A few months ago, Robert De Niro brought a lawsuit against a former employee, accusing her of embezzling money and watching Netflix at work, which I’m not even sure is illegal. ‘Time theft’ is made-up bullshit corporate speak and far, far overshadowed by wage theft, the underpayment of employees, which comprises over half of all theft. But I digress.
Today that employee De Niro sued, Graham Chase Robinson, made headlines with some shocking allegations against De Niro when she filed her own lawsuit. And when I say shocking, I mean they sound shockingly like bullshit.
Here are the details via Page Six.
Worse, De Niro terrorized Robinson with creepy conduct — he “urinated during telephone calls” with her and would greet her wearing only his “pajamas or a bathrobe,” the suit says.
I’m sorry to inform you that peeing while you’re on the phone is bad manners but not illegal. It’s really not even as bad as texting during a movie. In fact, not only did President Lyndon Johnson have phones installed in the White House bathroom so he could take calls, he would make staff come into the bathroom for meetings while he was taking a s**t.
“Among other things, De Niro would direct Ms. Robinson to scratch his back, button his shirts and prod him awake when he was in bed,” the complaint says. “De Niro also stood idly by while his friend slapped Ms. Robinson on her buttocks.”
Okay, so, if the ass-slapping thing is true, that’s not acceptable. The other stuff is, again, who cares. Oh no, your boss made you wake him up.
The 19-page lawsuit includes a link to a 51-second recording of a voicemail she claims De Niro once left her when she didn’t pick up her phone.
“You f–king don’t answer my calls. How dare you? You’re about to be fired. You’re f–king history,” he seethes in the undated message. “This is bulls–t. How dare you f–king disrespect me? You gotta be f–king kidding me, you spoiled brat! F–k you!”
I mean, I get yelling at someone who you’re paying to binge watch Friends. It is disrespectful. Should he be nicer? Yes. Should this woman get $12 million for it? Nope.