Joan Lunden Says She Rejected a Boss’ Advances So He Put Her Career in Jeopardy: ‘It’s Pure Revenge’

Joan Lunden recalled a time early in her career when she was punished for rejecting a superior’s unwanted sexual advances and how she took matters into her own hands to rectify the situation.

The former Good Morning America anchor, 75, told the story in her new memoir, Joan: Life Beyond the Script. The events took place in 1975 when she was a coanchor for the weekend newscasts on New York’s WABC-TV Eyewitness News, per People. At the time, she worked with a male boss whom she calls “Ted” in the book to protect his identity.

Ted allegedly invited her to a gathering of colleagues on Fire Island, telling her it would be a good professional opportunity to make friends with her coworkers. However, when she arrived on Fire Island, she discovered that the only other people there were a local WCBS reporter and his girlfriend — not immediate colleagues.

She said she told Ted this wasn’t what she signed up for, but he insisted they try to enjoy the situation anyway. Later that night, he tried to get her to sleep with him, and she rejected his advances and slept on the couch instead.

“I was about to find out that hell hath no fury like a man scorned,” Lunden writes. “Ted started killing my stories—meaning he kept my stories from making the show lineup for one reason or another … I felt vulnerable and helpless. Not only that, but my reputation also took a hit because a) it had become known that I went to Fire Island with my immediate superior, and b) it was obvious to everyone that my stories weren’t making air.”

Not only did the punitive treatment after the trip impact her career, but her income as well.

“If your stories didn’t get aired, you earned less money,” she writes.

So, she finally decided to fix the situation herself by confronting him directly after calling Ted into her office.

“We both know you’re keeping my stories off the air for no valid reason,” Lunden recalled telling him in the book, per the outlet. “I know it and you know it, and everyone else in the newsroom knows it. It’s pure revenge on your part, and it happens to be discriminatory, not to mention you’re affecting my income. I’ve spoken with my agent and my lawyer, and they’ve both advised me to file suit against you and WABC-TV for sexual harass- ment and sexual discrimination, and they say I’m going to win.”

Ultimately, the gambit worked.

Lunden concluded the story by letting her readers know that “I hope he’s reading this.”