‘Oh my God, I’m about to be raped’

Former CBS associate video producer Kenneth Lombardi said he was doing his dream job when a request for career advice went awry. Source: Facebook

HIS lawyer says the story of Kenneth Lombardi is "typical of a man or a woman who just wants to get ahead in the entertainment business."

The handsome former video producer at US TV network CBS is suing for sexual harassment, saying he was repeatedly drunkenly groped and kissed by powerful men at the company.

"I have symptoms of PTSD from this," says Lombardi, who quit his job in November, comparing CBS to "the Catholic Church or Penn State" for allegedly sweeping his complaints under a carpet.

"I have nightmares. I relive these moments every day. The sound of ice in a glass will take me back to that moment," he said, referring to what he described as a terrifying barroom encounter with Albert "Chip" Colley, who directs the popular and award-winning Evening News with Scott Pelley program.

Lombardi, 29, says he was working the job of his dreams at the network's CBSNews.com website, staking out red carpets for grab-and-chat interviews with celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Elton John and Clint Eastwood.

But that dream came crashing down — and the self-described bisexual started fearing for not only his employment, but his safety — after Colley and another male higher-up put the moves on him at boozy office functions, his Manhattan Federal Court lawsuit alleges.

Last March, Lombardi prepared a 10-minute video reel with excerpts of his best celebrity interviews, and asked the twice-his-age Colley for feedback. Colley suggested they meet at a gay bar, Hardware, in Hell's Kitchen, to discuss.

There, a drunken Colley made it clear he had actually little interest in the younger man's reel, the suit says. The conversation quickly turned X-rated. Grilled by Colley about his orientation, Lombardi reluctantly revealed he was bisexual.

"Colley told [Lombardi] that he did not really believe being 'bisexual' was real and told Plaintiff that he was actually completely gay," the suit says.

Mr Lombardi alleges he suffered post-traumatic stress as a result. Source: Twitter

The evening devolved from there, with Colley allegedly urging drinks on the younger man while rubbing his thigh, texting him porn site links and asking what he thought about when he watched porn videos, the suit says.

"He was sending me porn on my phone while he was talking about my career," Lombardi said in a phone interview.

"I just turned 28 at time, Chip was in his mid- to late 50s, had been in the business for at least 30 years — he's heavily connected — and he was running Scott Pelley 's news show," Lombardi said. "I was terrified."

Lombardi "started having an anxiety attack," fled to the bathroom, and called his mom, begging for help, his suit says. Then he snuck out of the club.

"I have text messages and e-mails," Lombardi told The Post. "I was texting my brother, 'Oh my God, I'm about to be raped. Please, God, help me,'" he said. "It's painful to even look at them again."

Even afterwards, Colley would continually corner the half-his-age Lombardi in the hallways of CBS's Midtown offices, the suit contends.

"Defendant Colley would usually discuss Plaintiff's looks," or his hairstyle, and make "sexual advances," the suit says.

Lombardi's lawyer, Derek Smith, said, "It's a typical story of a man or a woman who just wants to get ahead in the entertainment business. Facts like this take us back to the days of Marilyn Monroe and the casting couch."

Asked for comment on the suit, Colley said, "I don't know anything about it. I haven't seen it. I don't have any comment. Sorry."

Just a few months prior, another male superior had also crossed the line, the suit contends — at the 2013 CBS holiday party at Stone Rose Lounge in the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle.

Duane Tollison, then senior producer at CBS Radio Inc. — who's now writing for Today in New York at WNBC-TV — allegedly sidled up to Lombardi, drunk.

Tollison, "slid his hand down Plaintiff Lombardi's pants and grabbed Plaintiff's penis and testicles," the suit says.

"Plaintiff pushed him away and asked Defendant to stop. Plaintiff Lombardi was horrified," the suit says. "Defendant Tollison then began to kiss Plaintiff's neck and grab Plaintiff's body."

When his protests fell on drunk ears, Lombardi again just ran away in horror, grabbing his coat and leaving the party, the suit says.

"Hey!" Tollison emailed the next day, according to the suit.

"I had such a great time last night! And it was so nice to hang out with you. But I wanted to apologise if anything I did offended you or crossed a line. I like to get a little crazy. If you weren't offended, then let's do it again. LOL … … How is your day so far? :)"

Tollison did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Lombardi's immediate boss, the website's entertainment department managing editor, Paula Cohen, in turn ran the department as an "all girl's club" and wouldn't give him the time of day except to holler at him, he claims in his suit.

Meanwhile, the network's human resources people did nothing but stonewall when Lombardi asked for help, his suit says.

"While CBS takes all allegations of workplace misconduct seriously, we believe Mr. Lombardi's claims are without merit and we intend to vigorously defend this lawsuit," a network spokeswoman said.

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