I continue to be annoyed by how quickly so many people have turned the story of one man’s perversions, assaults, abuses and vulgarities into a campaign to slam the women around him. Everybody from Hillary Clinton to Meryl Streep are being ripped to shreds because of their proximity to Harvey Weinstein, like their proximity makes them EQUAL to him. No. I still don’t feel that way. We all have ways of coping, we all have ways of hearing what we want to hear or refusing to believe that the person who is so nice to me personally might be an absolute monster to other people. Those coping mechanisms are not the same as Harvey Weinstein’s crimes.
So, Judi Dench has released a statement, because I’m sure someone thinks friggin’ Judi Dench is somehow complicit. Weinstein has nurtured Dench’s film career for decades, and she won an Oscar (and been nominated for several more) on films which Harvey produced. Dench had always spoken glowingly of Weinstein and what he had done for her career, and she even joked that she had Weinstein’s name tattooed on her bum years ago. This is what she says now:
“Whilst there is no doubt that Harvey Weinstein has helped and championed my film career for the past 20 years, I was completely unaware of these offenses which are, of course, horrifying, and I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out.”
A perfectly fine statement. I believe her. I believe she was unaware. Realistically, what are the chances that a charming, sociopathic predator would have behaved differently around women like Meryl Streep and Judi Dench than he would behave around Random European Actress-Models? Meanwhile, Glenn Close also released a statement. I completely forgot that any of Glenn’s films were even produced by Weinstein. Here’s her statement:
“I’m sitting here, deeply upset, acknowledging to myself that, yes, for many years, I have been aware of the vague rumors that Harvey Weinstein had a pattern of behaving inappropriately around women. Harvey has always been decent to me, but now that the rumors are being substantiated, I feel angry and darkly sad.”
“I’m angry, not just at him and the conspiracy of silence around his actions, but also that the ‘casting couch’ phenomenon, so to speak,” Close continued—“the horrible pressure, the awful expectation put on a woman when a powerful, egotistical, entitled bully expects sexual favors in exchange for a job.”
“Ours is an industry in which very few actors are indispensable and women are cast in far fewer roles than men, so the stakes are higher for women and make them more vulnerable to the manipulations of a predator. I applaud the monumental courage of the women who have spoken up,” Close added, referring to Ashley Judd and the other women cited in the shocking report The New York Times published last week. “I hope that their stories and the reportage that gave them their voices represents a tipping point, that more stories will be told and that change will follow.”
Close then went even further: “The changes must be both institutional and personal. Men and women, in positions of power, must create a work environment in which people, whose jobs depend on them, feel safe to report threatening and inappropriate behavior, like that reported in the Times. No one should be coerced into trading personal dignity for professional success. I feel the time is long and tragically overdue for all of us in the industry, men and women, to unite—calmly and dispassionately—and create a new culture of respect, equality, and empowerment, where bullies and their enablers are no longer allowed to prosper.”
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was getting women to feel guilty about sh-t that was not their fault. I applaud Glenn for acknowledging that she was aware of the rumors – there’s no “WHO ME, I HAD NO IDEA” – but you can see the rationalization that she made over the years: “Harvey has always been decent to me.” That’s how all of these women felt. Because Harvey was “decent” to Glenn, to Meryl, to Judi, to Hillary too probably. We can scream “you should have known” until we’re blue in the face, but seriously – the NYT ONLY WORKED UP THE NERVE TO PUBLISH THE ARTICLE THIS MONTH.
Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN.
Glenn Close’s statement hits the nail on the head. Eloquent and to the point.
I believe Glenn, but I don’t believe anyone who says “I have worked in this industry for 20, 30 years and even with Harvey Weinstein himself, but I had NO idea, I haver never heard any rumours at all…”. I mean I have been aware of those rumours for years, even though I’m just a reader of some gossip sites, and I watch some award seremonies etc., where people joke about Harvey… They all knew about those rumours, but either they didn’t care about them because they were not involved or they decided to ignore them, because it was easier to be in good terms with Harvey Weinstein. Glenn’s statement sounds the most honest to me. Meryl’s and Judi’s not so much. And Kate Winslet who has publicly supported Woody Allen and Roman Polanski… well she can just sit down. I don’t think she cares at all as long as it doesn’t effect her and her career directly.
Yeah, it’s pretty hard to believe, coming from Kate Winslet.
