Household Betrayal
Harassment in the workplace, sexual or otherwise, is something I take very seriously. In my home and on the set, I have been surrounded for years by hardworking women (and men) whom I respect and whose rights are to be protected. But when people make false claims of harassment particularly for financial gain, it must be defended vigorously and openly, for it weakens the claims of legitimate victims.
A former employee is demanding my wife Sheryl and I pay her $1.5 million by the end of the week or she will accuse us both of a vicious laundry list of false terribles. It is an attempt to damage and humiliate not only my wife and me, but our two young sons as well. My family is devastated at this betrayal; this woman worked in our home and traveled with us off and on for seven years, without complaint. In fact, she left other jobs to return to work for us three different times. Several weeks ago she quit abruptly, leaving us without a replacement. Within days we received these texts from her explaining her sudden departure:
------ SMS Text ------
From: (phone number redacted)
Sent: Feb 25, 2008 9:47 AM
Subject: Sheryl, I am really sorry.
Sheryl, I am really sorry. I have nothing bad 2 say about your family and really am thankful for what you guys have done for me over the years. I hope we can handle this as friends. I did not leave out of spite or anger, it was just time for my heart to let go. I am embarassed that I just up and left like this but I could not see another way. It was time for me to move on. I'm sure you and rob feel the same. My heart has not been in the job and that is not fair to you or the boys. I have nothing but love and respect for your family and would love to maintain a caring relationship with you guys. You have been a huge part of my life for so many years it will be hard to let go of those boys. I am really sorry Sheryl! Jess Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
------ SMS Text ------
From: (phone number redacted)
Sent: Feb 25, 2008 10:29 AM
Subject: Thank you so much sheryl and I...
Thank you so much sheryl and I really am sorry. Please tell the kids it had nothing 2 do w them, they are absolutely amazing boys. It had nothing to do with you or rob either, this was me. I love you guys. Ps tell rob I'm really sorry as well
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Does that sound like someone who has been treated badly? Nothing about abuse in the workplace or inappropriate conduct; nothing about discrepancies with monies owed, no explanation as to why she would return numerous times to a job she considered so abusive. Just a correct assessment of her relationship with our family. But clearly, if you are going to demand a million-five for supposed "anguish" suffered in our home, you'd better change your tune fast; so she did.
Everyone knows we live in a time where public figures are targets. But I also know of many people in everyday life who are paying the price of a climate where anyone can accuse anybody of anything, anytime, and hope for a big cash pay-off at the end. "Hush money" to just go away. Well I won't go away. No one intimidates my family. My wife and I have many former and long term employees, all of whom know this woman, who can and will refute any claims of anything inappropriate in our home, or anywhere else. We will defend ourselves with vigor and without fear.
We live in a time where businesses build glass-walled offices to prevent this exact kind of "his-word-against-mine" extortion. But you can't build a world of glass. You shouldn't have to live in fear of being alone in a room with a co-worker or having to tip-toe through your own home. Conversely, legitimate sexual harassment, when proved-up, with witnesses and proper documentation is to be dealt with severely.
During her time in our home my wife tried to mentor this young woman. She took her into her confidence. We took her into our hearts. Having 18 years of sobriety, both my wife and I tried to be supportive as she struggled with personal issues. But we never saw this coming. Apparently, she wanted more. Recently, a colleague of hers has come forward to reveal that this young woman had "a crush" on me and told her on many occasions, "I wish he would get a divorce."
My two boys are Jewish, by way of my wife. The other day I asked their rabbi for advice. She said: "People see threats for what they are, just as they see truth for what it is." I hope that's true. I don't want to live in a world of glass.
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Why does this begin to remind me of Ellen DeGeneres and that dog? He doesn't have his own talk show to cry on, so he posts on HuffPo.
This is not news, it is a preemptive strike. If this site is going to become a forum for celebrity PR I'll just keep reading elsewhere.
Note to Celebrities: Please post this kind of nonsense at TMZ.
Yes, and this has annoyed people up and down this thread.
And for those who say "but it's under the entertainment tab!" --on the scroll to the right of my screen, the first story was about Bush and Rumsfeld being charged as war criminals and next was "Household Betrayal" by Rob Lowe, which I naturally assumed was about politics.
