The producers behind Cosmos, as well as Fox Broadcasting Company and National Geographic, are currently investigating sexual misconduct claims against Neil deGrasse Tyson, the astrophysicist and author who hosts the science series.
Patheos.com published accounts from two women this week who stated Tyson behaved inappropriately with them.
Dr. Katelyn N. Allers said she was “felt up” by Tyson at an American Astronomical Society after-party in 2009. He allegedly “grabbed” her during a photo op to look at a tattoo running along her arm. “He looked for Pluto and followed the tattoo into my dress,” she said, describing the incident as “uncomfortable and creepy.”
Ashley Watson, one of Tyson’s former assistants, said she was forced to quit her job following unwanted sexual advances. She claims Tyson, who was still married during the alleged incident, invited her to his apartment to “share a bottle of wine” when he made unwanted sexual advances — asking if she needed any type of “releases,” walking around in a tank top undershirt, performing an intimate “Native American handshake” that involved holding hands tightly and feeling for her pulse, and suggesting he would “just want more” if he went to hug her.
This follows an account from Tchiya Amet, who publicly accused Tyson of drugging and raping her in 1984.
“The credo at the heart of Cosmos is to follow the evidence wherever it leads. The producers of Cosmos can do no less in this situation,” a statement from the show’s producers to EW reads. “We are committed to a thorough investigation of this matter and to act accordingly as soon as it is concluded.”
In a joint statement, Fox Broadcasting Company and National Geographic said, “We have only just become aware of the recent allegations regarding Neil deGrasse Tyson. We take these matters very seriously and we are reviewing the recent reports.”
Cosmos: Possible Worlds, the 13-episode new season of the series, was announced earlier this year for a premiere in 2019. Tyson has been attached to host again. He’s also planning for the release of Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry, an adaptation of his best-selling Astrophysics for People in a Hurry that’s geared for younger readers.
Tyson serves as the director of the Hayden Planetarium at New York’s American Museum of Natural History. He has yet to publicly address the matter.
Reps for Tyson, the museum, and Tyson’s publisher W.W. Norton did not respond to EW’s requests for comment.
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