Thank you. I am willing to believe these statements as long as they are honest about what they were aware of. I believe that some of the A-list women were not harassed by Weinstein, but still heard the rumors of his behavior with lesser known models and actresses. The absolute denial from some of these actors and actresses have unsurprisingly rubbed a lot of the public the wrong way because those of us who read celebrity gossip daily have known for years. It makes sense for Jane or Joe from Podunk, Nowhere stop and go, wait a minute, I knew and this A-lister didn’t even hear a whisper about his reputation? It isn’t believable. It’s wrong that all of these actors and actresses continued to work with him, but I’ll give a pass to those who at least admit to knowing, are honest about what they heard and experienced, and are coming forward to say that this stops now.
Judi Dench has publicly stated that she doesn’t gossip and her comment tracks with that statement. Do I think that every woman must decide what is acceptable for themselves? Absolutely. That’s why I don’t understand the backlash against actresses who state they weren’t harassed by this pig but support those who were victims. Let’s not get devisive when women are supporting women who have been victimized. I choose to believe that all of the women coming forward and making statements about this situation are telling the truth.
@Mari I completely agree with you. I believe Glenn close because she heard the rumours but didn’t believe them based on the way she was treated. It seems based on what you read about Hollywood the people are vapid and I think that the only reason half these people are “outraged” is because we live in an age where if they weren’t the public would judge them. I wonder how “outraged” most of these people are or are they saying it because it sounds like something they should say.
Ok. I officially love Glenn Close.
Yes, her statement feels the most honest. Acknowledging she heard the rumors but chose to ignore them because of her own benign experiences with him, then the anger and guilt when she found out it was all true. I think there will be more statements like this one coming from other actresses soon.
Thank you for this intro. I’m tired of people who seemed to not getting it. We can talk shit about Meryl, but it’s obvious that she opened the doors for many of her female co workers. And I’m only talking about women on purpose.
I like Glenn’s acknowledgement she heard the rumors. Her statement felt the most authentic to me. Sickening how long he’s gotten away with it.
The problem with Meryl Streep is she also thinks Polanski deserves a freaking standing O at the Oscars. I’m sorry but the pattern speaks for itself there. Do I think most women in Hollywood knew about the rumors about him? Yea absolutely. But some women (Streep, Winslet, Lawrence) seems to give these predators and abusers pass after pass for those shiny statues. And that is complicit. And that’s why I find them so much worse. So if you’re going to drag Melania and Ivanka then the same logic applies here.
Sorry not sorry
Why would Lawrence make a statement when for her whole career a lot of people would slut shame her and claim she slept with Harvey in order to get her Oscar? Any statement she makes will be spun anyways and people will use it as another attempt to slut shame her….which people already have. People already turned this story about how women were the problem. Not the men who enabled this man. Not the culture. But the women.
If I was an actress, I would say nothing. Not because I don’t support the victims. Let the men who actually enabled this monster speak. Let the men who created the culture that allowed him to do what he did, speak.
Because we know damn well that any women who has released a statement thus far, someone has found something wrong with it. “Oh so you knew the rumors but didn’t do anything!” “Oh don’t act like you didn’t know Meryl. You didn’t care!”
I think Nicole was talking about Lawrence standing by O. Russel even after the Amy Adams debacle and describing horrific directing methods as something normal. And I agree about Streep. No one has as many Oscars and Oscar etc nominations without playing the cool girl and supporting Polanskis.
You really think women had nothing to do with this culture? Really? So turning a blind eye had nothing to do with this culture?
I’m all for dragging men hard for this. But to pretend that women are not complicit to some of these men is blind. I absolutely think some of them are.
Put it this way: two years ago at the Oscars and Cannes everyone was dragging people who didn’t say anything about Allen. So what is the difference this year? Because A listers are in the target line? Cmon. And frankly this idea that they can’t speak up because rumors might happen is ridiculous. Pretty sure Amy Adams has never had those rumors anywhere near her.
I have enough room in my brain to be raging against a misogynistic system and to be upset that other women continue to work with abusers.
EDIT: yes I’m also talking about Russell who then apparently turned his abuse to jen on the next movie she worked on with him.
“Because we know damn well that any women who has released a statement thus far, someone has found something wrong with it.”
