WWW- Talk show host Maury Povich taped a segment about cheating spouses yesterday – amid the swirl of allegations he cheated on wife Connie Chung with one of his producers.
Povich’s alleged paramour, Donna Ingber, 47, didn’t say a word as she dashed into her Philadelphia home last night – leaving her husband to defend the honor of the woman said to be known on the talk show set as “Maury’s girl.”
“It’s all bogus. It’s crapola. That’s all I have to say,” dentist Jeffrey Ingber told reporters.
Povich, 66, and Chung, 59, who have their own “Weekends With Maury & Connie” show on MSNBC, still haven’t addressed the sordid allegations.
But they can expect to be quizzed about it today in Washington, where old friend Carol Joynt had previously scheduled them at her restaurant for an hour-long talk about life in and out of the news business.
“As of now, they’re committed to be here, but lawyers at any moment could tell them not to. I’m holding my breath,” said Joynt, owner of Nathans. “They are in love, and they have been for a very long time.”
Joynt said she will ask her friends, who have been married since 1984, about the lawsuit – “you can’t not” – but noted she may not get an answer. “They’re perfectly capable of saying they can’t talk about it,” she said.
Fans in the audience for “Maury” when it taped at the Hotel Pennsylvania yesterday said Povich never uttered a word about a staffer’s lawsuit that accuses him of having an affair – and presiding over a show permeated with behind-the-scenes filthy talk and sexual pressure.
“Talking about the cheaters, he was like, ‘What a dog!'” said audience member Lauren Wingeart, 25, of Astoria, Queens.
The affair is alleged in a suit filed by “Maury” producer Bianca Nardi, 28, who said Povich’s affair was common knowledge in the office – so much so that Donna Ingber was known as “Maury’s girl” on the set.
Nardi is seeking $100 million for sexual harassment – singling out producer Paul Faulhaber, 37, for allegedly forcing her to watch porn videos, pose for camera crews filming her breasts, and flirt with married men for undercover segments.
A spokesman for the show has denied the harrassment claims, but has not commented on the affair allegations.
“I know how this works, but I have no comment,” Faulhaber said last night.
Nardi was in hiding yesterday, but her lawyer, Bruce Baron, said he got several calls from other people who had worked on “Maury” and wanted to back his client’s claims.
However, Colleen Scott-Gill, 28, who worked for Nardi in the summer of 2000, said she never saw any sexual misconduct on the set – but can’t imagine Nardi would make up any stories.
“She always seemed very cheerful to me,” said Scott-Gill, now a radio producer.
Povich has his defenders – including fans who lined up for the shows taped yesterday, including one titled “Plastic surgery made me famous!”
“We’re in America, man,” said Christian Madera, 26, of the Bronx. “You’re innocent until proven guilty. I believe everybody deserves a chance.”
