Netflix fires Kids TV chief over Masterson comments
David Farnor | On 14, Dec 2017
Netflix has fired its former chief of Kids TV over his remarks on the allegations against Danny Masterson.
The star of Netflix sitcom The Ranch has been under investigation since March for multiple claims of sexual assault, with three women coming forward to accuse him. While Masterson has denied the accusations, Netflix has come under fire in recent weeks for not cutting ties with the actor, after it swiftly axed any working relationships with House of Cards actor Kevin Spacey, amid his own allegations of sexual assault.
Earlier this month, one of Masterson’s alleged victims told the Huffington Post that a Netflix executive had told her he did not believe the women in question. Director of Global Kids Content Andy Yeatman was reportedly unaware he was talking to one of these women until she identified herself.
Now, Netflix has fired Yeatman, confirming to Deadline that he is “no longer employed at Netflix”.
Yeatman said the following in a statement: “While I was coaching one of my daughter’s soccer games, I was approached by a stranger who asked if I worked at Netflix. She went on to question why we were not canceling a show in which one of the actors was accused of sexual assault. To try and end the conversation and refocus on the soccer game I made a careless and uniformed comment. I did not know that the woman was one of the victims and I deeply regret that I did not have the opportunity to focus on the conversation.
“I am proud of Netflix’s values and I condemn sexual violence in the strongest possible terms. I have always believed that victims’ voices should be heard and that every victim should get the justice they deserve. My heart goes out to anyone who has been sexually assaulted or harmed in any way.
“I am truly grateful to all the friends, colleagues and members of my community who know me and my family and have reached out to support us during this difficult time. For those who don’t know me and only read the headlines, think about yourself in this situation and how a 30-second conversation on a Sunday morning could change the course of your life.”
The day after the HuffPost published its piece about Yeatman, Netflix announced that it had fired Masterson from The Ranch and would be writing him out of the series.
“Production will resume in early 2018 without him,” said Netflix in a statement.
Netflix fires Danny Masterson amid rape allegations
5th December 2017
Netflix has fired Danny Masterson from The Ranch, following multiple allegations of rape.
The actor has been under investigation since March for multiple claims of sexual assault, with three women coming forward to accuse him. While Masterson has denied the accusations, Netflix has come under fire in recent weeks for not cutting ties with one of its stars, after it swiftly axed any working relatioships with House of Cards actor Kevin Spacey, amid his own allegations of sexual assault.
This week, the accusations of hypocrisy surfaced once more, after one of Masterson’s alleged victims told the Huffington Post that a Netflix executive had told her he did not believe the women in question. Director of Global Kids Content Andy Yeatman was unaware he was talking to one of these women until she identified herself.
Now, after a petition was launched on Monday to call for Netflix to cancel The Ranch, the streaming service has announced that it has fired Masterson from the sitcom, which co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Sam Elliott. Masterson will still appear in Part 2 of the show’s second season, which is being released on 15th December.
“As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of The Ranch,” said Netflix in a statement. “[Monday] was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him.”
Masterson also released a statement: “I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix’s decision to write my character off of The Ranch. From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit. I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one.”
“In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused. I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all. In the meantime, I want to express my gratitude to the cast and crew that I’ve worked so closely with over the past three seasons. I wish them nothing but success. I am also so thankful to the fans that have supported me and continue to do so.”
THR reports that Masterson may appear in parts of Season 3, as he is written out of the programme.
Netflix called out for double standards over Danny Masterson accusations
23rd November 2017
Netflix is being called out by fans for double standards, after accusations of sexual abuse against Danny Masterson have come to light.
The actor, who is perhaps best known for his role in That 70s Show, alongside Ashton Kutcher, has since reunited with his former co-star for The Ranch, a Netflix original sitcom in which they play brothers on a ranch. Despite this continued success, The Huffington Post reports that he is under investigation for allegedly raping several women in the early 2000s.
The publication reports that Masterson, who is a long-standing member of the Church of Scientology, has been accused of rape by four women, three of whom were also Scientologists and reportedly told the Church about the incidents. Masterson has denied all encounters, claiming that the encounters were consensual. A phone recording of his publicist, Jenni Weinman, obtained by The Huffington Post, reportedly saw Weinman suggest to one of them that a woman who is in a relationship with a man can’t say that he raped her, despite accusations that he had done so when they were unconscious.
In a statement, Weinman said to the site: “I respect the law. I would never cover up wrongdoing or threaten people based on the scope of my work. As a publicist it’s my job to gather information and make informed decisions about media matters. As an outsider looking in I never saw anything but a consensual relationship between Danny and Chrissie, with whom I maintained a cordial relationship after they broke up. That said, her claims coming after almost 16 years were surprising and shocking to say the least. My conversation with any alleged victim came from a place of sincerity, and curiosity as to why they would wait and why now, it just seemed so illogical.”
Two of the women have accused Weinman of covering up the allegations, while The Huffington Post reports that the investigation now appears to have stalled. The reports have come into the public eye at a time when Netflix is preparing to release Season 4 of The Ranch – and only a few weeks after the streaming giant cut all ties with Kevin Spacey, amid accusations of sexual harassment against the actor. Production on his political drama House of Cards was also suspended.
Netflix has told The Huffington Post that it is aware of the accusations against Masterson, which have been reported by publications including the LA Times. However, the streaming service is reportedly not seeking to suspend the actor, pending the results of the investigation.