Ex-"Friends" female writer sues for harrassment

[Paelos]

Story here

LOS ANGELES — Writer Janis Hirsch faced a painful ritual at one sitcom: She'd get a tap on the shoulder from one or another male colleague, turn around and find them exposing themselves.

Note though that she's not the one suing.

But if the tradition of the raucous, freewheeling "writers room" is the Hollywood status quo, Amaani Lyle (search) is fighting it. The 31-year-old former writer's assistant for "Friends" (search) has filed a lawsuit that has landed before the California Supreme Court.

While I can see that there should be limits on totally inappropriate behavior such as exposing yourself and making vile direct comments towards female subordinates, coming up with good comedy is about pushing the envelope. I can see who sometimes the creative process of comedy could certainly offend someone, but that's not a reason to sue.

[Dark Vengeance]

Dude, if you tap someone on the shoulder, and they look to discover that it's your nutsack perched there like a fuckin parrott, that's comedy gold.

Occupational hazard, I say....of course, I'm still really drunk.

Bring the noise.
Cheers............

[WayAbvPar]

If their comments weren't directed at her, no physical contact occurred, and she wasn't subjected to unwanted advances, she needs to STFU. A writer's meeting isn't like a board meeting- it is a free-wheeling exchange of ideas. If people don't feel the freedom to express whatever outrageous thought pops into their head, the creative process is blunted, and you end up with shit like Alf or Full House.

[HaemishM]

There is a difference between being funny and "Ooops, look, there's my family jewels." Of course, if the woman exposed to said jewels wasn't suing, I'm not sure what the issue is.

Not being able to make racy jokes that aren't directed at anyone in the room would really clamp down what you could write about on a shitty show like "Friends." I think we've all faced situations where we just can't tell that joke around some of our work friends for fear of lawsuit.

I'd have to go on the side of the writers, though.

[Abagadro]

This suit has been around for a while. Here is a declaration filed in the case that talks about specific instances.

[Paelos]

There is a difference between being funny and "Ooops, look, there's my family jewels."

I hear that every Christmas, and yet it hasn't stopped me yet.

However, I think most of the whole "Hostile work environment" stuff is pure lawyer crap. It's certainly not a case for sexual harassment, it's something women can legally scream about when a guy puts up a swimsuit catalog in the office.

I think Chris Rock put sexual harassment in the best way.

Sexual harrassment! What is sexual harassment?! What's the difference between sexual harrassment and just being an idiot? I mean, if my father didn't harrass my mother, I wouldn't be here! I mean, I understand some sexual harrassment.. if a man is your boss and says, "Hey, sleep with me, or you're fired." That's sexual harrassment. And that's the only thing that's sexual harrassment! Everything else falls under "Just trying to get laid." You can't put a man in jail for that!

[Abagadro]

However, I think most of the whole "Hostile work environment" stuff is pure lawyer crap. It's certainly not a case for sexual harassment, it's something women can legally scream about when a guy puts up a swimsuit catalog in the office.

As someone who has been involved in numerous of these types of cases, I don't think you are correct.  A hostile work environment sucks and makes it impossible to do your job. I've seen first hand how it can mess these women up and destroy their careers.  Heaven forbid that women would have the opportunity to work in an office where they aren't constantly barraged with sexual idiocy.  The standard for HWE is actually pretty high regardless of whatever media BS you've read.

[Paelos]

However, I think most of the whole "Hostile work environment" stuff is pure lawyer crap. It's certainly not a case for sexual harassment, it's something women can legally scream about when a guy puts up a swimsuit catalog in the office.

As someone who has been involved in numerous of these types of cases, I don't think you are correct.  A hostile work environment sucks and makes it impossible to do your job. I've seen first hand how it can mess these women up and destroy their careers.  Heaven forbid that women would have the opportunity to work in an office where they aren't constantly barraged with sexual idiocy.  The standard for HWE is actually pretty high regardless of whatever media BS you've read.

Fair enough, my standard would be pressing your wang against the office glass, or sending porn email to the entire female staff. Not a calendar in the break room. Like I said, mostly lawyer crap. I figured that would summon you in here Ab :)

[Abagadro]

There is a vast gulf between displaying your wang and a bikini calender, which is where most of these cases end up. It's actually a pretty hard case to prove and it is a tough standard for a variety of reasons I'm sure no one cares about.

I just take a twisted pleasure in being involved in a case in which the august Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals had the word "blow job" in its opinion multiple times.  That was a fun brief to write, especially since the opposition were raging assholes and we kicked the living crap out of them.

[HaemishM]

Was the opposition asking for or receiving?

[Abagadro]

We represented the Plaintiff.  They got dinged for quite a tidy sum and more than deserved it.

[Paelos]

We represented the Plaintiff.  They got dinged for quite a tidy sum and more than deserved it.

Better or worse than a wang on the glass?

[Sky]

I once told a girl at walmart that her new hairdo looked sexy and was reported to a manager and given a warning about sexual harassment.

