Sheryl Lee Ralph opened up about being sexually harassed by an unnamed “famous TV judge.” She said the TV network asked her not to report the incident.
She became emotional as she recalled the separate incidents in an interview on Angela Yee’s podcast, Way Up with Angela Yee, and blogger Jasmine Brand.
The Abbott Elementary star was promoting her newest book DIVA 2.0: 12 Lessons From Me For You.
The 66-year-old actress discussed two incidents where she said the judge touched her inappropriately. She made it clear that her sexual harasser was not TV’s Judge Mathis.
“This was a famous TV judge… I’m at a very public place. I was suited, I was handling my business for the television show I was on at that time. We were on the same network. This man walked in grabbed me by the back of my neck, turned me around and rammed his nasty tongue down my throat. And everybody at the network saw it.”
She said the network begged her not to report the man to the police.
“The mayor of New Orleans at the time was Marc Morial. I called Marc Morial, he said ‘you want me to send the police there right now? Because we will fix his – you know what – right now.’ Somebody at the network tapped me on the shoulder and said ‘please don’t.'”
“Do you know that they did not want any bad press around their show and did not care what just happened to me… That’s the kind of stuff that happens. That’s what happens. That’s what makes it hard for women to speak up about these things.”
The Emmy Award-winner also fangirled over meeting Beyonce at a party.
“When the golden child, Ms. Beyonce, entered the room. I’m not really taken aback by too many people. But Beyonce walked right up to me with her beautiful open arms, and was so welcoming of me to the party… I don’t know if anybody has seen Beyonce lately, but the face on this woman — Oh, my Gawd!”
Sheryl continued:
“The woman has a glow! I don’t know if it’s a glow of the night, but when I looked at Beyonce, I was, like, my God. I had to tell her. I said, ‘Darling, you’re just getting better with time.'”
Watch the video below.
