Paul Johansson Accused Of Sexual Harassment
Here is the first awkward engagement that she states happened in late April when Paul arrived to the L.A. BuzzFeed offices to do a story about how to play a “dick” on TV:
“Why are you so tan?” Johansson asked one of my colleagues.
“I was outside playing tennis all weekend,” she answered.
“I play tennis,” he said. “I’m not very good though.”
“I could probably beat you,” she replied.
“This is what we refer to as flirting where I am from,” he responded blithely. “I’ll find your weak spot.”
“I don’t have any,” she responded.
“My serve is pretty strong,” he said. “I’ll serve the ball right down your throat.”
Susan went on in the piece, to explain her uncomfortable engagement, including him putting his arm around her back and got too hot under the lights. On camera, he said “I’m not shy,” before adding “I’m sweating like a rapist.” Upon leaving, they walked by a conference room and she told him that they had meetings there.
“Do you ever take people in there and make out with them?” he allegedly asked and put his arm on her back again. “Well, those are glass windows, so no,” was her response.
A few weeks later, Susan emailed his publicist and received a note from his lawyer, Andrew B. Brettler. The message denied many remarks, while defending others. He said “there is nothing sexual or inappropriate” about the tennis ball line and called it “absurd.” Andrew also said that the rapist line was “purposely taken out of context.”
“Mr. Johansson was discussing his acting career and imitating the types of brute characters he has portrayed on television,” he added. “For Ms. Cheng to impute to Mr. Johansson the negative traits of the characters he has played on TV is reckless and defamatory on its face.”
You can read the full statement here.
— Emily Longeretta
Follow @emilylongeretta