Fox News correspondent Geraldo Rivera apologized Friday to actress-singer Bette Midler after she accused him this week of drugging and groping her in the 1970s.
“Although I recall the time @BetteMidler has alluded to much differently than she, that does not change the fact that she has a right to speak out & demand an apology from me, for in the very least, publically embarrassing her all those years ago. Bette, I apologize,” Rivera wrote in the first two tweets:
Although I recall the time @BetteMidler has alluded to much differently than she, that does not change the fact that she has a right to speak out & demand an apology from me, for in the very least, publically embarrassing her all those years ago. Bette, I apologize.
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) December 1, 2017
The apology was sparked by Rivera’s tweet this week saying the “news is a flirty business,” a comment that came in reaction to the firing of NBC’s Today co-host Matt Lauer, who was accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct.
Fox News distanced itself from Rivera, saying, “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.”
Midler seemingly responded to Rivera’s comments, tweeting a video of a 1991 interview with Barbara Walters in which Midler made the allegation that Rivera assaulted her in the 1970s:
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
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) November 30, 2017
Rivera sent a second tweet on Friday, apologizing for his 1991 memoir Exposing Myself, which detailed years of salacious stories about Rivera’s numerous allegedly consensual sexual encounters — extramarital affairs, some with female subordinates; his personal life; and professional highs and lows on his journey to media superstardom.
“27 years ago I wrote a tawdry book depicting consensual events in 1973-45 years ago-I’ve deeply regretted its distasteful & disrespectful tone & have refrained from speaking about it-I’m embarrassed & profoundly sorry to those mentioned-I have & again apologize to anyone offended,” he tweeted.
27 years ago I wrote a tawdry book depicting consensual events in 1973-45 years ago-I’ve deeply regretted its distasteful & disrespectful tone & have refrained from speaking about it-I’m embarrassed & profoundly sorry to those mentioned-I have & again apologize to anyone offended
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) December 1, 2017
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson
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