‘NCIS: New Orleans’ Showrunner Reportedly Ousted After Harassment Allegations

Brad Kern has been ousted as the showrunner for NCIS: New Orleans amid multiple harassment investigations by CBS HR officials, according to a report from Salon.

“Brad no longer showrunning,” reads a message obtained by Salon, who reports that executive producer Chris Silber will take over as showrunner for the 2018-2019 season.

“It’s gratifying to hear that [Kern] will no longer be a showrunner at NCIS: NOLA,” one industry veteran who worked with Kern years ago as a low level writer told the publication after hearing the news. “The writers, cast, and crew deserve better.”

The veteran continues, “As someone who has sold pilots to CBS before, I’d like to believe that moving forward they will foster working environments that are inclusive, supportive, and safe for women. This is a small step in the right direction. Their next order of business should be working with more female creators and showrunners. Unfortunately, at CBS, women are still woefully underrepresented.”

Although Kern has been ousted as showrunner, he will “still be involved in the show.” In what capacity is unclear. His role as showrunner was reportedly never meant to extend past this season, as that is when his contract expired.

Kern took over the reins as showrunner in January 2016, in the midst of the show’s second season. Within a year, two separate HR investigations were launched into his behavior, Variety reports. The inquiries centered around allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination against women (particularly working mothers) and racially charged comments.

Investigators at CBS found Kern had made “insensitive” and “offensive” comments, but the network ultimately concluded that there was no evidence of retaliation, harassment, discrimination or gender bias. The network reportedly told staffers that “appropriate” action had been taken, including sensitivity training for the producer.

Variety reports that despite the investigations and sensitivity training, seven people who have worked for the series say that Kern’s inappropriate behavior has continued.

The veteran continues, “As someone who has sold pilots to CBS before, I’d like to believe that moving forward they will foster working environments that are inclusive, supportive, and safe for women. This is a small step in the right direction. Their next order of business should be working with more female creators and showrunners. Unfortunately, at CBS, women are still woefully underrepresented.”

Former NCIS: New Orleans employees told Variety that Kern was a “gender bully.” “He discriminates against women, against working mothers, against anyone he can’t control — especially women,” one source said.

Kern reportedly makes sexualized remarks about women, has given them massages without asking, and mocked a nursing mother in front of her colleagues. At one point, Kern launched into a “tirade” toward a woman who worked for him, telling her that she was “failing as a wife and mother.” Also, according to multiple sources, at times he spoke in an offensive voice meant to imitate African-American vernacular speech.

Zach Strauss, a former NCIS: New Orleans writer who filed a formal complaint against Kern with CBS that launched the first HR investigation in June 2016, said he could not tolerate the insensitive remarks that were constantly made and the way his female colleagues were treated.

“What affected me was that talented writers felt the need to resign or step away from a job that they were good at,” Strauss told Variety. “This was their living and they were willing to walk away from a high-paying, hard-to-get job because they couldn’t stand working in such a toxic environment.”