Ron Meyer has resigned as vice president of NBCUniversal after revealing that he had reached a private settlement with a woman who tried to extort him after they had an extraterrestrial affair.
It’s a nasty end to Meyer’s more than two decades long run at the entertainment giant. Meyer, a founder of CAA, came to power at the studio and held on for far too long as most performers hold a large grip on the giant because of his deep relationships with A-list actors, filmmakers, and movers, and shakers of the sector. News about his oyster has deeply shocked and upset many employees at the Burbank-based film and television studio.
In a statement, NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell said Meyer had behaved “in a way we believe is inconsistent with our corporate policies or values.”
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my departure from NBCUniversal,” Meyer said in a statement. “I recently revealed to my family and the company that I made a threat, under threat, with a woman outside the company who had made false accusations against me. Sure, this is a woman with a very short and consensual affair many years ago. I made this disclosure because other parties to the scheme knew and I was continually trying to pay me money or otherwise intended to falsely imply NBCUniversal, which had nothing to do with this case, and to publish false accusations about me. “
It is unclear if Meyer will be replaced at NBCUniversal. Even though the woman was not an employee of NBCUniversal, it turned out that Meyer was violating internal policies because he did not say the company was threatened as part of its ongoing legal problems. His dismissal is immediately effective.
“I have spent 25 years growing and supporting an incredible company in a job I love,” Meyer said in a statement. “It is the people at this company that I will miss the most. I regret what happened and I regret for all the people in my life that I may, in particular and most importantly, have failed my family. “
Meyer leaves in a time of great upheaval for NBCUniversal. Earlier this month, the company underwent a sprawling business review that streamlines its network and businesses directly to consumers. As part of that shakeup, NBC Entertainment chairman Paul Telegdy was fired amid allegations of professional abuse involving racist, sexist and homophobic behavior.
