In December, Matt Damon saw that a bunch of women were trying to talk about sexual harassment and abuse and he thought “how silly, I need to go over there and talk over them so I can explain what’s really happening!” Which is how December became the month of Matt Damon Is Over. He gave several interviews where he was offensively tone-deaf and actively obtuse about the #MeToo conversations and the outing of serial predators like Louis CK, Harvey Weinstein and more. Matt cast himself as one of the few people who truly had the depth, intelligence and mental fortitude to single-handedly adjudicate sexual harassment and abuse situations and determine which abusers would be “allowed” back into the Hollywood fold. It wasn’t like his comments had to be coaxed out of him either, and they weren’t some dirty little secret – he repeatedly went on the record. He went running into this conversation with the kind of audacious entitlement that comes standard issue whenever you’re born with a white penis.
After those terrible interviews, Matt’s dad passed away after a long illness. I took a break from covering Damon for a few weeks – even though I was sure Matt still deserved to be publicly bashed for his comments, I also thought he deserved to spend some quiet time with his family. Well, Matt is back. He did a Today Show interview on Tuesday and he was asked about all of those comments last month. Guess what? He actually apologized. I guess he finally returned those phone calls from the studio publicist. He told Today:
“I really wish I’d listened a lot more before I weighed in on this… I don’t want to further anybody’s pain with anything that I do or say. So for that I am really sorry. You know, Time’s Up, a lot of those women are my dear friends and I love them and respect them and support what they’re doing and want to be a part of that change and want to go along for the ride, but I should get in the back seat and close my mouth for a while.”
Matt Damon: forgiven? I haven’t forgiven him, mostly because those interviews crystallized something about him which had been in the air for several years: Matt Damon isn’t a good guy. He’s not a bad guy, really, but the compounded errors, the tone deaf instincts on race, harassment, women’s rights and more – he’s just not the same boyishly handsome Mr. All-American dude that everybody thought he was. He’s just another entitled douche.
Here’s the interview. You know who offended me here? Kathy Lee Gifford. Skip ahead to the 4:20 mark to see Matt’s apology.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Conspiracy theorist – did his movie flop? Ie is something affecting his money that he had to issue an apology?
Bingo. Downsizing tanked at the Box Office.
All his movies this year flopped. Suburbicon also did very poorly at the box office.
Clearly his publicist had a come to Jesus moment with him and now he’s changing his tune.
Oh Gee, I WONDER why it flopped… (evil laugh).
Good, maybe directors will stop hiring him; there are talented acotrs outhere, who can take his place.
I’m going to see Downsizing later today. I never canceled him, but I did put him on ice. I’m not seeing the movie because of this apology, I’d have seen it regardless. I’m glad to see he has (seemingly) come to his senses, and is now keeping his mouth shut.
Sorry to disappoint anyone who wants to have a “Damon’s done” party but that would be naive. The movies flopped because they were AWFUL and got awful reviews. Suburbacon did some damage though in that I do not think you will see George Clooney direct a major movie for a long time. Juliane Moore and Oscar Isaac got lucky in that their other movies this fall were franchises. Damon did not get lucky.
My point is though no one is blaming the flops on Damon, he’s more likely just countering the poor press coverage he got….and it was really poor. Some twitter negativity no one cares, but this went mainstream.
Downsizing looked like a crappie movie,not surprised it tanked.@Kaiser I am grateful that you chose to run this story.I watched him and KLG((whom I’ve a soft spot for 🤷♀️)She tends to over accommodate these men though and let them off easy.I respect kaiser for leaving him alone as he dealt with the loss of his dad.Matt in this interview did his sheepish best to say like -Okay I’m sorry and I misspoke.Dont hate or love Matt at this point,but too much good old boy white thinking from 1965(or earlier)going on here.Thank God I’ve not been raped,but have been touched inappropriately at work and had men say inappropriate things to me because,I should be happy to have their attentions-NOT!He still doesn’t get that unwanted attention is really bad too ,especially when nobody does anything to help.
Idiot – he doesn’t want his fat bank account to be compromised. That’s the only reason he’s speaking up now.
Maybe. The movies he’s been in lately seem boring. I know that I probably wouldn’t have paid to see his latest films regardless of his stupid mouth.
