‘Extra’ Has Received No Complaints Against Host A.J. Calloway As He Faces Two More Allegations Of Sexual Assault
Extra host A.J. Calloway, who was accused of sexual assault in June by writer Sil Lai Abrams, is facing more allegations. Two women, who wish to remain anonymous, have told The Daily Beast that they were assaulted by Calloway — one of whom reported her claim to the police on Dec. 24. Abrams told The Daily Beast that she has spoken to nine other alleged victims who have shared similar stories of alleged sexual misconduct by the TV personality.
There are no current plans for Calloway to be investigated by Warner Bros., whose Telepictures division produces entertainment newsmagazine Extra.
“We take allegations made against our employees seriously and investigate appropriately. To date, we have not received a complaint about A.J. Calloway and his work on Extra,” as Extra spokesperson said in a statement to Deadline.
In similar circumstances, Fox, Nat Geo and the producers of Cosmos recently launched an investigation after a second group of women accused host Neil deGrasse Tyson of past sexual misconduct not related to the show. Tyson’s other Nat Geo series, StarTalk, also has been benched while the investigation is going on.
Calloway has co-hosted Extra since 2008. After a long run on the NBC stations, the entertainment newsmagazine is moving to Fox stations in top markets.
According to The Daily Beast, the West Orange Police Department confirmed that a complaint of aggravated sexual assault was filed against Calloway on December 24. Due to the nature of the allegations, they were unable to release any further details on the complaint.
Another woman who reached out to Abrams agreed to talk to The Daily Beast on the condition of anonymity. “I’m terrified about coming forward,” the woman who identified herself as Talia explained. “I don’t want it to affect my future, everything that I’ve worked hard for—and A.J. is someone that would try to do that.”
Talia told The Daily Beast she began corresponding with Calloway on social media in 2011. After turning down several of his requests to go out with him, she said she eventually went to a party at his house after going out on a date with him, and when the guests left they began making out. She told the Daily Beast he became more and more aggressive. “I just remember him pulling his penis out and he began stroking himself and he kept trying to put my hand on his penis and eventually he ejaculated on my hands,” she told The Daily Beast. She said she wanted to “get out of there” but didn’t have a ride home. “After what happened he said, ‘I’ll take you home in the morning, I promise.’ After that, Talia said she disconnected from the mutual friends she shared with Calloway, because she didn’t “want to risk ever having to see him again.”
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