It has been four months since Les Moonves resigned from CBS, following allegations that he mistreated six women during his career. (“The appalling accusations in this article are untrue. What is true is that I had consensual relations with three of the women some 25 years ago before I came to CBS. And I have never used my position to hinder the advancement or careers of women,” Moonves responded.) Shortly after the accusations surfaced, the network quickly launched an investigation into Moonvess alleged misconduct and publicly denounced the disgraced C.E.O. But, as William D. Cohan reported this August, the network was far from finished with Moonves: they still had to determine whether he qualified for a lucrative payout that could amount to $120 million. Aside from one additional accusation, about Moonvess unwanted kissing of a doctor, the disgraced C.E.O. seemed to have been spit out of a frenzied news cycle by fall. (Moonves stated via a representative: “The appalling allegations about my conduct toward a female physician some 20 years ago are untrue. What is true, and what I deeply regret, is that I tried to kiss the doctor. Nothing more happened.”) But on Wednesday, The New York Times published a damning report from a new accuser that could potentially wipe out his shot at securing a nine-digit severance payment from CBS.
The accuser is Bobbie Phillips, a South Carolina-raised actress who met Moonves in March 1995 when he was the president of Warner Bros. Television. According to Phillips, the meeting was set up by her manager Marv Dauer as an introduction. Phillips recalled meeting Moonves in his office, and Moonves promptly making a phone call, in her presence, to a casting director saying he should meet Phillips. After leaving a voicemail, Moonves exposed himself, according to Phillips.
“Be my girlfriend and Ill put you on any show,” he said, in Ms. Phillipss recollection—and then grabbed her by the neck, pushed her to her knees and forced his penis into her mouth.
In a statement to the Times, Moonves said, “I strongly believe that the sexual encounter with Ms. Phillips more than 20 years ago was consensual.”
The Times pieces together a timeline of the alleged aftermath from that meeting, in which Phillips says she suffered from anxiety attacks, gave up on acting, and moved to Toronto with her family. Dauer reconnected with Moonves in recent years; Phillips attempted to try acting again. And Dauer, he claims, tried to leverage Moonvess mounting anxiety over the allegations—and nervousness that Phillips might share her story—into getting his clients work. “Yes, I did try to get my clients parts,” Dauer said. “Thats my job. Thats what managers do.”
The Times postulates that Moonvess actions—including his alleged deletion of text messages discussing his accusers—might be seen as interference in CBSs investigation.
“Whether Mr. Moonves was honest with CBSs investigators could determine whether he collects a $120 million severance payment,” wrote the Times. “If he was fired for cause, CBS doesnt have to pay him anything. Under his contract, failing to cooperate fully in a company investigation constitutes cause.”
Phillips has lawyered up and is considering her options.
This past September, Cohan reported that Moonvess strategy was to lay low until the CBS board determined whether the C.E.O. deserves the payout—a decision that will be decided by the CBS board no later than January 31.
Get Vanity Fairs HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Julie MillerJulie Miller is a Senior Hollywood writer for Vanity Fairs website.
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