‘NCIS’: Pauley Perrette Slams CBS and Mark Harmon Over Abuse Claims ‘I Wanted Me & My Crew to Be Safe From Him’
Since Pauley Perrette left NCIS after 15 seasons in 2018, she has made some troubling claims against CBS and her co-star Mark Harmon. The exit of Hawaii 5-0 and MacGyver showrunner Peter Lenkov over complaints of abuse, inspired Perrette to take to Twitter. In a series of tweets, the former NCIS star shared Vanity Fair’s extensive look into the claims against Lenkov, while also lashing out at her former network and presumably Harmon.
Pauley Perrette left over a dog bite
Perrette and Harmon’s relationship went south when the NCIS star brought his pit bull mix to the set, where it bit a crewmember and the injury ended up needing 15 stitches. Harmon continued to bring his dog to the set despite the attack, leading Perrette to call him out on his unprofessional behavior.
According to Vanity Fair, after she called him out, the two stars came to an agreement that they would no longer film together. This even included Perrette’s farewell scene as Abby Sciuto, where Harmon’s Leroy Gibbs was noticeably absent.
Following her exit from NCIS, Perrette took to Twitter and alleged that she was being kept silent by a machine.
“There is a ‘machine’ keeping me silent, and feeding FALSE stories about me. A very rich, very powerful publicity ‘machine’. No morals, no obligation to truth, and I’m just left here, reading the lies, trying to protect my crew. Trying to remain calm. He did it,” Pauley tweeted on May 13, 2018.
Perrette returns to CBS, but not NCIS
As Perrette prepared to return to CBS with a new sitcom, many fans wondered if she would pop back up on NCIS.
The Broke star made it clear she would not, even going so far as to tell her followers that she is terrified of Mark Harmon and even has nightmares.
“NO I AM NOT COMING BACK! EVER! (Please stop asking?) I am terrified of Harmon and him attacking me. I have nightmares about it.”
But Perrette did seem hopeful about her new show.
“I have a new show that is SAFE AND HAPPY! You’ll love it! #HappyPlace Love y’all!” Pauley tweeted in June 2019.
Pauley Perrette lashes out at ‘NCIS’ and Mark Harmon again
After MacGyver star Lucas Till revealed that working with Kevin Lenkov left him feeling suicidal, Perrette again took to Twitter and opened up even further about the abuse she reportedly endured on the NCIS set.
“I’ve known about his abuse a long time. Some words were EXACTLY what I and SO MANY went to CBS HR about THAT OTHER GUY’S abuse for over a decade y’all STILL support him on my old show. Oh, yeah #MoneyOverMorals as usual,” she shared first.
NCIS fans assumed “that other guy” was Harmon. She also went on to reveal details from a conversation that she had with the former host of The Talk and current star of The Conner’s star Sara Gilbert.
“Or as the brilliant small wonder [Sara Gilbert] said to me when I told her ‘But CBS said publicly my story was true’ She said with wise steely eyed precision looking up into my tall giraffe naivety ‘SO? Why is he still there? And you’re not’ I had no answer. He’s still there. And there are things SO RACIST and SO MISOGYNISTIC and SO HOMOPHOBIC and cruel that were said on set at that show that I have never spoken of because the language is SO HURTFUL. And y’all wondered why I quit? Those producers are still there. All of them. Including HIM.”
Perrette praises Luca Till and reveals what’s next
After praising Till for being so truthful about his experience, Perrette share even more details about her experience with CBS while trying to report Mark Harmon’s abuse. CBS reportedly assumed she wanted more money, but Perrette claimed she only wanted herself and her crew to feel safe at work.
“And good guy Lucas Till a beautiful truthful human, I too went to CBS told about abuse by MH on set & I was asked THREE TIMES ‘are you asking for money?’ I was like ‘Huh? No!’ And I did NOT! I wanted me & my crew to be safe from him. I should’ve and given it to his other victims.”
Mark Harmon returns for season 18 of NCIS this fall on CBS. Following the cancelation of Broke, Perrette now claims she may be adding author to her resume.
“Like people don’t believe its actually my life. I think writhing is my best talent (supposed to say WRITING, but I liked it) but I’m waiting, for what? Not sure?” she tweeted July 26. Stay tuned.