(I know--I'm here because I'm interested in the topic, just saying-- it is misleading. )
I've also complained on these messageboards previously about HuffPo's seeming obsession with Celebrity gossip/BS that (IMO) have no place on this site. But in this case I think the blog IS valid.
Over recent years I've been disgusted by the direction the 'entertainment' media have taken. They may be paid a lot of money but I think 'stars' DO have the right to go to the supermarket without make-up on or to a beach for a swim without being plastered on the cover of a magazine with their tummy circled and a headline "Is She Pregnant?" (when we all know she's not).
Lowe's blog is valid because it's a rare example of a 'star' fighting back. Sure, he's not directly attacking the media per se, but he is acting pre-emptively since it's reasonable to presume his accuser was going to sell her story to the media anyway.
As for her charges - if she thinks it's worth $1.5m then she'll think it's worth going to court. Which is where the matter should be settled, not the tabloids.
The reason it was number two on the right side of your screen is because it was, at the time, the second most popular blog on HuffPo. I believe if you look to the right that it is now the most popular - as of this post anyway.
So, between people being genuinely interested in it, and people complaining that it shouldn't be here, it has become the most popular blog.
I'm not trying to be a smart-ass, or put anyone down, but honestly, if you don't want a certain type of blog to be on HuffPo, you are probably better off ignoring it instead of posting on it. I'm not sure how a blog is determined to be popular - it may be number of posts or maybe just number of hits or something entirely different. Whatever the case though, the less attention payed to a particular type of blog, the less likely those types of blogs will continue to show up - except of course blogs of staff writers.
I'm impressed by the sincerity of Lowe's comments and am inclined to believe him, especially since his words seem to be supported by the e-mail evidence he produces.
When a story like this breaks in the same newscycle as the report of Naomi Campbell's latest arrest for abusing someone who was providing her with a purchased service (British Airway personnel in London), we are, however, reminded that there are many celebrities who feel that they are above not only the requirements of human decency but also of the law.
Personally, I hope that Lowe is telling the truth and that the person who has abused his family's trust will come forth and acknowledge what she has done--and then get the help that Lowe implies she needs. As for Naomi Campbell, it would be wonderful if she would just go away and stop filling the media with the pathetic details of her misbehavior. Her 15 minutes are sooo up.
creeping up on 1.2 MILLION dead Iraqi, untold Afghani...
a US Congress-funded TORTURE SCHOOL in Fort Benning...
Rupert Murdoch bought up the Dow Jones.
US financial malfeasance plummeting the Globe into financial crisis...
===
Senator George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, broke with the party line, declaring, "We've kind of bankrupted this country" with the war spending. "We're in a recession," he added, "and God knows how long it's going to last." – BostonGlobe
Republican Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, a longtime critic of the administration's war strategy, told Petraeus: "The American people have had it up to here." – AP
===
...& ThisCanadian is supposed to give a damn about Rob Lowe's personal crisis?
really?
wow.
On the up-side, it is good that someone gets to have their say when their lives are dropped into the toilet by circumstance.
Too bad nobody reports on the women SELF-IMMOLATING in Afghanistan because their husbands & children got blown away by US gun-happy military command that endangers the Canadians stuffed into this conflict by American strong-arming & Pentagon control of the NATO Afghan mission.
~~~
Spread Love...
BlueBerry Pick'n
ThisCanadian com
~~~
"We, two, form a Multitude" ~ Ovid.
~~~
"Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"
"Do no harm"
The Bankruptcy of the Chef in the Rob Lowe lawsuit www.webofdeception.com
Oh yeah, Lowe's also suing the chef, another nanny, and John or Jane Doe 1-100!!!
THAT'S THREE NAMED PEOPLE AND ONE THROUGH ONE HUNDRED UNNAMED OTHERS.
His lawyers must think they've died and gone to heaven.
Nut.
Okay, NoSillyName, I looked it up online and the whole thing is baffling. 1-100 people? Is that legalese for "we don't know who or how many where involved?" And involved in what, exactly? They don't seem to know that, either. Unless I missed it, which is possible. My eyes started rolling back in my head.
Who on earth sues an employee for having sex in their bed? And since it "happened" several times, don't you lose your right to sue if you keep the person in your employ?
