Just yesterday, it seemed as if the focus of what has become a national reckoning on the subject of sexual harassment had shifted from the entertainment industry to the political sphere, but after the Today show’s Matt Lauer and former Prairie Home Companion host Garrison Keillor, the CW’s Andrew Kreisberg became the third man in a day to lose his job amid allegations of “improper behavior” or worse.
Variety’s Maureen Ryan reported on Nov. 10 that Kreisberg, one of the architects of the CW’s “Arrowverse”—an expanding network of shows based on DC Comics titles that now includes Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl—had been suspended from his job while Warner Bros investigated “a pattern of alleged sexual harassment and inappropriate physical contact over a period of years.” Ryan wrote:
According to sources who either witnessed this behavior or were subjected to it, Kreisberg is accused of frequently touching people without their permission, asking for massages from uncomfortable female staff members, and kissing women without asking. Almost every source cites a constant stream of sexualized comments about women’s appearances, their clothes, and their perceived desirability.
Less than three weeks later, that investigation has been completed, and Kreiseberg has been fired. “After a thorough investigation, Warner Bros. Television Group has terminated Andrew Kersiberg’s employment, effective immediately,” they in a statement. “We remain committed to providing a safe working environment for our employees and everyone involved in our productions.” In a separate statement, Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter, who produce the shows for Berlanti productions, wrote, “We encouraged and supported this investigation, we believe and support the individuals who came forward, and we agree with the studio’s decision. Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of all our colleagues—coworkers, crew and staff alike.”
Although the accusers in the original Variety article were unnamed, cast members from the Arrowverse shows, including Supergirl’s Melissa Benoist and The Flash’s Grant Gustin, released statements supporting victims of sexual harassment and assault and calling for abusers to be held accountable, although neither named Kreisberg directly.
