Andre Balazs is best known, to me, as a hotelier and boyfriend to various celebrity women over the years. Balazs memorably dated Uma Thurman for a while, and he dated Chelsea Handler for a time as well. It was during the Handler relationship that some rumors began circulating about his shady extracurriculars and maybe his issues in general. I never heard anything concrete beyond the fact that Chelsea Handler never had his best interests at heart, and that relationship made him “spiral” out of control a little bit. As it turns out, there was a completely different set of rumors that we should have been paying attention to. Andre Balazs is a sexual predator who, much like the president of the United States, liked to “grab ‘em by the p-ssy.”
André Balazs, the owner of several luxury hotels including the Standard and Chateau Marmont, has been accused of groping multiple women in a new report by the New York Times, including Jason Bateman’s actress wife Amanda Anka, former employees, and a female media executive.
The story is anchored on the 2014 experience of Anka, whose husband is Jason Bateman, after the Horrible Bosses 2 premiere in London. The coupled attended a dinner party at Balazs‘s Chiltern Firehouse along with the film’s co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day. Balazs offered to give them a tour that involved climbing up a ladder. While Anka was climbing, she alleges he put his hand up her dress and grabbed her crotch. Anka told the group afterward, and Bateman confronted the hotelier, even “spitting gum in Mr. Balazs’s face,” according to the Times.
Through their publicist, Bateman and Anka told the Times in a statement, “On behalf of Jason Bateman and Amanda Anka, we can confirm that the account of André Balazs’s outrageous and vile behavior on that night in London is factual. His actions were dealt with at the time.”
One of Balazs’s former employees, a woman named Sarah who worked at the Chateau Marmont, told the Times that in 1991, the pair allegedly visited a mud-wrestling club, where he forcibly pinned her against a wall, covered her mouth, and pushed his fingers in her vagina. Additionally, a 26-year old media executive – the daughter of a prominent New York couple – told the Times that Balasz allegedly grabbed her crotch during a party without her consent. “I was humiliated,” she said.
[From The Cut and Vanity Fair]
Fingers crossed that Jason Bateman is one of the good ones. Seriously, I’ve never heard a whiff of scandal about him, and I love that his reaction was to immediately get in Balazs’ face and spit (gum) on him. These stories about Balazs are vile. As many of you pointed out, it’s important to remember that sexual predators don’t always *look* like vile creatures too. Sexual predators sometimes look like boyfriends, or coworkers, or priests or politicians, or dashing hoteliers who could probably date any woman they wanted if only they had a better personality and, you know, didn’t get off on assaulting and demeaning women.
The man who built a hospitality empire with the Standard, the Mercer and Chateau Marmont has been accused of groping https://t.co/6bUtAimEOU
— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 9, 2017
Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN.
I hope so too, I enjoy Jason immensely!
There are lots of rumours Jason being Jennifer’s side piece and has been for years.
I personally don’t believe them but the rumours do exist.
Not that Jennifer but it isn’t true. Just a harmless crush that was never returned. He isn’t the scandalous type as far as rumors. Not even whispers.
Uh, don’t think there are “a lot of rumors”, especially since his wife is apparently one of Aniston’s best friends.
Never heard those rumors, either. Just praying that Jason Bateman isn’t a serial rapist, groper and/or sexual harasser. I love him and Arrested Development.
@tracking
Is she really though?
I remember a promo they were both (Aniston, Bateman) doing together for one of their rom coms, where he was talking and telling her about his wife, his wedding how he proposed, his kids and it was clear Aniston was not at the wedding, didn’t know squat about his kids, or even really knew his wife that well, it was all new information to her.
I think she even asked how old his kid was or some other question that a ‘bestie’ would have surely known.
I guess she could have become close in the last 3-5 years or so. But when they were doing that movie Aniston didn’t even know his wife that well or anything about Bateman’s personal family life.
Casey, you’re sure reading a lot into one interview. Jason Bateman is one of Aniston’s oldest friends. Aniston is regularly photographed out and about with his wife; they went on the honeymoon “friends” trip; their kids have been photo’d at Aniston’s house (with Theroux giving them magic marker ‘tattoos’). Men and women are allowed to be just friends, right?
Another piece of trash out in the open! I hope there won’t ever be any bad rumors about Jason Bateman.. I like him a lot. And also, to be doing that to a woman whose husband WAS EVEN RIGHT THERE.. shameless.
Shameless no matter what, it’s not a property war. But it could have been part of the thrill through the eyes of a predator.
This is all so gross and infuriating.
It reminds me a little of the Kevin Spacey / Dreyfuss story – right in front of his dad. Actually it reminds me of a lot of the the people we are now reading about every single day. Louis CK – again – I’d heard and read about it. So many disgusting, entitled men who get off on intimidating and violating people.
It must have been part of it. Usually predators try to corner and isolate.