The next day I told her it looked like shit.

Stupid bitch. Only someone stupid could turn a harmless complement into sexual harassment and pervert the laws in place to stave off real harassment, like "Hey you want a raise, you get on the knees" kinda thing.

It's been said the current generation needs hardships to gain some perspective, and I tend to agree. Buncha pussies. Should be interesting as all the kids come home with missing limbs and in body bags, maybe people won't get so worked up over stupid shit.

[CmdrSlack]

We represented the Plaintiff.  They got dinged for quite a tidy sum and more than deserved it.

Better or worse than a wang on the glass?

Probably worse.

Dude, aren't you in law school now?  Take employment law or labor law if your school offers it.  (It should.)  Like Ab said, it's very hard to establish hostile work environment.  Yes, people will sue over small shit, but it never gets to trial, or never lasts very long if it does.  

If that's an accurate copy of the declaration that was filed, yeah, I'd say she has a case if what she's saying is true.  Believe it or not, there's no place for that kind of behavior in a workplace, regardless of what the business happens to be.

[Margalis]

The stuff in that declaration is pretty fucked up. The guys sound liek cocks, I say sue away!

[Arnold]

Believe it or not, there's no place for that kind of behavior in a workplace, regardless of what the business happens to be.

Porn?

[stray]

I once told a girl at walmart that her new hairdo looked sexy and was reported to a manager and given a warning about sexual harassment.

Lol, I got a few dates doing the same thing. Err..wait, I think I told her "beautiful" not "sexy". That could have been the difference maker. /shrug

[CmdrSlack]

Believe it or not, there's no place for that kind of behavior in a workplace, regardless of what the business happens to be.

Porn?

Not that I know for sure, but I'm willing to bet that porn is probably an exception (you know what you're getting into, etc) but I would also bet that a lot of the bigger studios are very professional in atmosphere and treat the actors with respect.

[Viin]

Not that I know for sure, but I'm willing to bet that porn is probably an exception (you know what you're getting into, etc) but I would also bet that a lot of the bigger studios are very professional in atmosphere and treat the actors with respect.

Ah ha! hahahaha! hahaha! oh stop! hahaha! haha! you're killing me! ah ha! ah ha!

[WayAbvPar]

Believe it or not, there's no place for that kind of behavior in a workplace, regardless of what the business happens to be.

Porn?

Not that I know for sure, but I'm willing to bet that porn is probably an exception (you know what you're getting into, etc) but I would also bet that a lot of the bigger studios are very professional in atmosphere and treat the actors with respect.

Fuck, pig! Howl, skank! You know, turn on words.

[Paelos]

We represented the Plaintiff.  They got dinged for quite a tidy sum and more than deserved it.

Better or worse than a wang on the glass?

Probably worse.

Dude, aren't you in law school now?  Take employment law or labor law if your school offers it.  (It should.)  Like Ab said, it's very hard to establish hostile work environment.  Yes, people will sue over small shit, but it never gets to trial, or never lasts very long if it does.  

Nope, not in law school, I'm an accountant. While I can tell the threshold for a standard deduction vs. itemization and how to accrue unearned revenues, I am at a loss for what qualifies as a hostile work environment. That's stuff I should know too, considering I'm seen as something of an oddball at the office. Go figure.

[HaemishM]

If the colum of numbers ends in the head of a cock, someone has created a hostile workplace.

[Mnemon]

I read an interesting article a few years ago that touched upon some of the issues being discussed here. essentially it was talking about Disney buying ESPN and some of the issues ESPN workers were facing when all of a sudden being part of a corporate situation.

for instance there were times when assistants, writers and even the personalities got in trouble for saying things to colleagues that they'd have no problem saying on the air - and the push and tug between being off-beat and funny on SportsCenter vs. being clean cut and not so off-beat in the office.

honestly though I dunno what's next. in one of the articles on this friends situation I read said specifically that writers for comedies and people who work with them are told well in advance that they'll be subject to things like this and that they shouldn't take the job if they might find it offensive.

i mean what's next? copywriters for a Tarantino movie suing because they were offended by what he wrote in the script? Strippers suing for being sexually harassed and force to take their clothes off on stage?

[Margalis]

What is in the script is quite different from what is said around the office. They aren't even talking about creative meetings here.

I don't see any circumstances where saying that Cox has a dried up p***y full of twigs is really very acceptable.

[daveNYC]

Who are these fuckers who think that whipping out their cock is high entertainment, and why weren't they beaten more as children?

[Der Helm]

Who are these fuckers who think that whipping out their cock is high entertainment, and why weren't they beaten more as children?

HAve you watched the show ? Ever ?

[SirBruce]

A whole thread about penises and I'm left out of it??!?  God will not permit this to happen!!

Bruce

[Murgos]

Well at least Bruce will not let it happen.

[HaemishM]

A whole thread about penises and I'm left out of it??!?  God will not permit this to happen!!

Bruce

ARE YOU THREATENING ME?!?!?!