“We have immediately begun an investigation into this matter,” a Vice Media spokesperson tells TheWrap in an emailed statement
Vice Media says it is conducting an investigation after a former Vice employee went on-the-record in a Daily Beast article detailing a culture of inappropriate conduct at the company’s Los Angeles offices, including sexual harassment by former L.A. bureau chief Kaj Larsen.
Former Vice associate producer Phoebe Barghouty told Daily Beast that the pattern of inappropriate behavior began in the summer of 2015, right after she was hired, when Larsen made sexually charged comments to her at the first workplace social function she attended. She said he later asked her to come to his home where he met her shirtless and then made her wait while he took a shower.
In other instances she describes unusual and unwanted touching and her belief that she was being used less for journalism and more as “arm-candy” for Larsen at events.
Barghouty also told Daily Beast that workplace culture encouraged female employees to sleep with their superiors in order to secure advancement opportunities. “That was real,” she said. Barghouty says she reported the problem behavior more than once, with no resolution.
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Reporter Brandy Zasrozny said that in writing the post, Daily Beast talked to “more than a dozen former and current Vice employees” who described a culture of harassment, and subsequent company indifference, for Vice Media’s female employees. Vice Media disputed that characterization in statements to Daily Beast and to TheWrap.
“We do not tolerate harassment, abusive behavior, assault or retaliation, and we will discipline anyone who engages in such conduct through a range of actions, including termination, as appropriate,” a Vice spokesperson told TheWrap. “We have immediately begun an investigation into this matter.”
Vice said in a separate statement to Daily Beast that the company “will investigate all allegations of such behavior, including any incidents where employees purportedly attempted to justify their conduct through the agreement. We have immediately begun reviewing this matter.”
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The company has long tried to shake a culture of misogyny that was endemic to its early history. Earlier this week, the New York Post resurfaced an embarrassing book, “The Vice Guide to Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll,” by Vice co-founders Shane Smith, Gavin McInnes and Suroosh Alvi which describes their libertine sexual past.
Per the Post:
in a chapter titled “Vice — The Whole Story,” McInnes, who left Vice in 2008 under a dark cloud and now heads right-wing group Proud Boys, says: “We’ve always used the magazine as a way to get laid, especially Vice Girls [a ‘girl of the month’ feature].” Smith adds, “We even got some orgies out of it.”
From Tom Price to Steve Bannon, Here’s Everyone Who’s Left the Trump White House So Far (Photos)
The turnover in the Trump administration continues. Getty
Michael Flynn
Michael Flynn resigned in February as President Trump’s national security adviser after less than a month in the position.
The move came after Flynn admitted he gave “incomplete information” about a call he had with the Russian ambassador to the U. S. last December regarding sanctions against Russia, The New York Times reported, and that he misled Vice President Mike Pence and other top White House officials about the conversation. Getty Images
James Comey
President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May over his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails.
Trump’s decision was based on the recommendation of both Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, according to Spicer. Getty Images
Michael Dubke
Michael Dubke, the first communications director in the Trump White House, resigned in May in the midst of ongoing blowback for the president’s handling of the firing of James Comey.
Sean Spicer
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned in late July when Trump hired Anthony Scaramucci as communications director.
According to the New York Times, which first broke the news, Spicer told President Trump he vehemently disagreed with the appointment of New York financier and former Fox Business host Anthony Scaramucci as communications director. Getty
Reince Priebus
Priebus was ousted from his position as White House Chief of Staff in July, when Donald Trump hired General John Kelly to take his place.
“I am pleased to inform you that I have just named General/Secretary John F Kelly as White House Chief of Staff. He is a Great American,” Trump said in a tweet.
“I would like to thank Reince Priebus for his service and dedication to his country,” Trump went on to say in a separate tweet. “We accomplished a lot together and I am proud of him!”
Getty Images
Anthony Scaramucci
Scaramucci was the White House Communications Director for 10 days last summer and is now infamous for a wild, expletive-filled interview with The New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza. He announced in late September week that he will launch his own media website, called The Scaramucci Post. Getty
Sebastian Gorka
Sebastian Gorka announced his decision to exit his role as deputy assistant to the POTUS in a letter to the president in late August.
“[G]iven recent events, it is clear to me that forces that do not support the MAGA promise are – for now – ascendant within the White House,” Gorka wrote in the letter, obtained by the Federalist. “As a result, the best and most effective way I can support you, Mr. President, is from outside the People’s House.” Getty Images
Steve Bannon
White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon was reportedly fired in August, though he insists he resigned July 27 — giving two weeks’ notice — but his leaving was put off because of the events in Charlottesville, Virginia. He returned to Breitbart News, where he vows to go to “war” for Trump. Fox News
Tom Price
Following a week-long scandal over his lavish use of private jets while traveling on government business, Health and Human Services secretary Tom Price resigned on September 29.
“Secretary of Health and Human Services Thomas Price offered his resignation earlier today and the President accepted,” the White House said in a statement. “The President intends to designate Don J.
