Jimmy Fallon show hit with sex discrimination claim
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It is getting downright steamy in Hollywood these days.
Charges of sexual harassment have recently been levied against actor Casey Affleck, Viacom executive chairman Sumner Redstone and recently departed ABC America programming chief Stephen McPherson.
Now a veteran stagehand says he lost his job at NBC because Late Night host Jimmy Fallon "just prefers to take direction from a woman".
Paul Tarascio, who worked for 14 years for Late Night With Conan O'Brien and joined Fallon's show when O'Brien left for The Tonight Show, says he has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the first step before initiating a lawsuit.
Mr Tarascio says he worked on the show's launch, helping to coordinate stage activities, aiding the director in communicating with staff and helping make decisions on wardrobe, lighting and make-up.
From the outset, he claims, it was clear to him the show's executives preferred to fill his job with a woman.
David Diomedi, the show's director, allegedly told him: "You know Jimmy. He loves his women."
Mr Tarascio was replaced by Nicka Tolmafoff, whom he says was "a less qualified woman".
After being demoted Mr Tarascio continued to complain and took his grievances to union reps.
At that point Mr Tarascio says the show's coordinating producer became hostile towards him and stopped speaking to him.
He believed an effort was underway to get him terminated and he took his concerns to NBC's human resources department, which allegedly failed to investigate.
Two weeks later he says he was fired and given a list of job failures.
"We have yet to see any of the charges," an NBC spokesman said.
"Any claim of sexual discrimination is without merit."
- Reuters
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