Geraldo Rivera apologizes for saying women may be 'criminalizing courtship'

Sara M Moniuszko | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Bette Midler: 'Geraldo Rivera groped me' Legendary Actress Bette Midler told Barbara Walters that TV personality Geraldo Rivera groped her in the 1970s.

Geraldo Rivera has apologized for accusing women of "criminalizing courtship" in the wake of Matt Lauer's firing from NBC News over allegations of inappropriate behavior.

The Fox News reporter's comments, in which he described the news business as "flirty," were shared on Twitter Wednesday.

Sad about @MLauer great guy, highly skilled & empathetic w guests & a real gentleman to my family & me. News is a flirty business & it seems like current epidemic of #SexHarassmentAllegations may be criminalizing courtship & conflating it w predation. What about #GarrisonKeillor? — Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 29, 2017

"Sad about (Matt Lauer) great guy, highly skilled (and) empathetic (with) guests (and) a real gentleman to my family (and) me," he wrote. "News is a flirty business & it seems like (the) current epidemic of #SexHarassmentAllegations may be criminalizing courtship (and) conflating it (with) predation."

One day later, Rivera, 74, tweeted an apology after receiving backlash for his comments.

"Reaction to my tweets today on #sexharassment makes clear I didn't sufficiently explain that this is a horrendous problem long hidden," he wrote. "Harassers are deviants who deserve what is coming to them. Often, victims are too frightened to come forward in a timely fashion — I humbly apologize."

Reaction to my tweets today on #sexharassment makes clear

I didn't sufficiently explain that this is a horrendous problem

long hidden-Harassers are deviants who deserve what is coming

to them-Often victims are too frightened to come

forward in a timely fashion-I humbly apologize — Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 30, 2017

Fox News denounced Rivera's statements in a statement provided to USA TODAY Thursday.

"Geraldo's tweets do not reflect the views of FOX News or its management. We were troubled by his comments and are addressing them with him," the statement, provided by the new station's spokesperson, read.