hope that this signals the end of the era of showrunning he represented.’
In a previous THR story, a member of the NCIS: NO team said that the first two investigations did little to enact any change on set or in Kern’s behavior.
‘If the party line is that everything was fine after that, I can tell you for a fact that’s not true,’ said the woman.
‘It was a dreadful, misogynist culture led and created by Brad. He bullied women and he discriminated against them. It didn’t matter who you were and how nice he was the day before – your turn always came.’
Witches: He previously produced shows including Lois & Clark and Charmed, starring Alyssa Milano and Rose McGowan (above)
Close friend: Other former NCIS staff members said that Kern, who had his deal renewed for two years just this spring by CBS, would still have a job if Les Moonves (above in 2013) was CEO
Former colleagues of Kern even went on the record to back up the claims about his behavior.
‘The industry likes to pat itself on the back for honoring the #MeToo movement, but sexism and misogyny is so deeply entrenched, the progress made is tenuous at best. It’s made of gossamer,’ said co-executive producer on the original Charmed William Schmidt.
‘If Brad Kern keeps his job in light of yet another investigation, it’ll be proof of that.’
Nell Scovell, another Charmed producer, echoed that sentiment.
‘I was co-executive producer to Brad’s executive producer on Charmed, so I’ve seen first-hand how he poisons the writers’ room with unprofessional comments,’ said Scovell.
‘The two recent harassment investigations show that his behavior has continued. This is unfortunate. You get better work when every writer in the room feels safe. I know I will experience backlash for speaking out, but I want this business to change and I want writers’ rooms to feel safe for all.’
It was reported that over a dozen women left NCIS: NO in the span of a year due to the ‘toxic’ environment created by Kern.
‘He discriminates against women, against working mothers, against anyone he can’t control — especially women,’ one person told Ryan for her first story, published in Variety.
In that same story it was alleged that he mockingly spoke in black vernacular on set, told a woman she was ‘failing as a wife and mother’ and engineered the exit of Zoe McLellan because men did not find her ‘f***able.’
That did not lead to any repercussions, and nor did a nursing mother telling HR that she was micked by Kern while feeding her child.
The third time proved to be the charm however, though CBS has said nothing yet of what its invetsigation into Kern uncovered over the past ferw months.
Kern did not respond to a request for comment.