The brave women who have come forward to reveal that there were sexually harassed by Harvey Weinstein have inspired other victims to speak out in recent days about their attacks.
Kathie Lee Gifford is one of those victims, with the beloved television personality sharing her story Monday morning on ‘Today.’
She and co-host Hoda Kotb were discussing an interview that Lauren Sivan had just done with Megyn Kelly, during which the young reporter detailed the night that she was forced to watch Weinstein masturbate after rejecting his sexual advances.
That is when Gifford revealed that she was forced to endure a similar assault at the age of 21 when a producer invited her to his home.
‘I felt grateful I got out of there without being raped,’ said Gifford.
‘That’s what you feel like.’
Gifford also revealed that she and Weinstein are close friends, and that his actions were a complete shock to her.
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Shocking revealtion: Kathie Lee Gifford revealed on ‘Today’ (above) that she was forced to watch a producer masturbate at his home when she was starting out in the industry
Shock: She shared her story while speaking about her good friend Harvey Weinstein, revealing she had no idea about his harassment of women (pair above in 2012)
‘He’s always been fantastic to me,’ said Gifford.
‘I never saw any of this. I’m not saying it didn’t happen. I’m just saying I know a different man, just like I did with Bill Cosby.’
She went on to say: ‘So it’s very upsetting to me on a personal level. This is a man I considered a friend. I feel for his family, and I feel for him.
‘It’s also upsetting for me as a woman that this kind of behavior is real, and no one ever thinks it’s going to catch up with them.’
Gifford and Kotb had been discussing Sivan’s interview when Gifford made this revelations, and
The young reporter had just shared with Megyn what she experienced over a decade ago when Weinstein asked her to check out the kitchen of his now-shuttered venue Cafe Socialista in NYC.
Weinstein tried to kiss Sivan, and when she rejected him the movie mogul said to ‘stand there and be quiet’ before her began to pleasure himself.
‘I was completely shocked and yet, what is going to happen? Stand there and be quiet? I had no idea what was going to happen,’ explained Sivan, who remained remarkably composed throughout the interview.
‘And it happened very quickly, and he immediately exposed himself and began pleasuring himself and I just stood there, dumbfounded.’
Speaking out: Lauren Sivan (above) detailed to ‘Megyn Kelly Today’ the events that occurred on the night Harvey Weinstein forced her to watch him masturbate
Gifford’s story was almost exactly the same she said, just a few decades earlier and with a different Hollywood heavyweight.
‘I have been in this business forever. Early, early, early on in my career a producer called me and I didn’t know who he was,’ explained Gifford.
‘He said, “I would like to meet with you and talk with you.” I said, “Okay, I will come to your office.” He said, “That’s under construction and will you come to my house.”‘
Gifford at that time did not realize that this was an odd proposition, having just started out in the business.
‘I had no reason not to. I get to the house and exact same thing happened. Exact same thing,’ said Gifford.
‘I learned from that
Gifford then stated how she was happy to have made it out in the end without a more serious assault taking place in the home of the man, whose identity she would not reveal
‘I can live through that, but you are so demeaned and feel so dirty,’ said Gifford.
‘You know what you feel more than anything? Stupid. I thought Kathie, you idiot.’
She then said: ‘Never go to somebody’s house. It can happen in an office too.’
Soon after, when Kotb revealed that Weinstein had been terminated, Gifford had a somewhat grim outlook on the future, though one that history does sadly confirm.
‘It’s just here’s the thing. It’s not going to change anything,’ said Gifford.
‘People are going to continue to act this way and act out this way. Maybe for a week.’
She added: ‘We have a lot of things here. You think about that stuff.’
Following up: The next day, Weinstein called Sivan to say he had a good time and wanted the two to get together, at which point Sivan said that she hung up on him (Sivan and Megyn above)
There is some hope for a shift however, with Hollywood now coming out in force to support Weinstein’s victims and admonish his behavior over the years.
‘The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported,’ said Streep.
‘The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes.’
She went on to say in the statement, which was first obtained by Huffington Post: ‘One thing can be clarified. Not everybody knew.’
Streep also revealed that she had no idea about the incidents of sexual harassment described by woman in the Times piece.
‘Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally,’ said Streep.
‘I didn’t know about these other offenses: I did not know about his financial settlements with actresses and colleagues; I did not know about his having meetings in his hotel room, his bathroom, or other inappropriate, coercive acts.
She continued: ‘And If everybody knew, I don’t believe that all the investigative reporters in the entertainment and the hard news media would have neglected for decades to write about it.’
Streep closed out by one again denouncing Weinstein’s actions and applauding the women who spoke.
‘The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar,’ said Streep.
‘Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.’