• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

2

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow

1

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

2

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
Arts & EntertainmentRyan Seacrest

How ‘American Idol’ Host Ryan Seacrest Escaped His Sexual Harassment Allegations Unscathed

By
Grace Donnelly
Grace Donnelly
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Grace Donnelly
Grace Donnelly
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 11, 2018, 4:00 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Ryan Seacrest wants the benefit of the doubt.

As allegations of extended sexual harassment by a former coworker came to light, the television personality — and the networks who put him on air — want everyone to know that he’s a good, likable guy.

“Throughout my 25 years in the entertainment industry, the majority of my co-workers have been women, and I’ve endeavored to foster a positive work environment of mutual respect and courtesy, as that’s how I believe it should be,” Seacrest said in a statement when allegations against him surfaced. “I’m distraught that anyone or any situation would call that into question. I’m proud of my workplace reputation, and believe my track record will speak for itself.”

While other men accused of harassment have been held at arm’s length by their employers, Seacrest has had the full force of industry public relations teams behind him.

Before he appears on the new American Idol on Sunday, here’s what’s unfolded so far.

The Ryan Seacrest Harassment Allegations

Seacrest’s allegations came to light on Monday, Feb. 26, after Variety published a detailed account from former stylist, Suzie Hardy, who claimed Seacrest harassed a coworker. Hardy worked at E! between 2007 and 2013.

Seacrest has denied this and his lawyers claim that Hardy asked for $15 million in exchange for her silence.

Hardy accused Seacrest of groping her genitals, grinding against her while wearing only underwear and and with an erection, and slapping her bottom so hard that it left a welt for hours, according to Variety.

An anonymous industry source backed up some of Hardy’s allegations in an interview with Today, and a former E! News employee told Variety that he witnessed the latter two incidents.

An internal investigation, conducted by a third party hired by E!’s parent company NBC Universal, lasted two months and interviewed Seacrest and Hardy among more than two dozen other witnesses, but found “insufficient evidence to substantiate allegations” against him.

The details of the investigation have not been made public. Hardy and her lawyers claim that several key witnesses were not interviewed, though the network disputes that assertion.

How Kelly Ripa and Other Coworkers Responded to Allegations

As Seacrest was quick to point out, a large portion of his various co-hosts and co-workers are women and many have voiced their support for him.

Kelly Ripa went on air to praise her co-host of Live! with Kelly and Ryan.

“You are a privilege to work with and I adore you. Speaking on behalf of all of us here, I know what a easy, professional, great person you are, and I feel very, very lucky to work with you each and every day,” she said to Seacrest before hugging him.

ABC’s Scandal star Bellamy Young initially suggested Seacrest shouldn’t host the E! Oscars show, saying it was time “to step aside and let someone of equal talent that is beyond reproach to be in charge.” She retracted her statements promptly the next day and offered an apology, saying she did not have all the information.

“Never has there been a more urgent time to make sure our voices are used for truth, and I failed in that regard Monday night,” she said. “Our word matters. I apologize to Ryan Seacrest.”

Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the Oscars, also defended Seacrest ahead of the awards show, saying, “We should at the very least afford people the opportunity for truth, what the facts of the story are before hanging them out to dry.”

Was Seacrest Snubbed at the Oscars?

Still, rumors swirled that publicists warned their clients to avoid the TV personality after sexual assault allegations against him resurfaced before the awards show.

Reports of behind-the-scenes scrambling and the institution of a 30-second delay to shield Seacrest from any embarrassment were denied by E! News.

The show did seem to be a flop compared to past years though. Fewer people stopped to talk to Seacrest on the Oscars red carpet last weekend. Ratings did indeed fall.

E!’s Live from the Red Carpet lost 35% of its 2017 audience. And while the entire awards show had its lowest ratings ever in 2018, E!’s coverage losses well outpaced those of ABC’s Oscars broadcast, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

But plenty of stars did visit with Seacrest before the awards and some even offered some support. An exchange between Seacrest and Taraji P. Henson generated speculation that the actress was throwing shade, though she later clarified that her intention was to encourage him.

Seacrest’s Net Worth

For all the claims that the #MeToo movement may go too far and tarnish the careers of innocent men, Seacrest stands as a decisive counterpoint.

His Monday morning ratings on Live with Kelly and Ryan following the Oscars were the highest since he’s joined the show. Seacrest returns to host the new American Idol on Sunday, Mar. 11 in a premiere that has been heavily promoted by ABC.

The network shelled out $150 million in October to resign the Kardashian-Jenner clan for five more seasons of Keeping up with the Kardashians, which makes Seacrest about $15 million each year as the show’s producer.

Last year he also signed a multi-year deal with ABC, just after becoming the permanent co-host of Live with Kelly and Ryan. In addition to his existing contracts for the morning show, American Idol, and the network’s live New Year’s Eve show, Ryan Seacrest Productions will now create scripted content for ABC.

With all these deals, the 46-year-old’s net worth is now estimated to be $380 million.

While many claims of harassment never make it past human resources, the internal investigation does not definitively clear Seacrest’s name in any legal sense or mitigate the motives the network has to keep him on as a successful producer and personality.

Whatever the details of the E! investigation, his producer role on major shows and his status as one of the top-earning celebrities give him significant pull in the industry.

About the Author
By Grace Donnelly
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

lebron
Arts & EntertainmentSports
LeBron James, the only billionaire currently active in the NBA, signs a minimum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers
By Catherina GioinoJuly 24, 2026
2 hours ago
White House officially asks permission to change name of Penn Station after hinting it will be called ‘Trump’
North AmericaInfrastructure
White House officially asks permission to change name of Penn Station after hinting it will be called ‘Trump’
By Philip Marcelo and The Associated PressJuly 24, 2026
5 hours ago
t
Arts & EntertainmentWhite House
Dodgers give Trump what looks like a World Series ring: ‘Wow. Do I have to report this? I don’t want to report this’
By Will Weissert, Darlene Superville and The Associated PressJuly 24, 2026
6 hours ago
cc
AISocial Media
Coke on its rebrand accidentally nailing Gen Z’s ‘fridge cigarette’ joke: ‘building on on the things people already know and love’
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 23, 2026
20 hours ago
LeBron James wearing Miami Heat jersey.
Arts & EntertainmentSports
The Miami Heat, LeBron James, and prediction markets: How a ‘mistake’ social media post turbocharged a $245 million wager
By Catherina Gioino and Joshua HongJuly 23, 2026
22 hours ago
bieber
Arts & EntertainmentStreaming
Justin Bieber’s World Cup halftime song streams jumped 110%
By Maria Sherman and The Associated PressJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
Big Tech
Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
By Sydney LakeJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
Economy
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
By Eleanor PringleJuly 24, 2026
11 hours ago
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
Economy
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
Real Estate
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
2 days ago
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
Personal Finance
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
By Joshua HongJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.