Tavis Smiley Hits PBS With Lawsuit

Talk-show host says public broadcaster acted in a “racially hostile manner”

Tavis Smiley, whose PBS series was pulled from the air in December after accusations of misconduct were leveled against the host, has now filed a lawsuit against the broadcaster, according to court papers obtained by TheWrap.

In the suit, filed Tuesday in Washington, D.C., Smiley accuses of PBS of acting in “a racially hostile manner” over the years.

“For example, PBS harassed Mr. Smiley about inviting controversial African American figures on to his show. However, when Mr. Smiley brought equally controversial (if not more so) white figures, PBS remained silent,” the suit reads. “This was not an isolated incident but happened multiple times during the fourteen years PBS and [TS Media] were in business together.”

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