News Notes: Huge Verdict For Executive Fired For Discussing “Seinfeld” Episode

A jury has awarded $26.6 million to a veteran Miller Brewing Company executive who was fired for sexual harassment after discussing an episode of “Seinfeld.” Jerold Mackenzie told co-worker Patricia Best about a scene in which Jerry Seinfeld can’t remember his girlfriend’s name, only that it rhymes with a female body part. Mackenzie testified that he never mentioned the word, but showed Best a photocopied dictionary page with the term on it. The jury apparently agreed with Mackenzie that he was unfairly targeted by management and the conduct didn’t rise to the level of sexual harassment. Miller Brewing argued Mackenzie was fired because he had been previously reprimanded for alleged sexual harassment and this incident was the last straw.