OT: Anyone See the Mario Batali Piece on 60 Minutes

[Knight Shift]

Worst case scenario
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/m...exually-assaulting-female-employee-2018-05-20

A woman who worked for Mario Batali accused the disgraced celebrity chef of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 2005 after she woke up on the third floor of West Village hotspot The Spotted Pig surrounded by broken bottles with scratches on her legs and semen on her skirt .

The woman, who worked at Batali’s ritzy red sauce joint Babbo on Waverly Place, told CBS‘ “60 Minutes” in an interview that aired Sunday that he invited her to a party at the Spotted Pig, a trendy West Village restaurant that he had a financial stake in.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

well, I guess we won't be using him for any new ads or promos....

Yikes.

 

[Knight Shift]

well, I guess we won't be using him for any new ads or promos....

Yikes.

He wears Orange Crocs. Maybe he's a Vols or Fruit fan.

Has a NJ.com headline surface yet tying him to Rutgers?

 

[e5fdny]

He wears Orange Crocs. Maybe he's a Vols or Fruit fan.

Has a NJ.com headline surface yet tying him to Rutgers?

This is what is going on in the copy room right now...

 

[Knight Shift]

This is what is going on in the copy room right now...

When the story originally broke back in December (without the gory details), there was "Rutgers Grad" in their headline. They never miss an opportunity. Maybe Julie should issue an apology.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

How many stories will they do about Rutgers athletes bringing shoes to needy children?

 

[Knight Shift]

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

I am sure the population of men (and women.. and "they") includes some evildoers. But we have seen cases of accusers piling on without much merit. I'd guess that if he really did some evil these accusers should have accused right away. Also, I am uncertain if any did.. but they are more credible if they did in he-said, she-said, they-said situations. Of course, if the story is true, or can be verified in any way.. that is some evil deed.

 

[RUScrew85]

He wears Orange Crocs. Maybe he's a Vols or Fruit fan.

Has a NJ.com headline surface yet tying him to Rutgers?

Doesn't he have a restaurant at the UM stadium?

@MrsScrew am I remembering that right?

 

[RUScrew85]

This is what is going on in the copy room right now...

Nice. The rat, nice.

 

[Knight Shift]

Doesn't he have a restaurant at the UM stadium?

@MrsScrew am I remembering that right?

His son went to U of M and they have a home in Michigan. Could not find anything on restaurants. He may have divested himself of all of his restaurant holdings.

Celebrity Chef Mario Batali's Son Now UofM Student; Cooking Under Siege in Gaza

· Son of Celebrity Chef Mario Batali to Attend University of Michigan [MLive]· You Won't Recognize Your Dinner In 50 Years [Co.Exist]· Here's What Every Trendy Restaurant Menu Looks Like [-EN-]· C...

detroit.eater.com

 

[MrsScrew]

Doesn't he have a restaurant at the UM stadium?

@MrsScrew am I remembering that right?

His son went to U of M and they have a home in Michigan. Could not find anything on restaurants. He may have divested himself of all of his restaurant holdings.

Celebrity Chef Mario Batali's Son Now UofM Student; Cooking Under Siege in Gaza

· Son of Celebrity Chef Mario Batali to Attend University of Michigan [MLive]· You Won't Recognize Your Dinner In 50 Years [Co.Exist]· Here's What Every Trendy Restaurant Menu Looks Like [-EN-]· C...

detroit.eater.com

it wasn't a restaurant, but he had teamed up with UM and Sodexo to create food for the Jack Roth Stadium Club Seats ( the UM equivalent of the Audi Club). I found this when we sat in the stadium club seats there....boy were their fans pissed we were there.

 

[Salvi's Headband]

I am sure the population of men (and women.. and "they") includes some evildoers. But we have seen cases of accusers piling on without much merit. I'd guess that if he really did some evil these accusers should have accused right away. Also, I am uncertain if any did.. but they are more credible if they did in he-said, she-said, they-said situations. Of course, if the story is true, or can be verified in any way.. that is some evil deed.

You realize this is just one of several charges against Batali. This wasn't even the Spotted Pig rape case mentioned above.

 

[fsg2]

I hope he's replaced that specialty item in light of his legal entanglements.

Batali's hot sausage - Youse gonna eat it whether you like it or not!

 

[Knight Shift]

You realize this is just one of several charges against Batali. This wasn't even the Spotted Pig rape case mentioned above.

Charges, or accusations? There's a difference.
When he went to trial, the case was dismissed.

 

[MrsScrew]

Charges, or accusations? There's a difference.
When he went to trial, the case was dismissed.

