Bette Midler Demands Apology From Geraldo Rivera, Says He Drugged and 'Groped Me'

Bette Midler is demanding an apology from Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera after video re-surfaced of the veteran singer and actress telling Barbara Walters in 1991 that Rivera and a producer “groped” and drugged her in a bathroom in the 1970s.

“Tomorrow is my birthday. I feel like this video was a gift from the universe to me,” Midler tweeted on Thursday. “Geraldo may have apologized for his tweets supporting Matt Lauer, but he has yet to apologize for this. #MeToo”

Tomorrow is my birthday. I feel like this video was a gift from the universe to me. Geraldo may have apologized for his tweets supporting Matt Lauer, but he has yet to apologize for this. #MeToo pic.twitter.com/TkcolFWfA2

— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) November 30, 2017

Also Read: Geraldo Rivera Apologizes for Highly Criticized Comments About Sexual Harassment and Assault

“He and his producer left the crew in the other room, they pushed me into my bathroom, they broke two poppers and pushed them under my nose and proceeded to grope me,” Midler told Walters in the interview that resurfaced this week. Poppers refer to packets of amyl nitrite, a chemical that is often inhaled recreationally to relax muscles.

Rivera — a network icon on Fox News — has seen his stock fall swiftly in the last 24 hours. Yesterday, he posted a defense of Matt Lauer, calling news a “flirty business.”

Sad about @MLauer great guy, highly skilled & empathetic w guests & a real gentleman to my family & me. News is a flirty business & it seems like current epidemic of #SexHarassmentAllegations may be criminalizing courtship & conflating it w predation. What about #GarrisonKeillor?

— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 29, 2017

The post prompted a storm of criticism against Rivera, leading him to issue a lengthy series of tweeted clarifications. The tweet unnerved Rivera’s employers at Fox News so much that they felt compelled to issue a statement distancing themselves from the host.

“Geraldo’s tweets do not reflect the views of Fox News or its management. We were troubled by his comments and are addressing them with him,” said a network representative.

Neither the statement nor Geraldo’s apology specifically speak to the Midler accusation. Fox News did not respond to multiple inquiries from TheWrap Thursday for clarification on whether Rivera will face consequences at the network.

7 Times Matt Lauer Came Under Fire, From Sexual Harassment Accusations to Ann Curry Ousting (Photos)

Matt Lauer was terminated by NBC News on Wednesday after the company received a complaint of sexual harassment against him. But that's not the first time the longtime "Today" host found himself in hot water.
Getty Images
Rumors of extramarital affairs dogged Lauer during his tenure on "Today," with tabloid reports linking him to other members of the show, including Natalie Morales. In 2010, NBC News finally responded to the allegations, calling them "completely inaccurate and unfounded" and "reckless and harmful to the Lauer family."
Getty Images
Ann Curry was ousted from "Today" in 2012 as the show was losing ground to ABC's "Good Morning America," and after she issued a tearful on-air goodbye Lauer was widely viewed as the reason for her departure. New York Magazine later reported that the two had a tense off-camera relationship, and though Curry took the fall, Lauer was more to blame for the show's declining viewership.
NBC
In 2012, Lauer was criticized for asking Anne Hathaway about an upskirt photo taken at the premiere of "Les Miserables" and attempting to make a joke of the situation by saying he'd "seen a lot of you lately." Hathaway was praised for how she handled the situation, gently shutting down the line of questioning by saying it was unfortunate that the culture "commodifies sexuality of unwilling participants."
Getty Images
In 2006, Lauer's wife Annette Roque filed for divorce, alleging that she suffered "cruel and inhumane" treatment at the hands of her controlling husband. The two eventually reconciled and Roque, who was pregnant at the time, withdrew the paperwork, but the documents were obtained and published by the National Enquirer in 2014.
Getty Images
Lauer's former co-anchor Katie Couric joked about his behavior in a 2012 interview with Andy Cohen. "He pinches me on the ass a lot," she said, calling it Lauer's most annoying habit. Video of the interview, which was handled jokingly at the time, was recirculated following his termination for a sexual misconduct allegation.
Getty Images
Lauer moderated a pair of NBC News town halls during the 2016 presidential election, which were widely slammed for the way he questioned the two candidates. Lauer repeatedly asked Hillary Clinton about her email server and rushed past other, more concrete policy issues. Meanwhile, he was perceived to have gone much softer on Donald Trump, failing to press the then-nominee on repeated falsehoods.
Getty Images
Lauer was finally axed by NBC News and removed from "Today" in 2017, after the company received a "detailed complaint" from a colleague accusing him of inappropriate sexual behavior.
Getty Images

1 of 8

Morning show host was axed following a sexual misconduct allegation by an NBC News colleague

Matt Lauer was terminated by NBC News on Wednesday after the company received a complaint of sexual harassment against him. But that's not the first time the longtime "Today" host found himself in hot water.

View In Gallery

7 Times Matt Lauer Came Under Fire, From Sexual Harassment Accusations to Ann Curry Ousting (Photos)

7DAYFREETRIAL

7
DAY
FREE
TRIAL