Carrie Fisher Gave Cow Tongue To Producer Accused Of Sexual Assault, Friend Says
TUCSON, Ariz. (CBS) – Actress Carrie Fisher was known for being outspoken advocate for people with mental health issues but apparently she also went to bat for a victim of sexual assault.
Heather Ross, a friend of Fisher's, recently told a Tucson radio station how the iconic actress responded when Ross told her she'd been sexually assaulted by a producer in Hollywood. (Ross said it was not Harvey Weinstein but it was another "Oscar-winning producer.")
Ross said Fisher was a "dear friend for years."
"When I told her about this… she was very protective of me and more scared for my safety than anything," Ross said.
"After that fear wore off, about two weeks later, she sent me a message online. And she's like 'I just saw [the producer] at Sony Studios… I knew he would probably be there so I went to his office and personally delivered a Tiffany box wrapped with a white bow."
Inside the box was a cow tongue from Jerry's Deli.
Ross said Fisher included a note that said, "If you ever touch my darling Heather or any other woman again, the next delivery will be something of yours in a much smaller box."
"That's just how she was. I miss her dearly. She stood up for people," Ross said. "That's what Carrie Fisher was. She spoke out. She put things out there and in your face."
Ross explained that she had met the producer online and felt safe meeting him because she didn't think she would be a target for sexual assault.
"I felt safe thinking 'OK, I'm overweight, I'm not attractive to these people. I'm not looking to become an actress," Ross explained. "I thought I was protected by not being attractive."
Ross said she was in the man's car for less than two minutes before he pulled over, reclined her seat, got on top of her and held her down by her neck.
"It was so fast. In my head I was thinking 'There's no way this is happening,'" she said.
When she protested, Ross said the man threatened to ruin her career.
"He said, 'You'll never make a movie in my town and get the F out of my car.'"
"I was shocked. I got out of that car and literally ran," Ross said.
Ross told close friends and family about the attack, but was too ashamed and afraid to file charges or go public.
"I felt ashamed of myself," Ross shared. "I thought maybe by meeting up with him, maybe having lunch or dinner with him, that I was asking for it. So I stayed quiet for years," she said. "I didn't want the retribution… I was just some kid from Tucson and this guy was high profile Oscar-winning producer."