‘The Wonder Years’ Mom Says It Was A Sexual Harassment Suit Against Fred Savage That Tanked The Show
Information has now surfaced that it was a sexual harassment lawsuit that ended the popular show The Wonder Years. A costumer on the series, Monique Long, filed a lawsuit at the time claiming that actors Fred Savage and Jason Hervey sexually harassed her. Now, Alley Mills, who played the mother of Savage and Hervey, says that the lawsuit was ridiculous, and it’s tragic that it ended the show.
Alley Mills Says The Sexual Harassment Suit Ended The Wonder Years
Alley Mills, who played homemaker Norma Arnold said when the cast of The Wonder Years shot the series finale, they were all unsure if that was really the end because The Wonder Years sexual harassment lawsuit was hanging over all of them, says Rolling Stone.
“When we shot the series finale … nobody knew whether or not The Wonder Years was going to be renewed. And that’s because of a completely ridiculous sexual harassment suit that was going on against Fred Savage – who is, like, the least offensive, most wonderful, sweet human being that ever walked the face of the Earth.”
The lawsuit filed against Fred Savage, then 16, and Hervey, then 20, alleged that both stars of The Wonder Years physically and verbally harassed Monique Long, the costumer for Alley Mills. Long claimed that 16-year-old Fred Savage repeatedly asked her to go on a date while Jason Hervey made suggestive remarks.
The Wonder Years star Fred Savage was 'accused of sexual harrasment when he was 16 – causing bosses to scrap the show'https://t.co/q515P4hERl pic.twitter.com/qEdBEXekOk
— The Sun (@TheSun) January 29, 2018
Fred Savage’s Sexual Harassment Accuser Was Fired From ‘The Wonder Years’
Monique Long told friends that the stress from the sexual harassment stopped her from doing her job and caused her to be fired. But back in 1993, at the time of the lawsuit, a female crew member says this isn’t true.
“She’d fall asleep, and we couldn’t find her when it was time to shoot a scene. Or she’d be in the bathroom, primping. We had problems with her from the beginning. She is not a team player.”
The Wonder Years Star Alley Mills says that she couldn’t believe the lawsuit would be taken seriously, and really believed the whole thing would work itself out because she believed Fred Savage and Jason Hervey were innocent.
“I just thought [the lawsuit] was a big joke and it was going to blow over. It’s a little bit like what’s happening now – some innocent people can get caught up in this stuff; it’s very tricky. It was so not true.”
The lawsuit was dropped after an undisclosed settlement between ABC and Monique Long. Alley Mills says that the other side of the whole The Wonder Years matter would have come out sooner but a gag order was in place preventing the cast and crew of The Wonder Years from speaking out on the lawsuit.
#FredSavage's TV mum describes him as "the least offensive, most wonderful, sweet human being that ever walked the face of the Earth”. #wonderyears https://t.co/blNCSVFQAM
— The West Australian (@westaustralian) January 30, 2018
Alley Mills Believes The Wonder Years Fred Savage Should Have Had His Day In Court
Alley Mills said she wanted to scream out and tell everyone that the whole Wonder Years lawsuit was absurd, says Variety.
“I wanted to scream on television, ‘This is ridiculous!'”
Mills thought the way that ABC settled the lawsuit was wrong, and that they should have defended Fred Savage.
“They should never have paid her off. You don’t pay someone off when there’s no crime. You just fire the girl.”
Mills said she thought Fred Savage should have gotten his day in court.