Apparently, the nanny's comments about the mother were that she had a temper and was a "bad mother". What on earth are they thinking putting this out there? It seems they themselves caused the bad publicity they supposedly feared.
They are courting all this publicity on this; I think it's a huge mistake and it will backfire on them.
They are starting to sound like the worst employers many of us ever had.
Reunionpi-your link doesn't work.
This is ridiculous garbage, what this woman is doing. As a woman, it infuriates me to see other women make false accusations, file false lawsuits/police charges, etc. against innocent people for sexual harassment and other crimes of that nature when no crime or misdeed has taken place. Because of this sort of behaviour by greedy unscrupulous individuals, the women who are telling the truth are looked upon with suspicion. I wish Mr. Lowe and his family the best of luck dealing with this dishonest ex-employee. May justice prevail.
Why do you assume she's lying? (PS what actual evidence do we have of blackmail? All I see is the Lowes suing their former employees.)
Why do you assume "no crime or misdeed has taken place?" Because he said so?
Did you read his statement? It's fishy in the extreme, for numerous reasons, as has been outlined on this thread.
With respect, if people didn't assume a woman was lying every time she opened her mouth, as you have done, we wouldn't have women "looked on with suspicion" all the time.
Something seems rather fishy here.
I wish you and your family nothing but the best. You guys are kind and sweet people with good hearts. No one should take adavatage of you or your family. Best wishes and good luck.
Maybe, to avoid this kind of problem, they should take care of their own children and cook their own meals. I am not aware that Mr. Lowe is employed at this time. Has he made any movies lately? Seems like he has had some time on his hands for awhile now.
Where have you been? He is on Brothers and Sisters on ABC with Calista Flockhart and Sally Fields.
I guess I've never heard of the show. Sorry Rob. Wow, Calista Flockhart. (I do like Sally Field though).
LOL! OK, everybody. I just read the legal complaints the Lowe's have filed, all dozens of pages of 'em.
First of all, he is not just suing Laura Boyce, the unfortunate nanny who worked for them on & off for over seven years.
She is but one defendant, the Lowe's are also suing DOES (as in Jane and/or John) 1-100! They are all included in the Boyce suit.
There is another separate case being filed again a Jessica Gibson who has accused him of sexual harassment and also supposedly had an ongoing affair with him.
(continued below)
My original suspicions about his lame attempt to inoculate the public with his version of events has now increased by at least 102 percent.
Who in the world sues these two women (at least) and ONE HUNDRED DOES??? He is either insane or that household is a hotbed of nefarious activity just aching to be exposed.
All of you fans who are in there pitching for him to ruin the "liar nanny", don't take my word for any of this. Do a simple search for the legal papers and read them for yourselves.
He wrote that piece in advance of the shit hitting the fan in the hopes of gaining sympathy for being victimized by this one woman. None of us could have possibly guessed that there would be over 100 other defendants. What a huge joke. My original opinion of Lowe based on his earlier taped sexcapades with multiple partners in the U.S. and in France, male and female, some underage, stands. All of his supporters are obviously free to continue to feel sorry for him. For his sake, I hope he isn't laughed out of court over his Grand Conspiracy. ha.
That's just how legal documents are written. It doesn't mean he actually believes there are 100. They use "Does 1-50" or "1-100" on a routine basis in legal documents in any case where there could be others involved.
Yeah, I am not surprised. I guess because he deigned to "blog" here (of course his attorney or publicist wrote this), a bunch of sad sacks ran right in to say "ohh poor Rob". Amazing they forgot that he is a known whoremonger who was caught on tape with two underaged girls in a hotel room.
Now he is crushing a maid. And Arianna Huffington, knowing her daughters will never have to get on their knees for someone like Lowe, says, "What can I do to help sir?" Disgusting.
I have never been able to see Rob Lowe in a positive light ever since that scandal. I think he is a creep in family man's clothing. I wonder what the truth about this law suit really is.
Emma, I'm glad you put "blog" in quotation marks. My understanding is that a blog is a web log, an ongoing column on a variety of topics. Like having a newspaper column. Not a one time article that I've been calling an "article" or a "story", not Lowe's "blog". Am I incorrect? Has the word "blog" come to mean anything... long or short, regular or one time... that a person writes online?