This times a million. I simply cannot understand the hostility towards Meryl and others when (1) we’re talking about a guy who coerced women into sexual favors and ruined the careers of women who didn’t play his fucked up game and (2) there actually isn’t any evidence they DID know. What happened to “I believe her?” Our willingness to doubt women’s every statement goes far beyond alleging sexual abuse.
Are we also saying every Dallas Cowboys player who didn’t take the knee on Sunday is complicit in racism?
@ Nicole…Harvey & Harvey alone is responsible for this. Not Meryl Streep or Jennifer Lawrence.
If you’re dragging Meryl Streep for her support of Roman Polanski, then sure I get it. But the complicity argument runs thin with me. Only Weinstein is responsible for his actions and this argument that they had to know seems to deflect the blame away from him. Now his company and board knew. They had to…they paid out the claims. But the many actors and actresses? I can see how they many didn’t know or didn’t care to. Predators only prey on their type or certain type or who they perceive as victims. They don’t prey on everyone. They don’t reveal who they are to everyone.
Sing it again. I find Meryl problematic (for other reasons) but she’s human and why is it so hard to believe she did not know? Really upset at how many people are going after her and other actresses. Why is the onus on them to say something and release a statement?
I am however, appreciative of those that do speak out to lend their voices in support to the victims. Glenn Close’s heartfelt words is everything.
Trying to blame actresses for doing what they need to do in a corrupt system is pretty dodgy. Take Nicole’s example of Amy Adams: she signed up to The Fighter and American Hustle after David O Russell’s bullying ways were widely known across Hollywood (after the fight with Lily Tomlin went viral). So was she ‘enabling’ Russell, as Nicole accuses Lawrence of doing? No – she was angling for a good part in the knowledge that she’d have to put up with a bullying male director, as you have to do in Hollywood, just as Lawrence did later. Actresses only get to be choosy when they become big stars, and even then their options can be relatively limited. It’s time instead to point the finger at all the executives (mainly male) who allowed this culture of bullying and harassment to thrive.
The same then goes for the others who supported Polanski: Tilda Swinton, Ewan Macgregor et al.
I don’t think all women close or in Weinstein’s orbit are complicit. I tend to feel more inclined to feel that way with Woody Allen, but the difference for me is Weinstein’s charisma. I am willing to bet that Weinstein knows how to turn on the charm, and I also think he chose his victims carefully. Older women with some power of their own, I would guess, were safe from his assaults. He schmoozed and charmed people according to what he might lose or gain. Maybe they had inklings and than dismissed them. We all misjudge people, and I honestly think the women who didn’t know, didn’t know. With woody it’s different. He’s a straight out pedophile and this has been an undisputed fact for decades. He married his kid for God’s sake. Actors who work with him I judge, same with Polanski. Weinstein is a much more clever, powerful, sneaky offender. I hope I’m making sense. I get the outrage in terms of silent complicity, I just think you have to consider the way Weinstein operated and how he was able to pull the wool over peoples eyes using power and charm.
@Nicole, so say an actres heard rumours about Weinstein. What would you have her do?
There were only that – rumours. Should Jennifer Lawrence have written an expose on Weinstein, based on a rumour she heard? She’d have been sued.
You can only try to not cross paths with him. That’s your only defence. Even then, what happens when a film you’ve made gets bought by TWC for distribution. Should the actress refuse to publicise it, refuse to campaign, refuse to be in the same room as him? She’d be blackballed and wouldn’t work again.
“Complicit” is a b-llshit word, in this case, because unless one of these actresses walked in on Weinstein abusing someone, there was very little they could do. The perpetrator is Harvey Weinstein. The only people complicit with him are his brother Bob, TWC management and peers, who almost all men.
I think the effusive praise JLaw herself heaps on abusers is complicit. She can work with anyone and she chooses abuser after abuser. Sure she can’t avoid if her movie is produced by TWC but she sure as heck does not have to praise any of these men.
But that’s her experience. Nobody’s been abusive to her, or in her presence. It doesn’t follow that because she enjoys her experience of working with someone, she condones their private behaviour.
It just seems like such a high bar, for Lawrence, but also for women in general. Meanwhile, Clooney’s getting praise over on his thread for saying, in my opinion, the bare minimum.
Of course, you’re free to think that someone should have handled a situation differently or better – we all think that sometimes. I’m just annoyed at the general high standards for women, versus the extremely low bar for dudes – in lots of areas of life, not just this.
