Ryan Seacrest responds to being 'wrongly accused of harassment'
— -- Radio and TV host Ryan Seacrest published a guest column late Monday after he says he was "wrongly accused of harassment."
Seacrest did not name the former E! stylist whose representation sent a letter to the "Live With Kelly and Ryan" host, 43, late last year stating the accusations was unnamed in the piece, but rather described how he felt after the allegations emerged, especially as someone who prides himself on being gracious and respectful to his colleagues.
"In November, I received a letter from a lawyer representing a former show stylist," Seacrest wrote in The Hollywood Reporter. "She claimed that I mistreated her more than a decade ago when we worked together. This arrived during an unprecedented public reckoning by women in our industry and beyond, courageously coming forward to share their stories, many of them heartbreaking."
The reckoning that Seacrest is referring to is the wave of stories of sexual misconduct that have come to light in the past few months. Both women and men have been speaking out and naming those who allegedly harassed or assaulted them.
"To have my workplace conduct questioned was gut-wrenching. I’ve always aimed to treat all of my colleagues with honesty, respect, kindness and compassion. Yet, I knew, regardless of the confidence I had that there was no merit to the allegations, my name would likely soon appear on the lists of those suspected of despicable words and deeds," he added.
The "American Idol" host said he didn't want to be on the wrong side of history, but instead remembered as "part of the change" that he believes is coming. Seacrest first spoke out about this ordeal in November, saying he disputed what he called these "reckless allegations."
"After sharing the letter with the network, I publicly denied the claims against me, and agreed to participate in any inquiry the network deemed appropriate," he said in the column.
In the new op-ed, Seacrest revealed, "On Feb. 1, I received notice that an independent third party found the claims to be unsubstantiated and that there was no evidence of wrongdoing on my part."
He continued by urging more conversation.
"At a time when improper interactions between men and women, particularly in the workplace, are part of a national conversation, we must find a way to ensure that everyone -- the public, private and public institutions, accusers and alleged accused -- is given the opportunity for a swift and fair review," he wrote. "We find ourselves in extraordinary times in American culture. We live with near constant change, disruption and public discourse. I realize the morals and values, the decency, we’ve perhaps taken for granted, individually and as citizens of the world, are in question. Worse, at risk. I do not take these things for granted."
Ryan Seacrest is the co-host of “Live With Kelly and Ryan" which is produced by WABC-TV, a station owned and operated by Disney, ABC News’ parent company.
