Former Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson is suing Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment, saying Ailes allegedly fired her after she rebuffed his sexual advances. Now, days after her lawyer Nancy Erika Smith's candid interview with Marie Claire, she's speaking out for the first time.
"I just wanted to stand up for myself, first and foremost," Carlson tells The New York Times. "And I wanted to stand up for other women who maybe faced similar circumstances."
Carlson says that she and Ailes met "between six to 10" times to discuss her claims of harassment, and he spent that time, well, harassing her. "I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago, and then you'd be good and better, and I'd be good and better," Ailes allegedly told her.
From Gretchen Carlson's suit against Roger Ailes: pic.twitter.com/42GscBE2TPJuly 6, 2016
Carlson reportedly asked Ailes for more work at Fox in a series of handwritten notes, which has some questioning the legitimacy of her claims. But when asked why she was seeking work while being harassed, Carlson explained: "I think it's hard when you've been a victim—you keep thinking things are going to get better."
Carlson's integrity has been called into question by former colleagues (who she notes are "still being paid by Fox"), but at the end of the day, she isn't filing this lawsuit for vindication—or even money. She's filing "to stand up for what happened to me and what was the truth."
Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
-
Taylor Swift Says Her Career Was "Taken Away" by Kim and Kanye: "Make No Mistake"She's finally ready to talk about it.
-
Cult Docuseries Are Having a Moment—Here Are 10 to Watch Now
From 'The Vow' to 'Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God'
-
Taylor Swift, Anna Wintour, Laura Dern, and Robert Patterson Made an All-Star Front Row at an NYC Premiere
Grab the popcorn.
-
Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Modern Family' stars reunited for the 'Pitch Perfect' spinoff series.
-
The 78 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes of All Time
Honestly, we're impressed.
-
Super Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman
From childhood snapshots to portraits as a young princess, beautiful and rare photos of the late Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.
-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's Relationship: A Timeline
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles has ascended to the throne as king.
-
Who Is Next in Line for the British Throne, Explained
And yes—Harry and Archie are still in the line of succession.
-
Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Fiancé Riley Roberts?
AOC's husband-to-be is an "easygoing redhead" who lives with her in D.C.
-
68 Times the Kardashians Posed Fully Nude and Owned It
And we mean fully nude—as in, not a shred of clothing.
-
Who Is Jonathan Owens, Simone Biles's Fiancé and NFL Player?
"The easiest yes!" Simone wrote about the couple's engagement.
