The Unfortunate Truth About Jay O'berski (Jaybird O'berski / Jack O'berski)

Monica recently posted an update to her website with some news.  It appears that Jay, now Jack O'berski, is working as a private therapist in Winston Salem. Jack O'berski is serving clients at Bird by Bird Therapy in Winston Salem. There are also some social media accounts on Flickr, YouTube, Etc where Jay has change his name to Jack, but the usernames are still Jay or Jaybird.  While I believe Jack / Jay / Jaybird has a right to live his life and earn a living, I also think it's important that anyone choosing to work with him is aware of the past actions for which he, Jack O'berski, has still never taken responsibility for or been completely honest about. So if you are considering working with Jack O'berski at Bird by Bird Therapy, please read this blog and make sure you feel comfortable engaging so that you do not open yourself to unnecessary risk.  I'm posting Monica's update below for visibility.  UPDATE, February 15, 2025: It’s come to my attention that...

Dear Reader,  It seems like the Duke Cronicle article properly shut down any potential threat of legal action.  Given that the truth is a legal defense for defamation, I'm assuming, now that all that information is public, whatever case Jay was trying make is now dead.  I've also not heard from Jay's lawyer since my posted response.  Hopefully I won't have a reason to ever post here again and this public record remain here for anyone who needs it. It only costs me about $10 a year to maintain the URL. Thanks for all of your support. 

Nadia Bey posted a very thorough article on the ongoing saga with Jay O'berski at the Duke Chronicle. It's a fair and robust retelling that corroborates everything Monica and I have been posting about with details showcasing a lot of behind the scenes conversations. Please read and share widely. https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2023/05/duke-university-jaybird-oberski-theater-professor-inappropriate-behavior  I'm posting the whole of the text here for public record, just in case Duke takes it down for any reason.  Alumni say former theater professor behaved inappropriately with students, emails show administrators aware of allegations The Rubenstein Arts Center’s von der Heyden Studio Theater, where Hoof ‘n’ Horn performed “Cabaret” in Fall 2019. Hoof ‘n’ Horn is one of many student performance groups whose spring programming has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Photo by  C. Ray Walker  | The Chronicle By  Nadia Bey  |  @nadiabey May ...

I received the following letter from correspondence from Attorney Michael Pelagalli this week: RE: DEMAND FOR DELETION PROPOSED RESOLUTION OF DISPUTE Mr. Schultz, Please be advised that our firm represents Mr. Jaybird O’Berski relative to the false and defamatory statements that have been published about him online on multiple platforms, including but not limited to Facebook and jayoberski.org. Please allow this correspondence to serve as a formal and advance notification of our representation of Mr. O’Berski. If you are represented by legal counsel, I respectfully request you forward this correspondence to their attention. Based on your own public postings and comments, we understand that you are thea dministrator of the blog, “The Unfortunate Truth About Jay O’Berski” (jayoberski.org), which has republished posts and comments from your Facebook profile. Our firm wholly respects your First Amendment right to free speech in this country. Had you limited your publications about our cli...

This is from the post here: https://www.jayoberski.org/2023/02/public-service-announcement-about.html but I'm posting it in it's own spot due to how important it is and adding a vital update.   Update 10/10/19:   I posted this as a comment, but wanted it here as well so it's easier to find. This is from a person who wishes to remain anonymous. I have personally confirmed their identity: "I met Jaybird as an undergraduate student. He was my professor at Duke. We spent a lot of time together outside of the classroom. He spent time with fellow classmates outside of the classroom as well, so it didn’t seem out of the ordinary. He made me feel understood and loved. I was quite conservative, which changed when he introduced me to a world in which sexual relationships appeared limitless (as he engaged in these intimately with cast members and friends). It was intoxicating and felt amazing at the time. Completely consensual and lovely. From where I stand now, I wish he had l...

This clip is part of this post: https://www.jayoberski.org/2023/02/public-service-announcement-about.html but I wanted it here on it's own to be more easily findable.    Update 11/22: Erin Bell just added this brave testimony to the comments. "Hello everyone, For those of you who don't know me, my name is Erin Bell. I have been LGP's webmaster for 5 years and on their board for 2. Over the years I have also stage managed and acted for LGP as well as photographed their shows. Jaybird recently confessed to me that he did in fact have sex with an undergraduate student. I'm not cool with that. This morning the straw that broke the camel's back was Jaybird threatening to call someone's employer as a consequence for them speaking out against him. Fuck Jaybird and the horse he rode in on. That is all, Erin" Update 11/24: From Adam Schultz In a series of emails with me today, Jay admitted that he had a conversation with Erin Bell and Cuquis about contacting H...

This comment was on the original Facebook post from 2019. Posting here for importance.  https://www.facebook.com/boldadam/posts/pfbid02puwuszuigYWZvdBzZu48MuMAPD3gAzCc3aTKNy2BZBA8rHpfJkqsmGD7jgcdrqpfl From:  Nicole Farmer I worked with Mr. O'Berski (then just named, Jay) in 2009 as a guest artist playing Blanche Dubois in "A Streetcar Named Dire" by Tennessee Williams, at Commonground Theater in Durham, NC. I witnessed several abusive rehearsals where he threatened  actors and intimidated actors and technical staff. He kicked and actor in the rear and caused him to fall down, humiliated in front of the whole cast and some Duke University professors who were watching this early "open rehearsal". I was shocked that none of the cast, including the actor who was kicked, refused to say anything and acted like this was normal. I ended up writing Jay a lengthy letter explaining why I thought he was a bully and abusive to the artists who were donating their time to his ...

A reporter at Duke’s student newspaper, The Chronicle, is looking to connect with former undergraduates or employees that interacted with O’Berski in any capacity. If you’re willing to share your experience, please reach out to  nadia.bey@duke.edu . You do not have to be on-the-record.

On 2/9/2023 Monica posted this story to her personal blog.  https://monicacatherine.com/2023/02/09/on-jay-oberski/ Full text below: On Jay O’Berski. Posted:  February 9, 2023   |  Author:   Monica Byrne   |   Filed under:   Uncategorized   | 1 Comment UPDATE, February 10, 2023: I’ve been notified that the clinic that had employed Jay as an intern has cut all ties with him. Therefore, I’m removing their contact information from the post, though still naming them for the sake of public record. ~ I’m writing this public, searchable account about Jay O’Berski’s history so that no one can claim in good faith any longer that they “just didn’t know.” Background. To summarize: Jay O’Berski is a former professor of theatre at Duke University, and the founder and former Artistic Director of the now-dissolved Durham theatre company Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern. As of February 9th, 2023, he is training as a therapist at  Wake Forest Universit...