Cate Cameron/CBS
"Wisdom of the Crowd" star Jeremy Piven.
- CBS is dropping the Jeremy Piven-led series "Wisdom of the Crowd."
- The decision follows multiple sexual misconduct allegations against Piven.
- Piven has adamantly denied all allegations.
CBS has canceled its freshman Jeremy Piven drama, "Wisdom of the Crowd," Business Insider has learned. CBS will continue to air the original 13 episodes of "Wisdom of the Crowd" it ordered for this season, but will not make any more.
The news follows multiple sexual misconduct allegations against Piven.
"Wisdom of the Crowd" centers around eccentric tech innovator Jeffrey Tanner (Piven), who creates a crowd-sourcing website to help him solve his daughter's murder.
The series had an average of about 8.3 million viewers tuning in every week, although its high ratings may have been tied to its time slot. Still, "Wisdom of the Crow" was an audience favorite, despite being widely panned by critics.
But it came with controversy surrounding its star Piven, who has been accused by five women of varying degrees of sexual misconduct.
Piven was originally accused of sexual misconduct by reality-TV actress Ariane Bellamar in a series of tweets last month, which alleged Piven groped her while she was on the set of HBO's "Entourage." Piven denied Bellamar's accusations in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Shortly after Bellamar accused Piven, a representative for CBS said the network was aware of the accusation and was "looking into the matter."
Other women soon came forward.
"Longmire" actress Cassidy Freeman accused of Piven of engaging in "predatory behavior," in an Instagram post.
Advertising executive Tiffany Bacon Scourby alleged in an interview with People that in 2003 Piven pinned her down and ejaculated on her in his hotel room. Piven denied Scourby's claims in a statement to People: "Let me be absolutely clear, this simply did not happen. I would never force myself on a woman, ever. I cannot speak as to why a person would create a story like this."
Piven then wrote a lengthier statement on Twitter, denying all of the accusations against him, and offering to take a polygraph test.
"We seem to be entering dark times - allegations are being printed as facts and lives are being put in jeopardy without a hearing, due process or evidence," Piven said. "I hope we can give people the benefit of a doubt before we rush to judgment."
Most recently, actress Anastasia Taneie told BuzzFeed News in an article published last week that Piven groped her on the set of "Entourage" in 2009. Taneie said Piven grabbed her breasts and genitals and forced her up against a wall in a darkened hallway.
Amy Meador also spoke to BuzzFeed News and alleged that Piven had assaulted her at her then-home in Laurel Canyon in 1995.
Meador said that after exchanging numbers at a coffee shop, and setting up a date with Piven, the actor stood her up. Months later Piven showed up at her home unannounced, according to Meador. Meador told BuzzFeed News she invited Piven in to watch some TV, and then after about an hour of watching TV, he tried force himself on her. Meador said she was able to kick him off of her, and that Piven then proceeded to lock himself in her bathroom with her phone for about 20 minutes before she was able to kick him out of her home.
Piven's representatives shared the results of a polygraph test the actor had taken on November 13 with BuzzFeed News. In the test, Piven said he had never touched a woman's genitals without consent, and denied all allegations against him. The polygraph examiner confirmed to BuzzFeed News that Piven passed the test.
Piven did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.