An Emmy-award winning Mad Men writer has accused the show’s creator Matthew Weiner of sexual harassment, stating he once told her told her “I owed it to him to let him see me naked.”
Kater Gordon, who was originally hired as Weiner’s assistant before becoming a fully-fledged member of the show’s writing crew, told The Information the alleged incident occurred during a late-night writing session in 2008.
She states she told close confidants at the time, and The Information reports her contacts verified those conversations took place. However, Gordon says she feared the professional repercussions of taking the matter further.
“I thought. ‘I can’t do anything to jeopardize.’ I need this credit,” Gordon told the publication. “I saw no value to speaking out.”
Gordon went on to win an Emmy in 2009 for her work on the series, but was fired from the show by Weiner several weeks later. She says she eventually stopped working in the industry, as “I was disadvantaged because I didn’t have my boss’s recommendation and I doubted myself.”
“I felt I had lost my integrity and dignity.”
A spokesperson for Weiner told The Information “he does not remember saying this comment nor does it reflect a comment he would say to any colleague.”
Referencing the gender balance of the show’s writing staff, the statement also says Weiner “has long believed in and implemented an egalitarian working environment including the highest levels of production and writing based on mutual respect for all.”
Gordon says she was inspired by the flood of abuse accusations that have emerged regarding Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, and that she is founding a nonprofit organisation to help victims of sexual harassment.
If you would like to access support for issues around sexual assault, please contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