“He went running into this conversation with the kind of audacious entitlement that comes standard issue whenever you’re born with a white penis.”
All the stars.
I mean Matt is still cancelled for me. Just too many Damonsplaining comments for me to ever want to get on board with him again.
I’m glad he apologized. He should’ve known better but he’s entitled and his inner circle is comprised of predators.
Now if he can apologize for that Oscar campaign for Casey I would be truly shocked.
Right. He should have known better. He could have asked his wife. I bet that as an air hostess and a bartender she has seen it all, as well.
He doesn’t care. His apology worths nothing cos he lied and tried to shut down people who wanted to speak up.
He has a long way to go. I can’t bother myself with him because he just kept going and this is just one of many things he has done that changed my view. So good about this but he needs to look deeper inside himself.
Yes, agreed. And I actually think he is a good guy. I just do.
This!
He’s mafe his feeling known. He’s defended and protected a predator for years as it benefited him. And during this movement I believe he was reached out to by his friends and coworkers. Told to stop. And he didn’t.
My guess is a team meeting happened with some white dudes at a table telling him he needs to stfu and protect his image.
He played all the cards. He lost. Now he’s saying this? No. But since he’s saying this…. back it up with actions.
I’m sure his back to back movie flops may have something to do with his sudden “humility”
STOP. TALKING. NOW.
About the Water.org charity as well, though? He is an ambassador for that charity, using his platform to raise awareness (and money) for a dire problem. That’s what he went on tv to talk about. Of course they’re going to ask him about his controversial statements regarding the #MeToo movement, but it doesn’t change the fact that he is still showing up for his chosen charity.
In this regard, I say, talk away, Matt.
Matt is the one who put his own ability to raise money for his chosen charity at risk. Don’t put the responsibility of that on anyone other than Matt Damon. Men need to start taking responsibility for what they say and do.
He’s still friends with the Afflecks, so all this means is that he’s listening to his PR person.
You’ve shown me who you are more than once, Damon. I believe it.
And I really wish he would stop talking
. I realize that he is continually being asked these questions as media knows he gonna say something to get them hits and clicks but he and team needs to come up with some standard response
i.e it’s a time for me and other men to be quiet , listen learn and change our behaviors or something
Stop talking Matt !
Is that not what he’s just said…?
That is what I heard him say. I don’t understand how/why it is so hard for many to accept that perhaps he did actually learn from his mistakes., and have a change of heart. Maybe I give people too much credit, but, if nothing else, I’m sure the death of his father put him in a very emotionally vulnerable position, which is a fertile soil for legitimate growth.
People probably feel he should have known better earlier on because of the image he has promoted about himself. Maybe he really has changed, but the fact that he had to learn from his mistakes indicates that his earlier image was kind of fake.
Nope! Still cancelled! Buy I’m glad he finally listened to his PR and apologized.
We’ll wait and see how he behaves later on because if he actually helps the cause and is not just apologizing because he has to, then I might reconsider.
He has to earn back the trust with deeds, not just words.
I want to see he really learned something.
I don’t want to nitpick but something I’ve noticed amongst men still is that they pledge their support to a feminist cause and follow it up with something about how it affects their sisters, wives, female friends. That’s great, yes, but shouldn’t it be important to you regardless of what woman it impacts? It again feeds the narrative that men care about things only when it affects something that is associated to them and oftentimes men associate women as their possession on a subconscious level. It’s like oh I guess rape sucks but oh no now it’s terrible because it happed to MY girlfriend and she’s humanized to represent a person for being my gf because I know her and she’s not just a woman I still somewhat see as an object of society. Idk also,damon is saving face so I can’t help but just not take this whole thing to be a façade. Tired of white dudes sitting there trying so hard to make their voices heard regarding topics not only they have very little true knowledge of, but, also become devils advocate for causes that have had enough of that throughout idk all of time.. End rant
I dunno, in fairness it’s hard for a man to understand exactly what it is women go through. We can theorize alright, but it’s only when you get into a long term relationship that we begin to see things through a woman’s eyes.
