News outlet fires gay meteorologist for appearing on an adult cam site
Weatherman Erick Adame was fired from Spectrum News NY1 after his employer learned that he appeared on an adult webcam site.
The New York-based meteorologist spoke out about the incident on Instagram to "share [his] truth" about the matter. He called his actions "compulsive" and noted that they were 100% consensual.
"Despite being a public figure and being on television in the biggest market in the country in front of millions of people five days a week for more than a decade and a half, I secretly appeared on an adult cam website," Adame said.
"I acted out of my compulsive behaviors, while at home, by performing on camera for other men. It was 100% consensual on both of our parts. I wasn't paid for this, and it was absurd of me to think I could keep this private. Nonetheless, my employer found out and I was suspended and then terminated."
According to court documents obtained by the Daily Beast, Spectrum News discovered Adame's online activities after an anonymous user sent his nude photos to the news outlet as well as his mother. He has filed a lawsuit against the website, listed as Unit 4 Media LTD, to uncover the identity of the person/s who leaked the images, which were screenshots from video chats.
The two-time Emmy nominated weatherman also apologized to his employers, co-workers, audience, family, and friends, for "any embarrassment and humiliation" he caused.
"I can't take it back, and I can't change what I did, but I am getting the professional help I need so I can make appropriate decisions that don't affect those I care deeply about, as well as my career, as I move forward in my life," he wrote.
Adame continued to say he is not apologizing for being gay and sex-positive and hopes people won't judge him for the "salacious" images that surfaced.
"As a public figure, I recognize that I have certain responsibilities that come along with the privileges I enjoyed. But let me be clear about something: I don't apologize for being openly gay or for being sex-positive—those are gifts and I have no shame about them," the weatherman said.
"To the News Directors across the country—those who will make the ultimate decision on whether or not to hire me in the future: Please judge me on the hundreds, thousands of hours of television that I am so proud of and that my employers have commended me for, and not the couple of minutes of salacious video that is probably going to soon define me in our 'click bait' culture."
Media outlets such as People, Variety, and the Daily Beast reached out to Spectrum News and its parent company Charter Communications, but they have declined to comment on the matter.