A producer working on Maury Povich's talk show has sued Povich and other staffers for sexual harassment. The plaintiff, Bianca Nardi, is seeking $100 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
In court papers, Nardi said that the atmosphere surrounding the show was sexually charged due to the 'intimate and sexual relationship between defendants Maurice Richard Povich and Donna Benner Ingber.'
Nardi also alleges that she had an extra heavy workload because Ingber was able to get out of work because of her sexual relationship with Povich. Povich is married to news anchor Connie Chung.
Gary Rosen, a spokesman for the show, denied all of the allegations.
'We are aware of the allegations of harassment made by Ms. Nardi,' Rosen said. 'We have done a complete and thorough investigation of her allegations of harassment and we are satisfied that there is no merit to them. We stand behind our experienced and dedicated staff, fully.'
NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks added, 'We do not believe that Ms. Nardi was a victim of unlawful sexual harassment and intend to defend this lawsuit vigorously.'
Nardi also said she received numerous phone calls from Ingber in the middle of the night, asking her what other employees were saying about her relationship with Povich.
She also alleges that executive producer Paul Faulhaber told Nardi to wear short skirts, low-cut blouses and push-up bras. Faulhaber is a co-defendant in the suit. Nardi also says Faulhaber directed her 'to run a gauntlet of sexually abusive and intimidating conduct,' including posing in sexually explicit positions, exposing her breasts and watching porn with Faulhaber.
Nardi says she has been in therapy as a result of these incidents and gained between 40 and 50 pounds as a result of stress. She is presently on medical leave from the show but has worked there since 2000.
NBC Universal Television and Povich's production company, Mopo are also named as defendants in the suit.