Still baffled that people are directing the blame for actresses/actors who knew Harvey. Like I’m sure all of those commenting on here about how even though they live in a sh*t hole they still knew about Harvey were boycotting his movies all this time 😑
There’s A LOT to dislike about Meryl and co but this isn‘t the case. The only one to blame is the man who raped and groped women.
I don’t get why Meryl gave a statement. It’s her words that are being parsed, which is natural when someone decides to open up about the issue. She’s claiming she knew nothing — some are wondering how that’s possible. I don’t think anybody would have wondered if she hadn’t released the statement.
She does also have the most Oscar nominations of any actress out there, and I used to think she genuinely earned them, but now I can’t help but wonder if that can actually happen on talent alone. It seems the system is partly built on networking with weirdos.
Slow clap for Glenn Close. Powerhouse women like Streep, who was hailed as the greatest American actress of her generation straight out of the box (theater at Yale), and Dench, who pretty much drip personal power, were not Weinstein’s brand of catnip.
As a recovering asshole magnet who once attracted those types (minus that degree of money and power, of course), I can see why those women wouldn’t have experienced the same Harvey Weinstein Judd, McGowan and the others did.
I agree. Predators like HW very carefully select their targets-and let’s not blame the victims for being targeted.
Trust me. I grew up in a very dysfunctional Catholic community, and I spoke up (age 12) about the abuses I suspected were going on. My parents didn’t believe me; in fact, I got in trouble for saying what I’d said. I was not targeted by the criminal sexual abuser, so how could I possibly make these shocking allegations?
Fast forward seven years-my parents call me at college to say guess who was arrested and why, “You were right.” All I could think about were all those who suffered for those seven years.
I agree. Predators like HW very carefully select their targets-and let’s not blame the victims for being targeted.
Trust me. I grew up in a very dysfunctional Catholic community, and I spoke up (age 12) about the abuses I suspected were going on. My parents didn’t believe me; in fact, I got in trouble for saying what I’d said. I was not targeted by the criminal sexual abuser, so how could I possibly make these shocking allegations?
Fast forward seven years-my parents call me at college to say guess who was arrested and why, “You were right.” All I could think about were all those who suffered for those seven years.
I’m sorry @Cannibell but you are typifying victims. Many powerful women were victims of assault. Sometimes, that’s the whole purpose, to take down someone who is powerful and talks “like a man” – I am not powerful, I think, but I am confident and not very feminine in the way I speak in public and I’ll always have the a**hole diminishing me (or trying) when there are men involved. Not to mention having suffered abuse too.
I’m sorry, @Slownow. I didn’t mean to imply that powerful woman aren’t victimized, and that was wrong of me. I was responding to the specific reactions of those particular women, and projected my own biases from my own experiences.
@Cannibell, No need to apologise by all means. And many thanks for aknowledging my little two cents.
If the blind gossip sites have reported on him FOR YEARS and it’s basically COMMON KNOWLEDGE that Weinstein has had a revolving door and conveyor belt to his casting couch/hotel room/shower, if everyone I know in LA in and outside of the industry, including me, knew that he was a predator/abuser/exhibitionist/molester and worse, I’m sorry, but women in power have been complicit. Ashley Judd was on a major career trajectory until he ruined it, as were many others. The old guard were not his cup of tea. He likes them young and beautiful and many were willing to trade their flesh for fame. That’s their prerogative. BUT, why was Georgina Chapman silent? She married him 10 years ago as a power move. That is her prerogative. BUT SHE KNEW. NOW she’s ‘furious and embarrassed’ ? Dump his ass in the dirt and take half of what he’s got, of which you are entitled, and then I MIGHT believe you gave one tiny crap about what your monster husband did all these years while you ignored it for your own benefit.
This Glen Close statement is a class act.
But again, there were 8 lawsuits against him. It was public wasn’t it? People knew at least of them, it wasn’t just rumours. We need to think about this and not just go after these women. I was one of them too! We probably all were at some point. Or at least some of us.
I worked with someone like him who pulled my skirt to see “what colour underware I was wearing” (there is a scene in Mad Men exactly like this). I didn’t care and shrugged it out. I was always very comfortable around men and their ways (I was 27 at the time).
When I looked at the faces of the women in the office that’s when it struck me. No, I wasn’t comfortable with my body. Or yes, I was, but I was shutting my critical sense and trying to play it cool with the boss. I still feel discombobulated writing about this. And profoundly ashamed of my default reaction.