Ugh. He’s lucky her husband only spit gum in his face. The Batemans could have had him arrested, sued, ruined him, or at least called for a boycott of all of his properties forcing him out or down or at least to step aside. He also could have beat hm to a pulp.
I’m sure he’s another character who has reams of. abuses we’ll be hearing about. I knew he wasn’t right when I read he was ‘dating,’ Handler. I recall a weird show of hers where she had Aniston on, and Handler was saying Andre this and Andre that, and Aniston claimed to not know who she was talking about. Until Handler forced the issue and started naming his hotels and what he did and then yelled my boyfriend. I thought that was really odd since he is a well known hotelier that her friend was with. It was bizarre.
Yes, that was what struck me too, (the public nature of it) and to Bateman’s wife as well! Bateman strikes me as a nice guy, but definitely not a push-over. It must be part of the thrill these guys get — assaulting women in public, I guess the danger aspect of it just adds to the thrill. Sick.
It must be part of the pathology, no? Starting small, furtively, getting away with the behavior and then pushing the envelope more and more, seeking greater and greater thrills.
Jason comes across as a mellow guy and I bet an alpha like AB gropped his wife just to prove he is The Man. I can have even your wife.
Yuck!
How did he not beat him up? Quite disappointed.
Not everyone’s first instinct is violence, thank goodness.
I’ll second this. Men don’t have to be violent to prove a point. I’m glad Bateman didn’t hit him, even though I’m sure it was tempting.
Yes, I’m glad he didn’t. I bet he kicked his ass with his words. The gum spit was perfect.
Not promoting violence, but in this case, I’d slap his face as if i were Bette Davis. I wouldn’t wait for my husband. That was some seriously brazen and particularly intrusive sexual violation.
Also, a spit is more powerful than a punch in my opinion. It’s the level of gross he deserved.
I loooove Jason Bateman. As for Balazs, I’ve always gotten creepy vibes from him. He was often described as a playboy , which for me is code for douche.
I hate that expression ‘playboy’ too. These men might just as well be described as toxic egomaniacs who treat women like shit and think it’s both big and clever. That some sections of society still admires men like this says a lot about the culture and how much it needs to change in attitudes towards women.
Frisbee your comment should be on a billboard. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
didn’t Balazs just lose an ugly custody battle with Uma Thurman?
edit: Oops, my bad, that was Arpad Busson
I might be wrong, but I believe I heard Courtney Love complaining about what a cold, demeaning jerk he was on Howard stern years ago. I forgot how it was established that it was this guy, but it was definitely alluded to if I recall correctly. Very sleazy guy.
As an aside, it’s mind bending to me that these predators cannot fathom that women will not respond well to being grabbed like that. It tells me they’re either used to employees in a vulnerable position putting up with it, that they have the impulse control of a toddler (or, Trump) and they truly don’t care about how this would affect another human being. It’s such a narcissistic, almost sociopathic attitude. I love that people (men and women) are coming out with their stories and finally feel more or less safe to do so. It’s inspiring and I BELIEVE YOU.
So far all the creeps outed in this glorious period have had a longtime vibe and rumors around them of being awful people. In not ONE of the cases that came to light so far did I said to myself “Oh’ what a surprise, I hadn’t see this one coming….” not ONE. Maybe, just maybe, Jeffrey Tambor kind of surprises me. The rest all of them are well known creeps or at least always got me the vibe. This is a testament to gossip and how most of the times when there’s smoke….
Ok ok ok…maybe let’s hope Jason Batemen is not a skeezy sexual predator, but not a whiff of scandal? He’s a recovering drug addict who admits to some bad stuff in his past. He’s amazing and I love him. Should I hear more crap on him from sources not his own, I’ll have to “disown” him 🙂 but he’s not free from scandal.
Kind of small potatoes these days. Remember the good ole days when a scandal was a drug habit? Or consenting adults sneaking around behind their partner’s back?
These new scandals are epic, but there is more to come. I don’t doubt it.
The point is that any “bad” stuff he might have done in the past, he did to himself, rather than other people.
Hmm, I wonder if this is what led to the Jen and Chelsea cooling off? Jen was there that night after all and sides were probably taken.
I think Handler and Balazs were done the year before. The rumor about the cooling off, which seems to be more recent, was that JA came to realize she couldn’t trust Handler to keep her mouth shut about her private business. Her circle of friends is tight and discreet. Which I can believe about Handler, but duh, JA.
@tracking
Are you in the business? How would you know what Handler may have said or not said, if she didn’t do it publicly? That’s strange.
Did Handler give an interview talking about Aniston’s business? The times she’s been asked I recall her always getting defiant with reporters saying stuff like, ‘Why are you asking me when her secret wedding is, I wouldn’t tell you even if I knew.’ lol
So just curious how you would know other things she may have said in private.
