Charlie Rose's longtime makeup artist is suing him for alleged harassment

The Cut

Gina Riggi, who worked as Rose's makeup artist on his PBS show for 22 years, is suing him and Bloomberg LP, describing “a toxic work environment suffused with sexual harassment and gender-based abuse." Riggi accuses Rose of "using the Show as an instrument of his predatory sexual behavior and the Bloomberg studio where he recorded it as a sexual hunting ground.” Riggi says Rose "targeted young, attractive women just beginning their journalism careers," promising them internships and jobs, many of which never materialized. The ones who did get jobs faced harassment, her lawsuit states. Riggi also accuses Rose of verbally abusing her on a daily basis, berating her about her weight and swatting away at her hand while she worked. She describes once instance of him allegedly “forcefully grabbed and twisted her arm, physically hurting her.” Riggi also says she witnessed Rose inappropriately touching and ogling his female employees, including “holding a female intern on his lap.” Riggi's lawsuit joins a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Rose by three of his former assistants.