WE’RE IN A SOCIETY THAT DISCULPATES SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ABUSE BY MEN. We were wired to not make trouble and people to not listen. That’s what it is. It’s not Streep’s fault, it’s not Close’s fault, it’s a social thing.
Excellent points, slowsnow.
Women were being blamed for Harvey’s actions for years. People would slut shame any actress who was rumored to have slept with him. People would attack the actress while completely ignoring the culture surround her actions. About how Harvey, a very powerful man made women sleep with him so they could have a career. He would make sure, that she thought he was calling the shots. He would make sure that any role she got, she thought was because of him. And remember Harvey didn’t go after A-listers. He went after up and coming actresses who were on the brink of breaking out. He used his power to coerce women to sleep with him. That’s the conversation that should have been had. Not the slut shaming of the young women he went after. And until that changes. Until the culture changes, this won’t change.
You want to know why some actresses are staying silent? Because they’ve already been slut shamed/ridiculed enough over working with Harvey.
I think Glenn’s experience echoes that of many other high-profile actresses out there. She wasn’t oblivious to the rumors, but had no proof herself.
I hate that so much focus is on blaming women around him, rather than just the fact that he is a disgusting monster.
At least Close acknowledged hearing the rumors…
I’m as far removed from Hollywood as you can get, but if I knew of Harvey, Meryl most certainly did too 😒
Do I blame her in any way? Not even a little bit, she isn’t accountable for another person’s actions. However, when you portray yourself as a supporter of women and state emphatically you had no idea about decades of sexual harassment (without being asked no less), at the very least expect a side eye.
That’s how I’m feeling reading these statements. The people insisting they never heard about the abuse, are getting major side eye. It feels inauthentic, and like a PR move to cover their own a*#, and that sucks. I applaud Glenn Close for at least acknowledging that she had heard the rumors. That feels true and genuine.
Yes, thank you for acknowledging that it is not the women’s fault. We have spent the last couple of years talking about how women in the industry can’t even get equal pay, how female directors are still unicorns, how there are too few women and people of color in the really important and powerful positions behind the scenes…
So, even if all of these actresses heard the rumours what the hell were they going to do about it?! I imagine they could have refused to work with him on principle. Which would have meant basically giving up their careers and then what. It’s not like this would have impacted HIM in any way. It’s the good ol’ boys network that is dropping him like a hot potato now who have the real power in all of this. We just don’t know their names and they are smart enough to not be as overt about it as Harvey was.
Haven’t we all been in these kinds of situations? You hear rumours to stay away from some guys and you do it because you trust the sisterhood and pass the warning along. But that’s really all there is to do sometimes if it’s someone in a powerful enough position.
How can anyone possibly think they didn’t know? I knew! I live in podunk Texas and I have heard the rumors.
While I do not have a problem with people who didn’t run to the media with every rumor, I think saying you didn’t know is disingenuous. They knew, everyone knew, even if they just thought it was rumors.
The Meryl Streep’s of the world hold themselves up as having more value than some, “Random European Actress-Models” so they were silent about the treatment of these women all these years.
This. We are not even in the industry and have heard rumblings for a long time. I have a hard time buying the “I wasn’t aware” line.
But in the end it’s about Him, and it’s no one’s fault but his. More names need to be outed since this conversation is getting so much press. And not just predatory straight men, predatory gay men too. And straight up pedophiles. So many predators are protected by their power in Hollywood. Victim blaming or blaming anyone else but them does nothing to stop it.
Yes!! Think about how normalized this must have been in Hollywood all these years. Hollywood is filled w/sexual predators.
How many of these well known figures have been complicit as to “not rock the boat?”
THANK YOU!!
@klc – I wish I saw your comment before I posted my own because I wrote the same thing. It’s BS that they didn’t know. There is no possible way that those of us who aren’t even in the industry knew about this for years now, yet those who were closely associated with him claim to have no knowledge of his behavior.
Precisely. Everybody knew. The fault, per say, doesn’t lie with the actresses…period. But if they’ve been silent for years and decades, they need to continue doing so. Streep’s words rang pretentious and hollow while the above admissions sound more humble and sincere. The thing is that working with pricks is not a new thing. But what this guy got away with is criminal, and turning a blind eye to blatant sexual abuse is not acceptable but harassment is more of a slippery slope.
