Dos and Don’ts When Your Friend Is Accused Of Sexual Misconduct

Yet another prominent person that I’ve met has been accused of sexual misconduct. As more revelations come out, it’s raising some uncomfortable questions of etiquette.

Recently, I wrote on Medium of my fury at the harassment allegedly endured by women who came in contact with Michael Oreskes, the former vice president of news at NPR. The incidents took place there and at the New York Times.

This time, it was the comedian and politician Al Franken, on whose radio show I appeared before he was elected to the U.S. Senate.

And, on Monday, Charlie Rose, the venerable broadcaster, was suspended by CBS News, after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced in the Washington Post and elsewhere.

His sponsor, Bloomberg, said it was suspending production of his show, while PBS said it was pulling the program from the air. On Tuesday, CBS fired Rose.

I was especially sad to hear of this case, because his show has been a valuable forum for his guests, including me.

As stories continue to come out, the reactions vary.

Some, like actress and author Lena Dunham, have come flat out in support of their accused pals. Dunham’s original defense of writer/producer Murray Miller was based on her confidence that the accusation is one of three percent a year that are erroneous, and because Miller “filled my world with love.”