Author: Bill Keveney / Source: USA TODAY
Buzz60
“Cosmos” host and famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson denied sexual misconduct allegations Saturday in a long Facebook post in which he welcomed an investigation announced by Fox and National Geographic, which present the space-oriented series.
Fox, NatGeo and the producers of “Cosmos” said Friday that they will review accusations of sexual misconduct made against Tyson, who also heads the Hayden Planetarium in New York.
Tyson hosted “Cosmos” in 2014 and a second edition, “Cosmos: Possible Worlds,” is scheduled to premiere March 3 and will run on Fox and the National Geographic channel.
On Friday, Fox and National Geographic issued a joint statement that says: “We have only just become aware of the recent allegations regarding Neil deGrasse Tyson. We take these matters very seriously and we are reviewing the recent reports.”
The producers of “Cosmos” also put out a statement: “The credo at the heart of ‘Cosmos’ is to follow the evidence wherever it leads. The producers of ‘Cosmos’ can do no less in this situation. We are committed to a thorough investigation of this matter and to act accordingly as soon as it is concluded.”
In his Facebook essay, titled “On Being Accused,” Tyson says men accused of sexual impropriety in the #MeToo era are presumed guilty by the public for a variety of reasons, “most justified, some unjustified.” He says evidence matters, but in cases where it’s one person’s word against another, “people tend to pass judgment on who is more credible.” He then welcomes the upcoming investigation and offers a response to each allegation.
Two women, identified as working with Tyson or in his scientific field, accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior in a story posted Thursday on Patheos.com, which describes itself as the “premier online destination…
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