I worked at an international oil firm for years in Texas and the crap the traders pulled was ridiculous and junior high school’ish. I never saw anything past verbal exchanges, but we all know how verbally depraved men can be. I needed the job, didn’t quit, but I was surely not silent. In fact it got to the point when any new female employee or client headed back to the ‘fishbowl’ (trading room), I warned them to armor up and shut ’em down post haste. I had to have a set of brass balls working there, and I can totally see how more timid women could be traumatized. It’s these personalities I protected, stood up for and warned the male egos of the consequences if they asserted themselves in any way. This was when I was in my 20s, and I treated grown men like they were plucked straight from a Beavis and Butthead episode. It was ridiculous, but it was before the whole sexual harassment progression in the 90s.
It brings to mind that scene in Friends when Ross finally has to admit to his mom that he is divorced, Carol is pregnant, and she and her girlfriend will be raising the baby. And the mom turned to Monica with a horrified, “You knew about this?”
There is a place for discussing complicity and turning a blind eye. And it’s a nuanced discussion that has to include the men who turned blind eyes. But so often that discussion, that tendency to blame women for not controlling or changing a man’s actions, deflects from the real issue: the man’s actions.
Brava to Glenn Close. She hit every nail perfectly on the head. And well said also to Judi.
I don’t find it at all difficult to believe that these women didn’t have any idea of the dark reality of Weinstein.
It is possible to be blind to abuse in an environment in which perceptions opposite to the truth are actively promoted by those who have more power than you do. What matters is what you do when your eyes are opened. Some people are knowing enablers and protectors – they are the ones who are truly complicit and who run the conspiracy of silence. Put blame where it belongs and don’t burden people who are innocent for this is an injustice also.
I’m of two minds here. HW is 100% responsible for his actions. 100%. No “buts.” This is just my personal experience being added here. I was assaulted by my then-fiancé’s uncle in the weeks before our wedding. I completely shut down. When I could no longer take another pestering question from my fiance’s family, I told them EXACTLY what happened. The response was, “Oh dear, well he’s always been like that.” One even recounted her assault story and said she just avoided being alone with him as much as she could and suggested I do the same. They tsk tsked and tutted and patted my hand. … And I wanted to flay them alive. I didn’t and don’t blame them for his behavior, but I have NEVER forgiven them for failing to warn me, for allowing me to be in the situation. It’s not right to have knowledge of a predator and say NOTHING. From that moment I warned ALL female family, acquaintances, passersby — any female who crossed his path — of what he was. I hovered over young grand daughters and cousins and refused to allow him to be unsupervised with them until the day that bastard died. This is what women do for each other when men and the legal system fail us. If we don’t, it may not be “our fault” but we are falling each other.
Oh, Jayzus. That is terrible. I am so sorry you had to go through that, RZK, and bless you for protecting those who came after you once you did know.
Good for you for helping the other female relatives! It’s so true that sometimes we women are our only sources of protection. I remember in college there was a guy we called Rapist Dave, because we knew 3 girls he’d raped. The school did nothing. All the guys insisted he “wasn’t that bad.” And that’s one of myriad examples in my life. There’s always someone the guys are cool with no matter what women say about them.
My friend did this for me, took me aside and warned me about the friend of a guy I was interested in. Not the guy I liked, but his friend. Just not to be alone with him, there were rumours and I’d be better to find a new guy to crush on.
So I did. I had the choice, thanks to her speaking out.
Have any of the men who worked with Harvey come out with statements, or is it up to the women to take all of the responsibility?
I was pregnant when a male colleague asked me when was the last time I had seen my vagina. Years earlier, I was a young employee working with an esteemed boss who worked his way up to calling me at home, dropping in to the office when I was working on Saturdays etc. Then when you’re not young and thin enough to be desired, you’re being patronized and overruled by men who know less than you. Working while woman is a frustrating and emotionally fraught experience.
I don’t believe them when they say they had no idea.
Those of us in this comment section right now aren’t even in the industry and we’ve heard the rumors all these years… so how could it possibly be that they were sheltered from them?
