CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell was caught saying, ‘Sounds like somebody else here’ when discussing sexual harassment allegations made against opera singer Placido Domingo.
O’Donnell was overheard during a segment of the report in which the Spanish opera star said he believed all his past relationships were welcomed and consensual.
The Emmy Award-winning host could be heard on a hot mic apparently saying: ‘Sounds like somebody else here.’ just shortly before the camera returned back to her and she concluded the news item.
The comment was subsequently deleted from the audio when the clip was uploaded to the CBS website.
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CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell was caught saying ‘Sounds like somebody else here’ when discussing sexual harassment allegations made against opera singer Placido Domingo
O’Donnell was overheard during a segment of the report in which the Spanish opera star said he believed all his past relationships were welcomed and consensual
The television network had to respond to sexual assault allegations against some of its own employees previously.
Charlie Rose was fired in 2017 following a string of sexual misconduct allegations.
Last December, CBS settled lawsuits with three women who claim they were harassed by presenter Charlie Rose.
Brooks Harris, Sydney McNeal and Chelsea Wei have agreed payouts with CBS which has not released the amounts at their request.
The women, who worked with Rose on CBS This Morning and 60 Minutes, accused him of sexual misconduct in November 2017. He was fired the day after the news emerged.
At the time of the episode, O’Donnell said the women who came forward had ‘a lot of courage’ and should continue to speak about it.
She added: ‘Let me very clear. There is no excuse for this alleged behavior. It is systematic and pervasive and I’ve been doing a lot of listening and I’m going to continue to do that.’
‘This I know is true, women can not achieve equality without in the workplace or in society until there is a reckoning and a taking of responsibility.
When broaching sexual misconduct allegations made against her former colleague Charlie Rose, O’Donnell claimed there was ‘no excuse for this alleged behavior’
Nine women in the opera world have said that they were sexually harassed by Placido Domingo in encounters that took place over three decades. He is pictured here in 2017
‘I am really proud to work at CBS news, there are so many incredible people here especially on this show.’
When the allegations were first made against him in November 2017, Rose said: ‘ It is essential that these women know I hear them and deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed.
‘I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate.’
O’Donnell also commented after former CBS chief Les Moonves was forced to to step down from his role in September. Multiple women had accused him of either forcing himself on them or being sexually inappropriate.
The mother-of-three claimed Moonves had always treated her ‘fairly and with respect.’
But she added: ‘Still, it’s been for me another sleepless night thinking about this, the pain that women feel, the courage that it takes for women to come forward and talk about this.
In January it was reported that Moonves was challenging the decision made by the CBS board to withhold his $120 million severance package.
The disgraced executive was set to walk away with a $120 million golden parachute if an investigation into his allegations of sexual misconduct found that there were not grounds to terminate him for cause.
That investigation found multiple reasons however, according to the network.
Last December, CBS settled lawsuits with three women who claim they were harassed by presenter Charlie Rose, (pictured)
In a statement released in December, CBS said that Moonves’ ‘willful and material misfeasance, violation of Company policies and breach of his employment contract, as well as his willful failure to cooperate fully with the Company’s investigation’ justified the board’s decision to oust the president and chairman earlier this year.
Eight singers and a dancer have alleged Placido Domingo sexually harassed them during encounters that took place over 30 years, starting in the late 1980s.
The women claim they were sexually harassed by the long-married, Spanish-born superstar in encounters at venues that included opera companies where he held top managerial positions.
Many of the allegations revealed by Associated Press relate to the prolific conductor and singer’s time as director of both the Los Angeles and Washington Opera.
Domingo later issued a statement describing the allegations from as ‘inaccurate.’
He added: ‘Still, it is painful to hear that I may have upset anyone or made them feel uncomfortable – no matter how long ago and despite my best intentions.
‘I believed that all of my interactions and relationships were always welcomed and consensual. People who know me or who have worked with me know that I am not someone who would intentionally harm, offend, or embarrass anyone.’