Michael Douglas Preemptively Denies Masturbation Harassment Claim from 80’s

Michael Douglas got wind that the Hollywood Reporter was about to run with a story that a woman who worked for Douglas in the early 80’s was accusing him of workplace harassment. The outlet had reached out to him for comment, as well as contacting a number of his long time associates. The harassment claims included the horrible crimes of using profanity while talking to buddies in the office, not speaking well of  her to industry friends after he fired her, and the only actual real charge, masturbating in front of her. That old clam.

Douglas contacted the entertainment trade magazine, Deadline, to produce an interview discussing his counter claim before the claims could even hit the newsstand in the Hollywood Reporter. Hard to say if this will be the new strategy in the #MeToo/#TimesUp witch hunt era, but it’s at least a strategy. And Douglas is no dummy. He’s been in the business since birth.

The full Deadline interview is rather awkward, in that Douglas is recounting what the Hollywood Report told him was their story, while similarly providing his defense of the claims in that story. Regardless, he knew well to hit home on the denial of the tugging bit, the one real accusation:

Finally, masturbating in front of her? I don’t know where to begin. This is a complete lie, fabrication, no truth to it whatsoever.

Michael Douglas has banged a ton of tail in this town. He was the original ginned up sex addiction rehab patient after plowing through a couple wives and ladies on the side. He’s been accusation free when it comes to anything sinister. You have to wonder about a woman, who was fired by him, in 1983, now coming out with a series of charges which are largely puttering, save for a last of the list trendy masturbated-in-front-of-me charge. Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, it only means she’s delivering the news in one of the least believable frameworks possible.

With the nature of recent revelations about a bunch of dudes who maybe did rape or semen bomb women long ago but only now are being called to task, you’d be wise not to hundred percent call a claim against a powerful dude in Hollywood out and out bogus. It likely is, but who knew Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer were naked so much in their offices?

The Hollywood Reporter will still run with the story, even if Douglas deflate-gated much of their bang. And the people who want to believe the 80’s charges by an ex-employee will do so because it fits their view of the universe. The smart strategy for defending yourself in this 17th century Salem environment has yet to be discovered, but at least Douglas is trying something.

Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News