Someone on this topic said "we all have access to write here" at HuffPost in response to another poster asking why Lowe had this opportunity to "blog" here. I completely disagree; we are all eligible to post comments, but not to start a "blog".
Rob dated Princess Stephanie, for God's sake, and anyone else he wanted. This is an unfortunate joke. Any time people make accusations in this society, they get paid. She will be on Oprah, getting paid big bucks to explain her side. Or, some other show will tempt her, or she will expose all in Penthouse. Rob Lowe has had his problems in the past, but this surely isn't one of them. I'm sure of that.
www.bobbyvassallo.com
bobbyv, "...Princess Stephanie, for God's sake...". You think that was impressive or something? Steph who earned the title of "the Wild Child" of Monaco. She who started having a series of affairs with "bad boys" before age 15, had three children out of wedlock, brought immense shame on the Royal Family and embarrassed the citizens of Monaco, in her 20s became involved by an arraigned rapist, and then a con man, a cocaine dealer, various circus performers, was told by her father to leave the country, etc. THAT "Princess Stephanie for God's sake"? Maybe she's settled down now, who knows, but yes, she had a brief affair with Lowe. Big deal.
Rob - to avoid this happening in the future you should have all your employees sign a Non Disclosure Agreement. This is your best protection from current and former employees.
I believe Mr. Lowe is taking the most important step to avoid this in the future. By exposing the plot and stating the fact that he will not give in to extortion, he is making it clear that you can't get away with such demands.
As to a non disclosure agreement, this woman did not disclose anything, Mr. Lowe did. Non disclosure agreements are great at limiting what a person can say about one's company (or private life in this case) under threat of suit. If you ARE sexually harrased or the victim of some other abuse on the job, a non disclosure agreement does not keep you from reporting the crime or suing your employer.
If you work for a company that makes you sign a non-disclosure agreement does that mean you can never say or write anything about the company even if you don't work there anymore?
these allegations of abuse, could have been handled with out the request of 1.5 million. when you talk about $$ in amounts that defy the common care takers usual expectation of pay for legitimate work, you conjure up many questions, which at this point are dubious at best. is this young woman claiming inappropriate advances and if so to what degree? she needs to use much discretion no matter whom she is accusing, unless she has been advised that bringing attention to these claims would benefit her.
life is short, to spend it in litigation of these terms, if they are not legitimate, is such poor use of the time we have on this earth to accomplish such worthy goals...(in my humble opinion)
Here is what probably happened. After working for someone for many years, you are probably going to know some "dirt" on them or their family. All families have problems or issues that they would prefer to keep private. When someone is working in your home they will almost always know about it. Maybe she had an affair with him, it's impossible to know based on what we have been told so far, but sex between consenting adults isn't a crime. But blackmail is.
She left the job and then went back several times but eventually decided to leave for good. She starting talking to people about her experiences "You wouldn't believe what I know about that family" and gossiping about them so someone she knows told her "Do you realize how many people would pay you to keep silent about that? This is America and we all deserve money that we haven't earned! We all know celebrities are paid too much so we deserve some of that money also! We deserve money...we want money...we shouldn't have to work for money...not when we can blackmail a celebrity for money!" So she decided to blackmail him.
It backfired on her when he decided to make a public statement about it.
Pure speculation !
I think Mr. Lowe and his wife are exposing this in order to protect their children. Period. To all those naysayers who write to complain about this being celeb gossip...If you're so disinterested, why do you bother to post your complaints in the first place? They are trying to keep their lives at peace. Show some compassion. Oh by the way, the article does mention that EVERY individual and household has the right to be harassment free...be it by employer AND/OR employee.
Unless she has proof, this is nothing more than blackmail. You evidently have some proof that she felt sorry about her leaving. She sounds too fragile to pursue this, i.e. quite unbalanced to say the least! Perhaps you should counter sue her should it come to that.
Settle for 10 grand. It will all go away.
When you "settle" in matters like this, you more or less admit wrongdoing. Also, you open the door to other false claims brought by people hoping you will "settle" with them as well. That "10 grand" would be better spent fighting this case.
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