General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: New Roy Moore accuser will disclose allegations at Gloria Allred presser today [View all]calimary
(81,248 posts)I faced some very rough times, relatively early in my career, that put me in contact with her. She'd come into the radio station once a week to voice a public affairs minute called "Woman to Woman." It was part of an on-going series. Five parts, one per weekday. We ran into each other because to go anywhere on the production/on-air side, you had to cut through the newsroom if you didn't want to go a really long, roundabout way to the production room.
I had been publicly humiliated in a really awful, crude, and seriously sexist way, live on the air by the newly-arrived morning jock, as a way to "explain" to listeners why the female morning news anchor was being replaced by a man. Nobody asked me about it in advance, or told me the extent of what was planned. They did not get into the hideous details of how they planned to illustrate this on the radio. Nobody was interested in how I felt about it, either, whether I was okay with it, or whether I'd find it offensive (so maybe they'd dial it back a little bit). Nope. The morale with all the staff changes was really bad, mine in particular. I knew I had no recourse and no say in this. I was merely expected to play along, without question. It was HORRIBLE.
It was HORRIBLE. Embarrassing as hell. Disgusting and vulgar. One of the worst professional experiences of my life. I'm still embarrassed, lo these 30-some-odd - NO! Correction! FORTY-some-odd years later, to recount the details. It was HORRIBLE. I was sure that whatever credibility I'd built in this market was completely dashed, and my reputation irrevocably tarnished. And I was very young, green, low-ranking, no clout, still fairly naive, easily intimidated, and still new at the learning curve. Age 23. My only consolation as I cried - no, SOBBED all the way home that day was that it was Memorial Day, and probably most listeners didn't have to get up early to go to work that day, so perhaps I was spared because most of 'em probably weren't even awake yet. Morning drive, dontchaknow. Primo slot to work in, but excruciatingly early. Stupid-early, as a matter of fact. Thank heavens for small favors, I thought. Most people wouldn't have heard a thing. After all, holiday Monday mornings like Memorial Day were when almost everybody slept in. Upper management wouldn't even show up, period.
So whaddya know? The next day, Tuesday morning during that same big, high-profile morning-drive time slot, when everyone's back awake, on schedule, listeners on the freeway, their clock-radio alarms (set to our station) having awakened them up in plenty of time to get ready to go to work, the new morning jock REPLAYED THE ENTIRE SORDID DAMN THING ON THE AIR (because he'd made sure to record it the day before when it was done live).
Anyway - she and I spoke briefly, in the newsroom. She'd heard what had happened on the air. She was outraged for me. She invited me to lunch - just to talk. Made me no offers or deals. I went. I basically cried on her shoulder. Literally. She was tremendously kind. Talked to me at length, comforted me, gave me the sense that I wasn't alone - and that somebody cared, and somebody was on MY side. She listened to me, sympathized, consoled. Let me know I wasn't alone. She LISTENED. She cared. And the kindness. She was so kind. I'm literally starting to get teary-eyed as I write (and recall) this. She didn't rush me through lunch or push to wrap things up after such-and-such a time. She let me talk and burble and cry for as long as I felt like it. Then she picked up the tab for lunch and told me she was not going to call me or pursue me, but that she would be there to help me if I ever needed help. She did not bill me for her time. And she never followed up or tried to hound me to hire her so we could make a public stink about it and sue people.
And she was true to her word. She's no ambulance-chaser. She kept our conversation confidential. She was non-judgmental, caring, and tremendously supportive. Being surrounded by men in that job, there was NOBODY willing to take my side or stand up to upper management and their shiny new "toy" (the presumably big-ass big-name DJ and his newly-arrived entourage).Absolutely NONE. Except my husband and my parents, and Gloria Allred. She came along at a time when I needed someone to hear me out, offer objective and seasoned support, and tell me I wasn't just being whiny or misunderstanding the situation or some other definition of "being in the wrong" or "don't take it personally, this is JUST BUSINESS."
I will NEVER forget Gloria Allred. Her personal advice, support, consolation, and discretion - it all meant THE WORLD to me at a tremendously difficult and terrifying time, when I had no other professional allies. She is TOPS in my book. She will ALWAYS be TOPS in my book. I'll be a fan and admirer of Gloria Allred till the day I die. I am honored to be able to defend her, and I'll take any chance I get to do so.
Anybody who wants to diss her, well, go ahead if you must. But you need to hear and understand the other side of the story.