“Hawaii Five-0” (links), “MacGyver” (Mitte) und “Magnum P.I.” (rechts) © CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Those: The Hollywood Reporter
CBS broke up with one of the broadcaster’s biggest gold asses. Peter M. Lenkov, the successful cult series reboot for CBS “Hawaii Five-0”, “MacGyver” and “Magnum P.I.” was released as the showrunner of the last two series with immediate effect, although his contract will continue until next year.
The dismissal is the result of an internal investigation by the broadcaster after several complaints about a toxic working environment on the set, the Lenkov “Hawaii Five-0” and “MacGyver” had to answer for. CBS confirmed the dismissal and announced Lenkov’s successor. Monica Macer will join the Showrunner position from season 5 “MacGyver” compete, and Eric Guggenheim will take the position at “Magnum P.I.” take over from season 3. Both were already executive producers of the respective series and are very familiar with them. “Hawaii Five-0” ended in April after ten seasons.
CBS also announced that it would continue to take any future complaint from the performers and crew seriously, raise awareness of problematic situations to all employees, and ensure a safe and respectful work environment.
According to the industry paper The Hollywood Reporter are at least three complaints against Lenkov during his time “Hawaii Five-0” and “MacGyver” who described him as manipulative and abusive. According to an affected person from Oahu, where “Hawaii Five-0” Lenkov is said to have regularly talked condescendingly to the authors, especially if they were female or not white. In one situation, he is said to have made fun of a disabled fan. When an author confronted him about this behavior, Lenkov tried to fire him.
An insider said:
He’s not just racist, or sexist, or classic – he’s all that. He’s against women, against people of color, against homosexuals, and everything you’d expect. But he would also torture straight white men if he felt like it.
In other words, in good German: an asshole.
Lenkov is said to have had a “boys club”, which included his favorite male co-workers, who gathered regularly, smoked cigars and judged the appearance of women in Hawaii appropriately. “It was a difficult place for a woman to be on this set, “ explained to a person concerned The Hollywood Reporter.
Lenkov immediately commented on his dismissal and allegations, and assumed responsibility for his actions without contradiction:
Now is the time to listen and I am listening. It is hard to hear that the work environment I designed was not the work environment my colleagues deserve, and I am deeply sorry. I accepted responsibility for what I hear and I feel committed to the goal of doing the work necessary to do it better and be better.
Even if that doesn’t make up for his behavior, understanding is the first step on the way to recovery. CBS did the right thing, because only when there are tangible consequences can people like Lenkov learn from it.
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