Arrested Development interview teaches us about dismissing coworkers

Arrested Development einstellungsgesprch teaches us about dismissing coworkersArrested Development interview teaches us about dismissing coworkersWhen your coworker rallies up the courage to share a story about being verbally abused by anotzu sich coworker, your job is to listen and be respectful. You want them to know that you support them, and find their experience to be valid, even if their recollection of events does not match your own.On Wednesday, a New York Times interview with the cast of Arrested Development became a textbook case study on how not to listen to your coworkers stories of workplace harassment. It began when Times reporter Sopan Deb brought up actor Jeffrey Tambors on-set behavior toward co-star Jessica Walter.In an earlier interview to the Hollywood Reporter, Tambor had admitted to a blowup with Walter.When your coworker talks about being harassed, dont laugh it off and dismiss it, as Walters male coworkers did when this incident was brought up. It will backfir e.Ive never had anybody yell at me like that on a setIn the Times interview, Deb said to Tambor, You even said at one point you lashed out at - and actress Jessica Walter identified herself as the one being lashed out at. This prompted laughter from the room. Co-star Jason Bateman, who plays Walters son, said that everyone yells at everybody on set. Walter pushed back against this blanket statement by noting that no one else had treated her the way Tambor had.Bateman responded by noting that the cast was a family and families fought This is a family and families, you know, have love, laughter arguments - again, not to belittle it, but a lot of stuff happens in 15 years, he said. I can say that no matter what anybody in this room has ever done - and weve all done a lot, with each other, for each other, against each other - I wouldnt trade it for the world and I have zero complaints.David Cross, another male costar, also downplayed Tambors behavior by saying that Tambor had learne d from the experience.Through audible tears, Walter acknowledged that Tambor had apologized Verbally, yes, he harassed me, but he did apologize. I have to let it go. But she also noted that this was harassment that she had never experienced from anyone else in her decades of work Jason says this happens all the time. In like almost 60 years of working, Ive never had anybody yell at me like that on a set, she said.One notable exception in the rush to defend and excuse Tambors outburst as normal was co-star Alia Shawkat, the only other woman in the room. After Bateman noted that acting was a breeding ground for atypical behavior, Shawkat jumped in to say But that doesnt mean its acceptable. And the point is that things are changing, and people need to respect each other differently.After the interview was published, people on social media voiced support for Walter, criticizing how her male coworkers dismissed and belittled her story to defend Tambor.Jessica Walter received a Golden Gl obe nominierung in 1971, when Jason Bateman was two years old, and he thinks he should explain to her how show business works.- Connor Goldsmith (dreamoforgonon) May 23, 2018For some people, Walters need to let go of anger resonated with their own experiences at workFollowing the backlash, Bateman realized he had made a huge mistake and apologized for mansplaining and said he was deeply sorry to have done that to Jessica.Tony Hale, one of the other male coworkers in the Times interview, also publicly apologized to Walter on Thursday.