Case in point – my wife explained to me why she would never touch a drink that was out of her sight for more than a second, because some men are devious predators and they spike ladies drinks. It’s not something I ever thought of before I was married. Also now, I would never ever walk behind a lone woman on a path once it gets dark. Now, I cross the street so as to avoid that situation, but before I was married I never thought about that.
So, when a man says he has a wife/ daughter etc. he’s only trying to say that he now starts thinking about things from a woman’s perspective. Also, to be honest, sometimes women educate us, because, let’s face it, we need educating sometimes.
Above only relates to subtleties – no man should need an education when it comes to consent or groping etc.
“Also now, I would never ever walk behind a lone woman on a path once it gets dark. Now, I cross the street so as to avoid that situation.”
Thank you.
Or should I thank your wife? 😉
But seriously, I do appreciate your comment. I’m at the stage where I don’t care how men get it, I’m just happy if they get it at all. I agree with OP’s general sentiment, but I think you make a good point about how as women, we have to educate and be open about our experiences in order to help men learn. Sure, it would be great if men just intrinsically understood the female experience, but I think it’s an unrealistic expectation at best and an unfair expectation at worst.
I hear you about how men may start thinking about the female perspective more once they are married and/or have daughters. But I do think it’s human nature to become more “woke” about something like sexual abuse (or gun violence or drunk driving) if it affects you directly. The thing that bugs me is that these men who want to protect the women in their lives should also be just as concerned with how they are raising sons and not perpetuating a misogynist mindset.
You said it yourself, that’s about subtleties. People should still care about the plight of each other even if it does not involve them. It’s not so hard to understand why sexual harassment is terrible and how it affects (mostly) women without a personal female friend/family member explaining it. Taking time to read 2 articles would easily explain so many issues and creates empathy. So if a man is totally tone deaf and ignorant on these topics in this day and age, it’s on him. It shouldn’t be acceptable that “men simply don’t get it” because it doesn’t affect them.
Thank you for perspective.
Your wife sounds like a smart lady! And as someone said above, I don’t think it matters where the education came from, but that the information was heard and taken to heart.
Honestly though, how could a man ever understand how women are treated. The human eye is 50% camera and 50% projector.
I’m 43. I’m 6ft tall. I live in a capital city and I frequently walk home after midnight on my own with headphones in. I have never, ever worried about my personal safety. I have never worried if a cab driver is a rapist. We don’t worry when it gets dark. We look forward to having the house to ourselves. And I’ll never double lock a door when I’m home alone unless I’m going to bed. My wife thinks very differently about all of the above. Life is very different for us, but only in lots of small ways.
You guys get it because you live it. Men don’t. I mean some stuff is obvious, but much is not. At least, not obvious to men.
She me a woke man and I’ll show you a married man. Or one with like 7 sisters close in age, or something like that.
And yeah, my wife is smart. She’s epic.
I’ve attended workplace trainings, and recommend them to clients, in which men and women are asked questions about what they do in situations and why. One of the questions is: “You’ve just left the mall, which is closing, and your car is parked in the last row by itself. What do you do when you reach the car?” Men generally respond that they just get in the car and go. Women usually respond with something on the variation of looking in the back seat before they even open the door. Men in the trainings are usually surprised to hear this. We do approach life differently because of our experiences and they don’t realize this and we don’t realize what they don’t know.
Starlord( hehe, btw) you’re correct. I appreciate the male perspective on it and I’m always open to see all sides of things.
I’m not quick to cancel people so to speak. We’re human. We speak Our Truth and then we either learn from it or not.
Just wanted to say that I am a woman who always looks forward to having the house to myself, I don’t know any of my female friends who DON’T.
Men are around women their entire lives. If they were taught to be aware of women’s lives, needs, emotions, mental states, etc, then none of these ‘subtleties’ would be a surprise to them. It’s like men avoid talking to women about their lives at all, until they marry or produce one. Not directed at you, but directed at the culture of pretending women are invisible and that we don’t have rich, complicated lives. For example, maybe if television and film showed REALISTIC depictions of women, these subtleties would be no surprise, because they would’ve been writ large on the big screen for all to consume.
There’s a difference between viewing something abstractly and experiencing it concretely. Men can try harder, learn more, develop a deeper understanding and do better. If it takes the love of a wife or daughter to help along the way I understand. It took getting burglarized myself to truly understand the scope of violation and ongoing fear that occurred long after insurance paid for the material loss. It hit close to home and became much more real.
