Robert De Niro is No Good Fella: He is a Horrible Sexist Boss, Says Ex Assistant (she's suing for 12 million)

Now I see what Naomi Campbell saw in Robert De Niro. Two angry assistant abusers in love, what a couple. True passion. What his ex-assistant, Graham Chase Robinson (her name sounds like a command!) says is outrageous. If this is true, then my God, the man is an OG Bad Boss, more like his unsavory characters than not. Bobby D, what happened to you? And yet, there is always another story within a story. What really started out as a problem between him and Chase Robinson(!) sounds like, at the root, a struggle for power between the two closest women in his life. 

                                 

If you are wondering if a name-drop is going to happen, then you are correct. He's one of the celebrities I encountered at a downtown trendy restaurant opening in NYC. He is tiny, older than he looks on camera, very shy and polite. There were some shenanigans at play, but that story is nuts and for another time. It is hard to connect that quiet little old man with the rather exploitative, misogynistic, abusive man she describes. Yet, it is always the nice guy no one suspects that is the serial killer with bodies under his bed. So, a few times, meeting someone in a social situation and chatting with them a few times is hardly a barometer of someone's dark side. What lurks in someone's shadows is anyone's guess, and when it is revealed, it can be disappointing and surprising. 

Graham had been his assistant in a nebulous job that included working for him personally, and his company, Canal Productions-where she is aiming her lawsuit. They are countersuing her for stolen company property, including millions of frequent flier miles that they claim only belong to the company. Later, Bobby contradicts himself and says No, he wanted them for his kids. Which is it? (seems very petty for a man worth 100s of millions)So there is the business side of things, along with more salacious accusations of Gender Discrimination. If he did the things claimed, then he thinks we live in the 50s when treating women as girls was socially accepted. 

Accusations include that he made her rub his back, decorate his Christmas tree, told rude sexual jokes, viciously screamed at her on various occasions, demanded 80-90 hours a week of her time, harassed her, called her at 4AM when he fell down some stairs, overworked her and paid her 300 hundred thousand a year which she felt was too little compensation for what was asked. When she asked for a raise, he refused. All to which De Niro cried, "Balderdash!" Okay, he actually interrupted a lot, and exclaimed, "Shame on you, Chase Robinson!" The judge had to tell him to calm down because he was so angry and loud. No one wanted to see Vito Corleone rage stroke out on the stand, so he had to be told more than once Shut Yer Trap, Taxi Driver. 

In a profanity-filled voicemail, played in court, Raging Bull could be heard saying: "You fucking don’t answer my calls. How dare you? You’re about to be fired. You’re fucking history. This is bullshit. How dare you fucking disrespect me? You gotta be fucking kidding me, you spoiled brat! Fuck you!" It's really nice and appropriate coming from a boss. I got the feeling this was what it was like for her during her entire employment. No one should have to listen to that vitriol when they are off the clock. She wasn't a slave; she was his employee. 

So all of that back and forth was one thing, serious, of course, but the real issue at its heart is The Irishman's live-in girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, hated Graham, and Graham hated her back. He was stuck between them, but when push came to shove, he chose Tiffany, who threatened to leave him if he didn't fire her. From all reports, she was jealous of Graham's closeness to Robert and his kids. People even referred to Chen as a "Psychopath" because she is also unpopular with other employees at Canal. I believe she whispered in De Niro's ear, and since she shared his bed, had their baby, and didn't mind his kink, she was going to win. I could have told Graham, you will never beat the person a man is sleeping with, and Max Cady is a kinky little man who has an ask that a lot of women would refuse. I can't imagine she is unaware of it.

Well, Tiffany wasn't having this suit turn against her sugar daddy, so she showed up in court to defend Ronin (Okay, I'll stop with the movie references, I swear), calling Graham a Single White Female, which is hard to believe. That seems peculiar because she's suing that he kept dragging her into his personal life. If Graham is correct, then he's the one who wouldn't leave her alone to have a life. Wouldn't Chase Robinson(!) want more of his time, not less? She just wanted to be treated fairly and allowed to do her job and be somewhat close but not back-scratching close. I do believe the addition of Ex-Mistress Shady Tiffany being elevated to the main squeeze was the catalyst that blew the whole thing apart. 

Why is Tiffany shady? She's a known gold digger focusing on rich older men, and she was sleeping with him while he was married for four years, most likely more, before making her public debut in 2021 as his girlfriend. The things Shady Tiffany calls Chase Robinson(!) all imply she is a massive nuisance, which tracks with her not liking other women in his life. When you cheat with someone, then you know they are capable of it, and there is always a younger woman with her eye on the prize waiting in the wings. 

The dynamic duo is said to have wrecked Graham's reputation, making it impossible for her to find another employer. That seems plausible. Egocentric celebrities feel betrayed when someone gets tired of their constant demands, and I can absolutely see that man on that voicemail doing that since he pretty much said she was finished. That doesn't seem like a man who wouldn't seek revenge, and the power imbalance is squarely on his side. Robert De Niro is a respected actor, and Chase Robinson(!) is no one of consequence to the people in the world she traveled in professionally. 

De Niro is very lucky it isn't me suing him. Why? I used to hang out in Tribeca with my actress/singer friend, who was a virtual golden font of gossip. N was 11 years older, lived in LA and NYC, and made most of her living as an actor and singing backup sometimes. She told me in 1999 that Cosby was a predator, and it floored me, but I believed her. She had all the hookups, and we had so much damn fun together. Unfortunately, her party habits were hard to keep up with, with me going to school and work, so we drifted apart. 

But N had the scoop about his ALLEGED kink. I heard it again years later, but it is ALLEGED people. I would have blackmailed him and had my 12 million in a Cayman Island account in 15 minutes flat. Just imagine asks that would make you say, "No" to sex play with someone you thought was smoking hot. Even if the guy was rich and generous (which I heard he is), you would still maybe not be up for it. I have my kinks, but nothing like that because I am much too proud. It is one of those or several; just allow your imagination to go to places, nothing illegal that would be a bridge too far. No, it isn't tame BDSM play, so move on to the next level. I won't write it because I am not looking to be found and sued.

Graham probably signed an NDA, and that is always unfair but easy-ish to get out of and not always legally binding, but who wants the hassle? If I had an abusively awful famous boss, I would make a deal to have a tabloid pay the legal bills and scorch their image to the ground. The underling has a lot of power. I would spill it ALL. They would be scorned around the world, worse than what Spaghetti Head Timberlake is going through. By far. As Faye Dunaway said in Mommie Dearest, "Don't fuck with me, fellas". This is why I am not a personal assistant; even when given an opportunity, the things they are made to do are humiliating. 

Curiously, Graham has said she is afraid to leave her apartment. That accusation is odd to me, and she never explains why. Is it for dramatic effect? Or is she truly afraid of Joe Pesci and Scorcese jumping her if she lets her guard down? I keep trying to imagine this. I am very interested to know what she means. Whatever she means, I know one thing: I hope if her allegations are true, she wins, and I hope other terrible celebrity bosses take note. 

(photos:Getty, Fresherslive, Celebsweek)