In today’s cautionary tale of videoconferencing gone horribly wrong, the New Yorker has suspended reporter Jeffrey Toobin after he was seen pleasuring himself during a chat between magazine staff and WNYC radio.
Toobin claims he was unaware that his video was turned on, but even if it had been turned off, a work meeting probably isn’t the best time for masturbation. Just a thought.
“I made an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers,” Toobin told Motherboard.
“I believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no one on the Zoom call could see me. I thought I had muted the Zoom video,” he added.
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VICE spoke with two people who were present on the call, who shared that the meeting was an election simulation with prominent journalists playing Biden, Trump, and several groups like the military and establishment Democrats/Republicans. Toobin was cast in the role of the courts.
But there was a strong objection when participants noticed him engaged in self-love.
New Yorker spokesperson Natalie Raabe said: “Jeffrey Toobin has been suspended while we investigate the matter.”
Toobin is also the chief legal analyst on CNN, which put out this statement: “Jeff Toobin has asked for some time off while he deals with a personal issue, which we have granted.”
In an email to staffers, New Yorker editor David Remnick wrote: “Dear All, As you may have read in various news reports today, one of our writers, Jeff Toobin, was suspended after an incident on a Zoom call last week. Please be assured that we take such matters seriously and that we are looking into it. Best, David.”
Toobin has reportedly been barred from appearing on any WNYC shows.
Cam
Why is he apologizing to his wife? Does she think masturbating is cheating??
As for the Zoom meeting, most people are worried about how their hair or living room looks so much that they’ll triple check to see if their video is off. This guy just whipped it out in front of his work computer. That takes some…..balls.
Max
depends what was on his screen that he was pleasuring himself to.
alex1435
apologies as in – I’m sorry honey I lost my job, because I was masturbating in a Zoom meeting. I bet he looses his job over this.
Kangol2
Toobin already impregnated another woman while married to his wife, so maybe he’s adding this transgression, which could result in him losing his job, TV gigs, reputation, etc., to his ongoing list.
WashDrySpin
So you need a paycheck or do you need pleasure…you have to think with your brain and not your penis…always check before you whip it out especially if you were on a Zoom
My2CentsWorth
Why do it in front of the computer that is used for Zoom. The wise thing would have been to go to another part of the room.
Kieran
Jeffrey Toobin’s Zoom call has all the classic earmarks of a Russian disinformation operation, according to dozens of former senior intelligence officials.
We all know this thing has Putin and his girlfriend Donald Trump’s fingerprints all over it.
Cam
How sad, you can’t even read this story without trying to insert a troll comment. We get it, the fact that your candidate is dealing with Russia to harm America is tough for you all to explain away, but trying to pretend Russians didn’t interfere isn’t working.
Try a different tactic.
ARTmark
Even if he thought he was OFF camera, what the Hell was he whipping his dick out for?!!! “A stupid mistake”?!!! This is beyond weird….
RFD
I mean can you not at least wait until the call is over? And it says he thought he had “muted” his computer. Okay but that is the sound not the video! If you are going to pleasure yourself my suggestions are to make sure the picture is off and that the call is over and that you are not on work time in a meeting!
Bellerophon69
Did he REALLY need to do that?
Doug
Where’s the video?
alex1435
What an idiot, with no self-control, all that pro forma b. s. where he thought no-one wold see. What was he thinking, or not thinking ? Did he actually believe this would be received as a joke and be funny. Probably some subversive idea that he thought would work for him, what a mess.
Kangol2
Given the nature of the meeting and the evident necessity he felt to rub one out, he’s one kinky dude. Political simulations make you hot? That’s a paraphilia I’ve never heard of. Too bad he can’t put it back into the Toobin!
Loki9521
I always respected him, but it’s hubris on his part. He has failed and no one will be interested in anything he says. I hope CNN is finished with him…unless he knows too much but he has thrown his career away. Yeah, let’s see the video.he has enemies so it will surface.
Roger Doremus
He can defend himself by claiming to be a Beat Reporter.
RyanMBecker
This is sexploitative. There is no proof that he was masturbating, and my sources say that he was merely naked at home. Even the Vice article merely said that he touched his penis. Then they illogically concluded that he was masturbating. I don’t know about you guys, but I sometimes scratch my crotch, whether naked or clothed. Sometimes it’s not even a conscious act. It makes absolutely no sense that he would masturbate during the event. His only error in judgement was being naked, in his own home, not realizing that his webcam was on.
Cam
Actually two people on the call said he was masturbating. So not sure who your sources are, but apparently they aren’t great ones.
innocentgay
HA hahahaha!!
Ahahaaahaahaaa!
Idk, sounds a little sketchy but…
I’d prob give him a COVID-induced insanity mulligan; if he dares to show his face in public again, that is.
Onecaddy13
Time to go Tooby. You’re disgusting sexual past has come back to bite you. There’s just no explanation or apologies that anyone one can give for doing this. Any sane person just doesn’t whip it out and beat off. No words…
humble charlie
Did he cum? If he didn’t cum, it doesn’t count.
jsthib
What a total idiot. I used to like and admire than man. Oh well, I’m sure he’ll be off to rehab….
Heywood Jablowme
Apparently one (or two) of his Zoom co-workers “inspired” him and he just couldn’t wait! Surprising for a man that age.
But on all the Zoom calls I’ve been on, nobody was visible below the mid-chest. The common joke is that you never even know if they’re wearing pants.
petej
one thing: he admitted to it (hard not to, i guess) which is more than most guilty people do these days.