There are other ways to obtain empathy, if a person is truly interested. Men could open a damn book or three. But that would be asking them to spend their time thinking about women who don’t belong to them.
I see what you mean. But at this point, like others said, I’m not that bothered by the fact that friends or other women men personally care about may be the start of them getting it- they just need to make sure they apply it to other women as well. The problem is when they use those women as shields to ‘splain away why something isn’t ‘that bad’.
I guess at least he finally exhibited some common sense in listening to his PR person, but other than that, I sincerely doubt much has changed.
Damon has something personal to hide. He is playing all sides.
I wonder??
it can be painful to watch the unenlightened slowwwwly waking up. And I get that some want to ‘cancel’ Matt forever. But what purpose would that serve? He actually does seem to want to learn. He’s apologized. He’s had no accusations, and the women who interact with him (like Jess Chastain) say he’s respectful
Is there no room among the woke for the still waking?
+1000!!!
“Canceling” everyone is counterproductive. And didn’t his father just pass? Maybe this hasn’t been his best few months.
Exactly. If we cancel EVERYONE, we cancel no one. Picking our battles is important.
Good question, Annabelle. Just because we (meaning women) have been woke forever, it doesn’t mean others can’t get there more slowly. Maybe we shouldn’t throw down roadblocks just because it’s taking them longer.
P.S. I’m not a Matt apologist. I’m speaking more generally.
Agreed. It’s less about Matt, and more about the Privileged Clueless Male who we all deal with. The ones who are trying to evolve and do better deserve some space to grow.
I find it interesting how some are canceled immediately while others are given a pass. I do think he needs to stop talking for a while but he did say that is exactly what he plans to do outside of the water project
Yes. Women came out full-force to defend Aziz, for instance.
I completely understand why Damon has been problematic and I don’t think we should ask anyone to un-cancel him if they aren’t feeling it. But I’m willing to entertain the idea that maybe he genuinely understands how awful his comments were and genuinely regrets them. Doesn’t mean I’ll forget the asinine sh*t he said but perhaps he has learned something???
They defend Aziz. They defend the guys they know or the guys they like despite what they say or do. I see some who have said and done far worse than the asinine comments of Damon, be applauded when they should be condemned. He has made asinine comments and gotten well-deserved flack for it but others deserve so much more and people are still rushing to buy the latest music or see the latest film or watch the latest show. Puzzling.
Yes, the ‘cancelled forever’ punishment is being pretty subjectively applied. Many want Sen. Franken to run for Senate again, but never want Matt Damon to make another film. It is a bit puzzling.
The way that anonymous woman is being treated by the press- just for discussing what happened, without even calling Aziz a rapist- is shameful.
It would serve the purpose of never having to see his entitled face again, thank you.
Except he doesn’t? He backed an Oscar campaign of a predator. He’s Damonsplained over and over. He doesn’t want to learn he wants people to stop calling him out.
I don’t always want to cancel everyone but sometimes it’s infuriating that we have to fight to have people see our plights and empathize with them. That’s how low the bar is. And I for one am exhausted by having to explain racism/sexism to people as if that sh*t hasn’t existed forever.
I agree with much of what you said. I just still feel that we must pick our battles wisely, and fighting someone who is trying to evolve feels like the wrong approach to me.
I agree. There are going to be a lot of growing pains but people are evolving and they should be allowed and encouraged to do that.
Go ahead and bash, but I am one of those people who don’t think you need to cancel entertainers and not watch their films or products because of what they say or even do outside of the work. Yes this means I would watch a Woody Allen film, if it interested me, and especially a Matt Damon film since so far he only says stupid things, and not even been accused. It’s just entertainment, and I guess I don’t see these people’s characters as them. I’m just more into the willing suspension of disbelief than some. Yes I realize they will then have jobs and get paid, but I do believe in due process too. Even though I feel for the women who didn’t feel like they had an avenue to go after these men, and I really believe we need to change the system so all victims have a reliable way to go after these people. Still this doesn’t change the fact that these men who are being publicly shamed now never got due process either. Sorry this just has a bit too much of the Scarlet Letter factor to me, and I wish it could be a more appropriate way with some effective punishment. My second thing is this is just entertainment, and honestly that is a pretty superficial occupation in the scheme of things. Now if this was a political leader I would have a bigger problem as the field is more important. I honestly think we have this a bit messed up. We seem as a public to be more concerned with the comic, director, etc, but yet the President of the US was elected with people actually hearing his ideas on tape. Kind of a sick society.