Not true. The NYS attorney actually brokered a cash payment deal for the 20 accusers instead of having a trial. For a criminal case, which makes no sense to me

$600,000 Sexual Harassment Settlement Reached in Batali & Bastianich Case (Published 2021)

An investigation by the New York State attorney general describes a culture of widespread sexual harassment and retaliation at the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group.

www.nytimes.com

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Not true. The NYS attorney actually brokered a cash payment deal for the 20 accusers instead of having a trial. For a criminal case, which makes no sense to me

$600,000 Sexual Harassment Settlement Reached in Batali & Bastianich Case (Published 2021)

An investigation by the New York State attorney general describes a culture of widespread sexual harassment and retaliation at the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group.

www.nytimes.com

$600K for 20 accusers? 2 partners split that settlement... Looks like "go away" money to me. Might indicate boorish behavior, which is unfortunate.. "permitted an intolerable work environment," James said. Sexual harassment and retaliation. But I guess if you settle you take what reputation hit comes.

 

[Knight Shift]

Not true. The NYS attorney actually brokered a cash payment deal for the 20 accusers instead of having a trial. For a criminal case, which makes no sense to me

$600,000 Sexual Harassment Settlement Reached in Batali & Bastianich Case (Published 2021)

An investigation by the New York State attorney general describes a culture of widespread sexual harassment and retaliation at the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group.

www.nytimes.com

Can't read the article, behind a paywall, and the NYT is hot garbage that I would not take payment to read.

To be clear, I am in no way defending Batali or what he may (or may not have done). I merely said that being charged and being accused are two different things. But there did seem to be several accusations against Batali, so where there is a lot of smoke, there may have been fire.

However, alternate news sources did not indicate that Batali was "charged" with anything. The linked story indicates that businesses he was involved with settled with the state.

But there was this:

"The attorney general's investigation found that Batali himself grabbed a female server's hand and pulled it towards his crotch, and that he showed a male server an "unwelcome" pornographic video, according to a summary of the settlement."

"In 2018, Batali denied any allegations of sexual assault, but apologized for behavior that he acknowledged had been "deeply inappropriate.""

He he acknowledged being creepy, the his restaurant empire seemed to be a creepy place to work. Unfortunately, nobody from those incidents chose to pursue sexual assault. In the case linked above, the person who charged him was found to be unreliable, and the case was dismissed. But this type of thing happens often with rich and powerful people--the are empowered by their wealth, and they get away with bad behavior. Like OJ Simpson did. Justice is not blind for the wealthy and powerful, and that is very unfortunate for people who have to work for a living and find themselves getting harassed by their bosses.

Celebrity Chef Mario Batali and Partner to Pay $600,000 in Sexual Harassment Case

Twenty former employees of celebrity chef Mario Batali and his former business partner Joe Bastianich will split $600,000 following a four-year investigation into allegations the partners engaged in unlawful sex discrimination and retaliation.

www.nbcnewyork.com

Celebrity chef Mario Batali agrees to $600,000 settlement over sexual harassment

Celebrity chef Mario Batali and his business partner have agreed to pay $600,000 to at least 20 former employees after an investigation found their Manhattan restaurants were rife with sexual harassment, the New York attorney general announced on Friday.

www.reuters.com

 

[RUScrew85]

$600K for 20 accusers? 2 partners split that settlement... Looks like "go away" money to me. Might indicate boorish behavior, which is unfortunate.. "permitted an intolerable work environment," James said. Sexual harassment and retaliation. But I guess if you settle you take what reputation hit comes.

If you settle for more and earlier you get a non-disclosure too.

Or don't be an asshole.

Oh and never trust a fat balding guy with a pony tail.

 

[e5fdny]

If you settle for more and earlier you get a non-disclosure too.

Or don't be an asshole.

Oh and never trust a fat balding guy with a pony tail.

…in crocs.

 

[RUScrew85]

…in crocs.

Yep, that's even worse.

You know who he really looks like? Comic Book Guy on The Simsons.

 

[e5fdny]

Yep, that's even worse.

You know who he really looks like? Comic Book Guy on The Simsons.

Matt Groenig’s stuff was in the Medium around the same time Batali was in school.

Coincidence?

 

[Knight Shift]

…in crocs.

Orange Crocs. He ordered 200 pairs. Are we sure he did not go to Tennessee?

 

[retired711]

Not true. The NYS attorney actually brokered a cash payment deal for the 20 accusers instead of having a trial. For a criminal case, which makes no sense to me

$600,000 Sexual Harassment Settlement Reached in Batali & Bastianich Case (Published 2021)

An investigation by the New York State attorney general describes a culture of widespread sexual harassment and retaliation at the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group.

www.nytimes.com

It's a plea bargain. Plea bargains happen in 98% of criminal cases. The only differences are that the defendant is paying the accusers money rather than being punished criminally., and that the defendant is not conceding that he engaged in criminal conduct. The fact that the DA is settling for payments to the accusers indicates that either the DA doesn't think he/she can get a conviction or that the accusers prefer to be paid rather than testify and be subject to cross-examination. He's a "deep pocket" and so having him pay is feasible. It's the equivalent of their suing him civilly and getting a settlement.

 

[LOU-RU85]

I worked at SYF when I was in college. I was a cook and had several shifts with Mario. Mario was an affable guy but could be very crude at times. Never to the level described in these articles. He must have gotten full of himself with fame and thought he was invincible.

 

[tomatocan]

"Oh and never trust a fat balding guy with a pony tail." Exactly, and a bad ponytail at that.