Harassment scandal-hit Amazon Studios to be led by woman

In this Oct. 13, 2017 file photo, NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke arrives at Variety’s Power of Women Luncheon in Beverly Hills, California (AP)

LOS ANGELES: Amazon said Friday it had appointed NBC’s entertainment president Jennifer Salke to head its movie and television studios following the resignation of Roy Price over allegations of sexual harassment.
Price quit in October after a producer for “The Man in the High Castle” — one of the studio’s highest-profile shows — said he had repeatedly propositioned her in 2015, making lewd suggestions during a taxi ride.
“I am both honored and emboldened by the opportunity to lead this extraordinary business,” the new head of Amazon Studios said in a statement, adding that moving on from NBC was “bittersweet.”
“It’s an exciting time to be a content creator, and I look forward to being on the front lines of an innovative business with storytelling at its heart,” she added.
Amazon said in a statement Salke had impressed executives through the “deep relationships she has nurtured” over a career that has also taken spells at 20th Century Fox and Aaron Spelling Productions.
“She’s built an impeccable reputation as a big leader who emphasizes creativity, collaboration, and teamwork,” Amazon added.
Price’s downfall came in the wake of dozens of sexual predation allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, sparked by investigations in The New York Times and The New Yorker.
The scandal touched off a deluge of accusations against powerful men in entertainment, politics and the media, forcing many industries to re-examine workplace policies.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office told AFP on Friday it was considering misconduct charges against actor and martial arts master Steven Seagal (“Under Siege“).
The former action star was accused by Portia de Rossi, the “Arrested Development” actress and wife of chat queen Ellen DeGeneres, in November of trying to expose himself to her during an audition.
Jenny McCarthy, who first accused Seagal in 1998, recently revisited her encounter with the actor when auditioning for his 1995 movie “Under Siege 2” when he allegedly asked her twice to lower her dress.
Prosecutors said Thursday they were also looking at three sexual assault cases forwarded by the LAPD against Weinstein, who faces parallel investigations in New York and London, but has repeatedly denied having non-consensual sex.