HBO's Chris Albrecht Takes Voluntary Leave of Absence

UPDATE 5/9: This is not the first allegation of battery for Albrecht. The LA Times is reporting that in 1991, HBO paid a settlement of at least $400,000 to a female subordinate named Sasha Emerson who was involved romantically with Albrecht (both were married to other people at the time) after he choked and shoved her. Emerson signed a confidentiality agreement and has not spoken publically about the matter. "The settlement to Sasha Emerson," Claudia Eller writes, "was overseen by Time Warner President Jeffrey Bewkes, who at the time was a top executive at the cable network, said two people familiar with the details. Bewkes is in line to become the chief executive of Time Warner next year, when Richard Parsons retires."

Deadline Hollywood Daily's Nikki Finke also adds some info:

I'm told by sources that there have been allegations of other incidents -- at least two, "but I recall three," according to one knowledgeable insider -- involving Chris Albrecht and women at HBO over the years, all quietly "handled" by the cable pay channel with no obvious career repercussions for the 22-year HBO exec who rose to become chairman/CEO. The question now is whether that will change following his arrest on suspicion of physically assaulting his girlfriend during a working weekend in Las Vegas and his internal memo yesterday blaming alcohol and announcing a temporary leave of absence.

The unfolding scandal jogged some memories, and people were recalling to me one past incident in particular: Albrecht's alleged 1991 physical assault of his ex-lover and HBO subordinate Sasha Emerson, then a young and talented female exec working as senior vice president at HBO Independent Productions. In fact, I'm told an HBO executive later apologized to Emerson for shielding Albrecht at the expense of her job, saying "I look back and wonder why we covered it up back then." The explanation appears obvious: Albrecht at the time was a real comer at HBO, and the Old Boy network kicked in. Or should it be renamed the Bad Boy network? "HBO couldn't keep the two of them together after he got physical with a subordinate so she got bought out. But he was the guy who should have been kicked out of there," a source told me about the Albrecht/Emerson matter.

FROM 5/8:Two days after his arrest for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend after the De La Hoya/Mayweather fight in Las Vegas, HBO chairman and CEO Chris Albrecht has said that he's taking a voluntary leave of absence to deal with an alcoholism problem, according to the LA Times and his bosses at Time Warner have granted his request. "HBO's corporate parent, Time Warner Inc., was expected to announce a replacement at a later time, but for the moment the company will be in the hands of Chief Operating Officer Bill Nelson, a spokesman said." The LA Times also provided the memo that Albrecht wrote to HBO employees:

My colleagues and friends:

I am deeply sorry for what occured in Las Vegas this weekend and for any embarrasment it caused my family, the company I love, and myself.

While I am not at liberty to discuss the incident as the district attorney and my lawyer are still determining the facts, it is my hope to do so in the near future.

This weekend was a wake up call to me of a weakness I thought I had overcome long ago. I had been a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous for thirteen years. Two years ago, I decided that I could handle drinking again. Clearly, I was wrong. Given that truth, I have committed myself to sobriety. I intend to take a temporary leave of absence from HBO effective today, in order to go back to working with AA.

Leading this company is a great privilege and I pray that I can continue to do so in a manner that brings honor and pride to this remarkable organization and its remarkable people. Thank you for your understanding during these difficult hours, I will not let you down again.