Fair enough. My take on it has always been that people consume stuff in different ways, and each to their own.
I got to the point where I couldn’t watch Woody Allen films anymore – and I had been a fan – I just stopped being able to separate the Work from the rumours. Eventually, that grew, and I just decided to quit watching Work by people who had done awful things. Why I still love and enjoy horror, but Annie Hall upsets me, I cannot tell you.
My bestie (we’re both big film fans) is very different. She has never had a problem separating the art from the artist, she’s always had that suspension of disbelief that you describe. She’s not a bad person – she’s a great person! – who is different to me. Occasionally she’ll suggest watching something by WA or Weinstein and I’ll just say no. We watch something else. It’s that easy.
Some truth there.. If we can only view art from perfect people, then we are all in trouble. People can be very complex and contradictory, that’s often what makes us interesting.
@Noway, I actually somewhat agree with you or at least understand you. I got quite disappointed with Depp and has no intention to support his new movies for example. But I still appreciate some of his old movies, where he still was able to act, so I can rewatch Sleepy Hollow and enjoy it for example.
“… I am one of those people who don’t think you need to cancel entertainers and not watch their films or products because of what they say or even do outside of the work.”
I can see where you’re coming from. Sometimes being repulsed by someone’s actions is enough to make you not want anything to do with their work again, and then other times it’s not- it feels like there’s enough distance between what the person did and the thing you’re watching/reading/listening to/buying, etc, even though you are genuinely upset about what was done. It’s so odd.
I do think that if people are going to be adamant about an actress, singer, etc. they already didn’t like anyway needing to be forever canceled by all over the actions of a co-worker/ employee, they need to be sure that they always practice the same due diligence about all their own career decisions and purchasing/entertainment decisions as well.
Urgh, I’ll do my best to not make this sound harsh, but the “artist is separate from their art” argument infuriates me. Mainly because there seems to be no other profession that enjoys the same immunity. The tortured genius cliche has been used to explain and excuse (or even condone) garbage behavior for far too long. Talent does not exempt someone from basic human decency, at least I don’t think it should. Yes, we are all flawed, and none of us are saints, but good God where is the line? It’s an extreme example, but if Hitler had possessed more artistic ability, would the great museums of the world be more than happy to have his work in their collections and would we pay money to go see them?
Due process is always the goal, but hasn’t the last year taught us that the entire process is so broken that due process for most victims was unattainable? Until that fundamental fact has changed for the better, are we just supposed to look the other way because we enjoy binge-watching House of Cards? There has to be accountability AND consequences.
I usually don’t like canceling but he just annoys me so I don’t use the words cancel but I won’t go out of my way to support him and will mostly avoid him.
I mean that’s cool. Nobody has to support anyone’s art, it’s extremely subjective.
Awww. I see Matty finaly returned the call to his publicist after about a gazillion missed calls.
As far as I’m concered, he can apologize 1000 times, but it still won’t change my opinion of him, that he is an awufl, privileged, totally insensitive and pretentious douchebag. He is CANCELLED for life.
I won’t forget how Matt Damon treated a black female director on that film TV reality show. So condescending and rude.
Cancel Matt Damon, Save Jason Bourne.
Is he ever going to shut up?
If he was smart he’d just go mute for a year or two.
I totally agree with Kaiser, I don’t forgive him. It wasn’t a silly mistake or a slip. He showed his true colors by saying what had happened to Louis CK was too much, making up an imaginary “false” accusation to derail the convo (ro defend Casey?), basically saying he wouldn’t believe accusations about people he “knew” and detracting from the movement by asking credit to be given to “good men”. He may not be a bad person, but I won’t be able to get over how terrible his views are.
I agree with everything you wrote. He exposed his true thoughts, and now he’s trying to do damage control. His thoughts and core beliefs remain the same [awful].
