A US comedy writer has accepted an apology from the creator of ‘Community’ and ‘Rick and Morty’ after he confessed to sexually harassing her.
Dan Harmon outlined how he had mistreated Megan Ganz in an episode of his Harmontown podcast yesterday.
In the podcast, Mr Harmon speaks at length about his actions and admits to being “flirty” and “creepy” towards Ms Ganz while she worked for him.
He describes telling her that he loved her and admits that after she rejected his advances he treated her, “cruelly, pointedly, things I would never, ever would have done if she had been male and if I had never had those feelings for her.”
“I lied to myself the entire time about it and I lost my job,” he said. “I ruined my show. I betrayed the audience. I destroyed everything.”
“I damaged her internal compass and I moved on.
“I’ve never done it before and I will never do it again - but I certainly wouldn’t have been able to do it if I had any respect for women.”
Masterclass
Responding this afternoon, Ms Ganz said Mr Harmon had provided a “masterclass in How to Apologize.”
“He is not rationalizing or justifying or making excuses,” she said.
“He doesn’t just vaguely acknowledge some general wrongdoing in the past. He gives a full account.”
Noting that she only listened because she expected to hear the apology she said, “what I didn't expect was the relief I’d feel just hearing him say these things actually happened.”
“I didn’t dream it. I’m not crazy.
“Ironic that the only person who could give me that comfort is the one person I’d never ask.”
Here’s a weird one for you: Last week, I called out my former boss @danharmon for sexual harassment, and today I’m going to ask you to listen to his podcast. https://t.co/BEZAWH787V
— Megan Ganz (@meganganz) January 11, 2018
I’m not being flippant. I didn’t bring up this mess just to sweep it back under the rug. But I find myself in the odd position of having requested an apology publicly, and then having received one—a good one—also publicly. I waited 6 years for it, but you can find it 18:38 in.
— Megan Ganz (@meganganz) January 11, 2018
Please listen to it. It’s only seven minutes long, but it is a masterclass in How to Apologize. He’s not rationalizing or justifying or making excuses. He doesn’t just vaguely acknowledge some general wrongdoing in the past. He gives a full account.
— Megan Ganz (@meganganz) January 11, 2018
Yes, I only listened because I expected an apology. But what I didn't expect was the relief I’d feel just hearing him say these things actually happened. I didn’t dream it. I’m not crazy. Ironic that the only person who could give me that comfort is the one person I’d never ask.
— Megan Ganz (@meganganz) January 11, 2018
This was never about vengeance; it's about vindication. That's why it didn’t feel right to just accept his apology in private (although I did that, too). Because if any part of this process should be done in the light, it’s the forgiveness part. And so, @danharmon, I forgive you.
— Megan Ganz (@meganganz) January 11, 2018
Mr Harmon had previously issued an online apology to Ms Ganz, tweeting that he was “disgusted and sorry that I stained our show and your talent with my selfish, childish shit.”
However he said he had been encouraged by other female colleagues to not only apologise publicly; but to do so in a way that acknowledged that he was part of a wider problem.
Had said he believed we are “living in a good time right now because we’re not gonna to get away with it anymore.”
“If we can make it part of our culture that we think about it and possibly talk about it, then maybe we can get to a better place where that stuff doesn’t happen.”
You can listen back to the podcast here. Mr Harmon begins to address his behaviour at around 18:38.