I think the realest thing they could’ve done is admit that they heard the rumors too but they didn’t believe them. Or acknowledge the fact that Hollywood has had a serious problem for decades now. Who hasn’t heard the old jokes about women and a black leather casting couch? There have always been jokes made that if you want to get anywhere in Hollywood, you have to screw someone like Weinstein to get ahead. I’m not buying the babe in the woods act, sorry. Harvey Weinstein has been rumored to be a horrific pig for YEARS now. They knew.
I’m really careful about whose “feminism” I actually buy into in Hollywood because of things like this. If we’re being honest, this is a case of multiple women ignoring the behavior of a horrible man because it didn’t affect them.
A creepy psychopath like HW appears to be, knows exactly who to zero in on for his next victim. Then he will turn around and be perfectly polite and collegial to other women, usually powerful women (who he is probably afraid of anyway). That is part of his MO to hide his abusive behavior. He then has a chorus of supporters so no one would believe he’s an ugly sexual offender. His type loves to operate in the shadows. They are adept at sneaky, lying and manipulative behaviors to keep the victims in fear, trapped, afraid to say anything and the supporters feeling happy and valued. Keep in mind that this behavior is deeply entrenched and is about power, control and feeding his damaged ego, making himself feel better by seeing someone else suffer. What he should do is get himself into a comprehensive inpatient treatment program, and it will take years to modify that behavior and dig deep to figure out where it is coming from. My guess is he will go hide somewhere, deny any accusations, claim that he is the one being unjustly treated. I’ve seen this all before. I’ve been the victim of it myself. It was an ugly time and left a group of people feeling like we had PTSD for a long time after that. The best thing that can be done in these abusive situations is to shine a very bright light on the perp. Like a roach he will scurry to hide in the woodwork but keep that light on and focused.
That’s what people are asking, why has it taken so long for the bright light to expose HW and his behavior. It was an open secret in Hollywood. Looks like far too many put their careers ahead of exposing a pervert who preyed on woman who lacked the power to expose him. If you knew, and you had enough clout that people would believe you, and yet said nothing, then your apologies are meaningless.
People can and will justify the most gross behaviour and injustice, just to better themselves or keep what they’ve got.
look at the WH. And there was that fucker Lindsey, out golfing with trump and saying what a great host he, trump, is. I could have screamed in anger and frustration. yet they justify it and ignore it, willfully, against their own interests. Just like anyone who didn’t warn or speak out about harvey’s abusive nature. It’s staggering.
I feel like Glen gave the most honest answer. And bravo to her saying the most powerful should give a platform for the less powerful.
Everyone – from directors, producers, HR, shareholders, press, media, actors – are complicit. Weinstein was able to do this because he could – he had the power, the patronage, the protection of the industry, the editors, the journalists. Heck, even his brother is complicit. TWC should dissolve and disappear – they are to blame, too.
Thank you, Kaiser, for your unbiased take on this horrible situation.
Boys/men are also expected to participate in the “casting couch”. I’ve not heard that Weinstein abused males, but hopefully this whole thing, along with exposes by the Coreys and others brings abuse in general, against all genders, races and ages, into the light and then the courtroom.
I cam back and read Glenn’s statement again, I am still moved by it, because there is real emotion in the words she said.
I think the worst part of all of this is what Glenn refers to as the “conspiracy of silence.” She’s so right. It wasn’t until I started reading all of these accounts that I realized how many times I have been in situations where a man has made unwanted advances or outright touched me in the workplace or in a social setting and people make excuses for the man’s behavior or worse – say absolutely nothing. As it was happening, I wasn’t sure of anything except I didn’t want to be handled in that manner. If it was someone I knew, I laughed and pushed their hands away. If it wasn’t, I maneuvered out of reach. Never once did I shout or punch the guy, although of course in retrospect I wish I had. I think Cara Delevingne’s account sums it up perfectly: she wasn’t sure what to do so she stood up and sang.
I give so much credit to Terry Crews and other men that have come forward to say they understand because they have experienced it. And it doesn’t matter so much about physicality – about how big or strong someone is and how they should have fought off the advance. It isn’t about that. It’s about the powerlessness you feel when suddenly there is no boundary around your body. Anyone, anytime, in any situation – including one where you are surrounded by people that should love and look out for you – can put their hands on you in ways you don’t invite or want. It’s a feeling of having zero control over events. It’s so hard to explain and describe.
We have to do better. We can’t be silent anymore. We can’t be complicit in the behavior. And we have to hold our friends and our family members accountable when they say they don’t understand, what’s the big deal, etc.