Ryan Seacrest will reportedly still host the E! Oscars pre-show amid sexual harassment claims

On March 4th, the 2018 Oscars will honor excellence in film for its 90th year. But many have wondered how the awards show will address the wave of sexual misconduct allegations that broke as part of the #MeToo movement in late 2017. Other awards shows this season have addressed #MeToo; celebrities wore black to the Golden Globe Awards, for example. But despite the recent strides made against sexual misconduct, Ryan Seacrest, who has been accused of sexual harassment, will still be hosting E!’s Live from the Red Carpet before the Oscars.

E! told People on February 27th that Seacrest would still be hosting the show. Although a former stylist has claimed that Seacrest sexually harassed her, the network said an independent investigation had not found sufficient evidence of this harassment. E! issued a statement maintaining that the investigation into Seacrest’s conduct had been fair and thorough, stating that more than 24 people had been interviewed and citing the investigator’s experience.

"The investigator is an attorney with nearly 20 years experience and is highly regarded professionally,"  the network's statement read. "Any claims that question the legitimacy of this investigation are completely baseless."

The sexual harassment accusations against Seacrest were first revealed in November, although details weren’t released at the time. The TV host denied the charges against him but said that he was “truly sorry” for the way he had made the complainant feel.

The accusations were further detailed when Variety published a report on February 26th revealing that Suzie Hardy, Seacrest’s former personal stylist at E!, had made the complaint. In a letter from Hardy’s attorney obtained by Variety, the stylist accused Seacrest of groping her and grinding his genitals against her, among other instances of abuse. Hardy said that she had endured the harassment for years, until she reported it in 2013 and was fired shortly afterwards.

We’re disappointed that E! is still letting Seacrest host their red carpet coverage. All survivors of sexual harassment or assault deserve to be heard, and Seacrest’s accuser is no exception. It’s not enough for sexual harassers to issue apologies. They need to be held accountable.

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