Amen to that.
Another average looking, average talent white guy with a big mouth.
+1 Who knows if he means it, but the bad PR will likely keep him quiet for a while.
I wonder how insincere he is too.
Depends on what he does next. If I see his name next time I check timesup gofundme *cough*which I’ll be checking until I see all the recent donation promises fulfilled*cough*, that’d be a step in the right direction. Talk less, do more good and no harm. If he really means well, it’ll show. People learn and time will tell with this guy.
Good. Whether he means it or not, whether it’s just to save his publicity or not, I think it’s a good message that needs to be out there. Men need to do less talking and more listening when it comes to what women experience.
Now, Matt, how about listening regarding diversity? And not promoting abusers?
and yet – he’s still on the tv flapping about how he’s going to shut his mouth. JUST DO IT.
Seriously!
“I’m calling to let you know I won’t be calling anymore”
i kinda feel like this is an “i’m sorry i had all the negative backlash” kind of apology.
i think it is very telling that he pressed forward, stating his opionions left and right, repeated said unpopular opionion without taking the time to first think about the subject at hand. I expect somebody of his age, experience and somewhat intelligence to do this from the beginning. To first go to ‘ those women who are his dear friends’ and check in with them about what was going on. No, his first instinct was to defend the accused. That and a few incidents before have turned me off him.
I do not call it cancel, but why should I support his projects financially?
Dickweed.
This is a good first step.
It means nothing if he doesn’t follow through and stop talking about it, stop defending, stop weighing in.
If this is for show, well, it’ll show.
If it isn’t, that’ll show, too.
It’s being really hard for a lot of comfortable people who thought they were the good guys to find out that a) they don’t always know what they’re talking about, and b) to at least one group of people in society, they actually represent the enemy. And they are being asked to consider that in how they conduct themselves.
Not being sympathetic, I think if their awakening is rude, so be it. No one stopped them from paying attention before.
@Starlord….You’re absolutely right. Subtleties. I’d like to add some humbleness… humility. In tackling any tough conversation, across all social spectrums, it is a willingness to learn from all sides that speaks volumes. Conversely, it is the all-knowing arrogance which incites. It is the unilateral application of definitive resolutions which causes backlash. Kudos for daring to enter into an emotional conversation respectfully. It’s difficult for all of us.
I meant to reply above but for some reason it didn’t work lol.
Yeah, we wish you had STFU as well…
Oh somebody is trying to jump on the damage control wagon ….
hmmm…. he must be starting to feel it in his wallet
He’s been cancelled for me ever since he told President Obama to grow som balls. Misogynistic talk from a rich white dude, I cannot abide.
Sounds like Matt got the call actresses get, “play along, or don’t work again.”
Well I will forgive him. Sometimes humiliation wakes your ass up.
I’ve always liked him, stupid comments and all. Maybe it’s bc he used to frequent a place I worked and was honestly so sweet and genuine. Idk. I think I’ll always have a soft spot for him though but I do hope he thinks more before he speaks. Not bc it might make him look bad, but bc it actually IS bad
I can actually really appreciate the fact that he basically admitted he needed to shut his mouth, listen, and learn. I don’t think he’s wonderful or anything, but it does show that he heard what was being said and actually listened to it. When someone wants to do better and can admit when they were wrong and make an effort to be better and course correct, I can respect that. He said some stupid things and is showing some introspection and thinking adjustment.
I’ve met Matt Damon and while I think he lives in the bubble so many celebrities reside in, and he definitely has some straight white boy behavior every once in a while, he’s a good guy. He tries to do good and he has good intentions. He helps a lot of people you don’t know about. And here he apologized and acknowledge he messed up. I think it’s terribly arrogant to give him “forgiveness”, but he has my support.
GLOR.I.OUS – “audacious entitlement that comes standard issue whenever you’re born with a white penis.”
It’s going to take a lot more than that for me to spend money on his movies again.
Why is Kathy Lee giving him an easy pass? “Oh you’re a good listener though Matt…”
WTF?
Still canceled.
I don’t understand how someone with that many publicists still manages to repeatedly put their foot in their mouth
Yeah, we wish you had listened more too.
In fact, we think you should shut up for the next several months.