Republic Records Group President Charlie Walk is no longer a judge on Fox’s singing competition show The Four: Battle for Stardom. He will appear on the pre-taped, Thursday, February 1, episode but will not be part of next week’s finale.
“Out of respect for the contestants, my fellow judges and everyone involved with the show, I have made the decision not to attend the finale of The Four,” Walk told Us Weekly in a statement, provided by his attorney Patricia Glaser. “I do not want my presence to be a distraction. Needless to say this is very upsetting. Although I continue to support the ‘Me Too’ movement, there has been an extreme rush to judgment against me in this particular case which is unfair and inconsistent with anything that even actually happened. I welcome any investigation so that in short order these unfounded and hurtful accusations can be put to rest.”
Republic Records also confirmed to Us on Wednesday, January 31, that they have opened an investigation. “Republic Records is committed to a safe workplace environment where employees are treated fairly and respectfully,” the statement read. “We have retained an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation of this matter and have encouraged anyone who has relevant information to speak to the firm’s investigators. Mr. Walk has been placed on leave, and will remain in leave for the duration of the investigation.”
Walk’s former Sony colleague Tristan Coopersmith accused the music mogul of sexual misconduct in an open letter on Monday, January 29, alleging that he sent her explicit text messages, groped her at business dinners and made unwelcome advances toward her. Walk has denied the allegations, claiming he worked with her 15 years ago “without incident.”
In an Entertainment Tonight interview published on Wednesday, January 31, Coppersmith reveals that she spoke out as part of a “therapeutic process.”
“This isn’t about Charlie or the music industry or anybody’s career getting ruined — it’s a much broader conversation about a massive shift we need to have in workplace,” she said. Upon reading his statement about her claims, she stands by her words.
“I know it’s not true … I lived to tell the tale and I know it’s not just me. That’s what gives me a lot of courage, I’m not alone in this,” she said, claiming that “dozens” have reached out to her with similar experiences with Walk. “My intention isn’t about a confrontation. Our morality has to be heightened because we are on a really low vibration right now. I hope other women are inspired to continue the conversation the way that I have. We have to have a massive shift: We are not humankind anymore. We are human unkind.”
