A viral video of a male television personality sexually harassing his female co-host on the air has cost them both their jobs.
Co-hosts of Televisa Chihuahua’s show "A Toda Máquina" (ATM), Enrique Tovar and Tania Reza, were fired Monday after it was discovered that the video was just a publicity stunt cooked up by the pair.
In the excruciatingly uncomfortable segment, filmed on Saturday, a very feely Tovar is seen groping and grabbing at Reza; he even went so far as to poke her chest -- not once, but twice! After shoving and swatting Tovar away multiple times, a seemingly fed up Reza ripped her mic off.
“I can’t work like this,” she said as she stormed off the set.
Outraged by Tovar’s behavior, viewers called for his immediate termination via social media. Televisa eventually let Tovar go and fired Reza, as well.
The network released a statement on Monday which explained that an investigation into the matter concluded that the video was a hoax orchestrated by Tovar and Reza unbeknownst to "ATM" producers.
"Televisa strongly condemns this act and any type of harassment," the network said in a statement. "In conjunction with [ethics code], we inform you that both presenters have been separated from the company."
A video on YouTube of Reza and Tovar explaining that they are good friends and never anticipated things getting so out of hand has since been posted by the television network.
In their statement, Televisa also encouraged Reza to come forward at any time should her account of what happened differ from what she reported.
"We urge Tania Reza that if what happened on the show differs from her original statement to Human Resources, to not have doubts in letting us know so we can support her in the process of filing a formal complaint. At Televisa we take very seriously any form of inappropriate behavior.”
As well they should.
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