I don’t know why they don’t ‘seem,’ as tight, but to me, the obvious reason is that Handler’s relationship with CAA and Huvane has ended, which would of course mean the fake friendship with Jen is over too. It wasn’t hard to see that alleged ‘friendship,’ was manufactured by the agency just like Handler’s friendship with Goopyth. It had a purpose: 1) take Aniston off Handler’s hit list (and she’d go hard on her if you’ll recall) 2) make Handler double down on vicious Angelina attacks which indirectly shorted up her new bestie Jen.
This was an MO of Huvane, he did the same thing with Perez (who called Aniston, Maniston, all the time) got him to lay off Aniston via dealmaking.
Casey, you’re exhausting. Just google it, okay?
“As many of you pointed out, it’s important to remember that sexual predators don’t always *look* like vile creatures too. ”
Thats true but all of the famous guys mentioned in the last weeks totally do. Weinstein specifically looks like a caricature of a predator. If I saw a guy like that in a movie being a predator I would roll my eyes.
I’m slow-clapping for Bateman. Other than that, I’m out of things to say. Keep ’em coming, let’s work our way to the very top. That would be nice.
Now I feel even worse for Uma Thurman. 🙁
Yes… 🙁 Do you think this is what made her so mad at that interview (because she knew that Balazs had done something and it was literally close to home for her), or was it about Weinstein / someone else? Sorry if that’s a dumb question, I just can’t see things clearly anymore.
He had an exclusive hot spot in the 90s called Cafe Tabac in NYC before my time, but a few older sibs have been there. Apparently, he has been a pervert slime for a long time and a modelizer. There is a term “It snows when X is around” “It snowed all weekend at Xs place.” I heard it as a teenager but had no idea what it meant.
They say that about him and have for a long time. Snow=Coke
Honest to heaven I thought it meant they went skiing or the person had a chilly demeanor. It took a little time to get hip to the party slang because I am not into drugs and I was never the first person someone called to get blitzed out and spend all night “powdering” my nose. Even in my young nightlife days, it wasn’t my thing.
I am sure many of these guys were using coke, and it gave them that extra bit of IDGAF. Without it, they are still predators, but I bet that heightened the thrill for them.
I think they all have ‘Masters of the Universe’ syndrome that affected all the bankers that totally destroyed the economy in 2008. They see themselves as all powerful and above the law and normal social behaviour required of us ‘little people’, throw in the power to make or break a career (Weinstein) plus the idea ‘artists’ are edgy and subversive (Spacey, Terry Richardson et al) and the result is a toxic mix that was bound to lead to horrific abuses of power. I hope they all go to jail and meet people just like them…
I know this is completely beside the point, but how adorable is the Anka/Bateman family? Their daughters are so precious and they seem really happy. I hope the bit about him rushing to his wife’s defense is true.
I want to throw it out there that Amanda is Paul Anika’s daughter. Yes Jason is related to a Paul Anka!
For everyone worried about Jason… I’ve been lucky enough to meet him several times over a decade do to his political activity. He is the real deal! Absolutely one of the kindest, most respectful, grounded famous folks I’ve encountered. Amanda is a goddess too, so compassionate and kind. I would be utterly shocked if Jason was ever accused of sexual impropriety.
This is nice to read. Jason has been in the business since he was a kid. I’m glad he was able to get through what’s been so difficult for others relatively unscathed. They look like a lovely family.
Mouth agape, I thought the grab them by the pu $$# statement was more figurative not literal.
My mind just got a jolt of reality that this really is a “thing”. Like in playbook for demented assulters.
Another eye opening accusation.
Oh yes, I believe them and there will be more.
Sick sick sick!!!
I know. I literally felt like I was going to throw up when I read this. I’m sickened for all these women but happy that this vile behavior is being exposed. I feel like I need to crawl back into bed, though, seriously. I hate the world right now.
A reporter friend told me that she spoke to a women in NYC that Trump assaulted. She was a hostess or waitress and trump walked up to her, put his hand up her skirt and grabbed her. The victim got too scared about going public and never would come forward. Disgusting.
I wonder if this is how Lindsey Lohan stayed at the CM for so long a year or so ago.
The fact that he did this while her husband was on the premises tells you that these predators will attack at any time.
Yes, because it’s about power, and enjoying demeaning women and fellow men (in this case, Bateman).
Just… fuck this. I feel like I’m losing my sanity a bit. Hopefully we’ll be in a totally different, more positive place a year from now.
I have spent time with the Bateman/Anka family and can confirm that they are absolutely wonderful. And yes, Amanda and Jennifer Aniston are great friends. I hate that Amanda had to deal with this (I have too) but she is strong as hell and I’m so glad that Jason got in that creep’s face. He loves his family fiercely. They both do.
Love Jason Bateman! This pervert was also married to Katie Ford, CEO of ford models. They are divorced but I bet there are stories.
Pushing his fingers in her vagina? That’s not groping, that’s assault.