Sheryl Lee Ralph says she was sexually assaulted by a 'famous TV judge' at an event
Sheryl Lee Ralph said that she was sexually assaulted by a "famous TV judge" while attending an event years ago.
The Abbott Elementary star opened up about the experience during an interview on the Way Up With Angela Yee podcast on Monday, adding that an executive at the network witnessed the alleged assault and asked her not to report it to avoid getting any "bad press" for the judge's new show.
As Ralph recalled, "I'm at a very public place. I was suited. I had my suit on. I was handling my business for the television show I was on at that time. He and I were on the same network. This man walked in, grabbed me by the back of my neck, turned me around, and rammed his nasty-ass tongue down my throat. And everybody at the network saw it."
Before telling the story, Ralph confirmed that Greg Mathis was not the judge to whom she was referring. She did not name the network on which the show aired.
Ralph said after the incident she immediately called the former mayor of New Orleans, Marc Morial, who she said offered to "send the police there" and "fix his you-know-what right now."
"Somebody at the network tapped me on the shoulder — they said, 'Please don't,'" Ralph continued. "Did you know that they didn't want any bad press around their show and did not care what had just happened to me?"
She added that the executive reportedly told her, "'It's not that bad, is it? Please, don't say anything. We don't need the bad press. It's a brand-new show. Yours is a new show.'"
JC Olivera/Getty Images Sheryl Lee Ralph
Later in the episode, the Emmy-winning actress offered words of encouragement to those who have dealt with similar situations. "Speak up, tell your truth, do not carry the burden of that pain, especially if you feel like it's something you can't work through," she said. "Situations like this drive some people crazy. It hurts people to their core."
Representatives for Ralph did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.
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