Arianna Huffington is seemingly unfazed by the social media fury surrounding the photos of Al Franken grabbing her breasts.
“I think I’m a better judge of how I felt in that satirical photo shoot with Al Franken than the recollections of an anonymous bystander. I thought the point of this moment was to believe women’s accounts of their own experiences,” the Thrive Global CEO wrote on Twitter Tuesday morning.
I think I’m a better judge of how I felt in that satirical photo shoot with Al Franken than the recollections of an anonymous bystander. I thought the point of this moment was to believe women’s accounts of their own experiences.
— Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff) November 21, 2017
The tweet was in response to photos released Monday evening by the New York Post that showed the Minnesota senator squeezing Huffington’s breasts and backside. The photos were taken for a magazine in 2000 and were a nod to a TV sketch they did together in 1996, the HuffPo founder said. The sketch in question, which appeared on Bill Maher’s talk show Politically Incorrect, was called “Strange Bedfellows” and featured Huffington and Franken—then a politician and a comedian, respectively—discussing politics in bed.
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“The notion that there was anything inappropriate in this photo shoot is truly absurd,” Huffington told the Post. “I’ve been great friends with Al and his wife Franni for over 20 years and there has never been anything remotely inappropriate in our interactions.”
Maher also tweeted about the photo: ‘This “Al Franken groped Arianna” story in the NY Post while promoting a sketch on my old show is so ridic and such an insult to any real victims. Low even for you, Post.’
This "Al Franken groped Arianna" story in the NY Post while promoting a sketch on my old show is so ridic and such an insult to any real victims. Low even for you, Post.
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) November 21, 2017
Franken has been accused by two women in as many weeks of sexual misconduct. Last week, radio host Leeann Tweeden said that Franken kissed and groped her while they were together on tour in 2006. On Monday, Lindsay Menz said the comedian-turned-senator grabbed her buttocks while taking a photo at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010. Franken has said in statements that he doesn’t remember either incident and has apologized to both women.