Over the past week I’ve found myself so confounded and confused by celebrities begging for clemency for child rapist director Roman Polanski. While I understand that he may or may not have gotten off because of a legal technicality (the veracity of that argument is unclear), what I do not understand is how so many celebrities are rushing to his aid. First off, the reason we’ll never know for sure if Polanski had a plea deal or would have gotten more time is mostly due to the fact that he fled the country. His choice, his fault.
Secondly, I can’t believe they’d even want to be associated with him. No matter what – no matter what – Polanski drugged, raped, and sodomized a 13-year-old girl. While some celebrities have been making the argument that Polanski deserves to be pardoned based on technicalities in his trial that could have resulted in a dismissal, just as many are arguing that it wasn’t really rape (Whoopi Goldberg), that it’s been so long we should just let it go, his victim has publicly forgiven him, etc.
But the second most illogical argument (after Goldberg’s “it wasn’t rape rape argument) is that Polanski is/was a great director. Chris Rock put it perfectly last night:
Now that everyone from Sharon Tate’s sister to Governor Schwarzenegger has weighed in on Roman Polanski’s arrest, Chris Rock is having his say.
On ‘The Jay Leno Show’ Thursday night, Rock made the fair if hilarious point that even the most sensational trial in recent memory didn’t go places that some Polanski supporters are headed.
“People are defending Roman Polanski because he made good movies 30 years ago?” he said. “Are you kidding me? Even Johnny Cochran didn’t have the nerve to go, ‘Well did you see OJ play against New England'”
[From the Huffington Post]
I love Chris Rock. Way to cut right to it. What if I am a really great gardener? Or I am a hardworking CEO? Or a hardworking housewife? What the hell does being good at his profession have to do with rape? Does that make it okay for him to force himself into a 13-year-old? If I used to be the best surfer in Australia, does that mean I should be able to loot diamonds whenever I please? Seems like an asinine argument, but that’s essentially the correlation a lot of people are making. And I am a big fan of several of Polanski’s films. I’m just a bigger fan of justice.
Gotta love Chris Rock. He’s one funny mofo. And in this case, exactly right. I cannot imagine how warped these celebs have to be to defend Polanski’s rape of a young girl. I’ll be watching closely to see who (celebs) aligns with whom.
CR was hilarious last night and hit it spot on…who the hell finds a 13 year old hot? sick.
I’ve always thought that “Rosemary’s Baby” was way overrated. There, I said it. And yes, I realize that every film buff within a hundred mile radius is going to call me a philistine while wiping the foam from their mouths. Oh well.
“I’ll be watching closely to see who (celebs) aligns with whom.”
You said it, MeowMeow. I’m tired of giving my money to assholes. I realize celebrity status means that there aren’t any consequences for DUI, theft, and murder, but I would hope that there might be a line drawn for child rapists.
I will say it again. I sympathize with the victim. and agree or not i think it should just be let go. Because the victim has found away to move on, but the media circus around this is ripping old wounds open and possibly her family and the life she’s made for herself. can you imagine her young children asking her about it? how do you answer that?
I think it should be let go for her. I know it’s not about the victim anymore but the crime. but she is still the victim. And her voice counts.
now please tell me what a horrible person i am.
To be fair, I don’t think most people are supporting him because he’s talented… I think it has more to do with these technicalities (which are equally disturbing) like that the mother of the girl knew, that the girl had previously had sex, it has been many many years and this supposed plea deal thing…
While none of these things are justify anything, I doubt no one would be stupid enough to use the “but he’s talented” argument… right? RIGHT?!?!?! Gawd, I hope people aren’t that stupid… because if they are, I’d like to go on record as saying that I’d like to be removed from the race of human beings :-/
Excellent article Jaybird! And kudos to Chris Rock. Polanski needs to do time for the crime.
Never been a Chris Rock fan, until today. Way to go!
i thought rosemary was a little overrated too, but chinatown is a brilliant film.
that said, that piece of shit Polanski drugged and raped a child. He admitted it.
NO EXCUSE for this behavior, time or talent notwithstanding
I also remember seeing Chris Rock in an HBO special after Columbine, in which he said, “Everyone’s asking, what music did the kids listen to? What kind of video games were they playing? Seriously? What ever happened to crazy?”
That said, and while I agree with him about Polanski as well, I think my favorite line is from the post itself:
“If I used to be the best surfer in Australia, does that mean I should be able to loot diamonds whenever I please?”
“Even Johnny Cochran didn’t have the nerve to go, ‘Well did you see OJ play against New England’”
I need a new monitor now…XD
I totally agree; this makes me so mad. What he did was disgusting. I can’t comprehend the reasons why these people are defending him. Totally disgusting.
One of my favourite Chris Rock arguments was for sexual harrassment. He basically said sexual harrassment only gets charged against ugly people because “had Clarence Thomas looked like Denzel, this never would’ve happened.” He’s right.
Some of those directors turned their backs on MJ during his trail but have no problem backng a convicted child molester who never served his time.
JayBird, you are so right!!
chris rock made a very valid point…anyone who defends a man who drugs & rapes a 13 yr old & flees the country is a SICK COWARD & the people who defend him are repulsive. i hope they get this sicko to do his time..if not, it’ll be a sad day for our judicial system
oh Whoopi, say it ain’t so.
Polanski’s victim forgave him and also said people should just forget about it. I have to wonder why???
Go Chris Rock!
At least someone in Hollywood has the balls to speak out. I guess there have been a *few* others, too.
I never saw The Pianist because I didn’t want to support a child rapist. And no, I don’t live in the Midwest. I live in L.A. and almost everyone I know works in film.
But Rosemary’s Baby? That was good? And Chinatown? Please, people.
Wim Wenders is supporting Polanski – no surprise, but sad because Wenders really is talented. Woody Allen? What a has-been. He hasn’t made a good movie since Bullets Over Broadway! And he had an affair and then married his almost stepdaughter. Disturbing, to say the least.
Hollywood, listen up! You’re kidding yourselves thinking that you’re talented artists. You’re not. There was a reason that Holden Caulfield thought that his brother DB was prostituting himself in Hollywood!
Oh, and P.S., Debra Winger, Monica Bellucci, and Tilda Swinton — you are revolting.
Kennedy – because he paid her $500K in the early 90’s for his guilty concience and she thought that was the end of it
go mr. rock
She forgave him because he bought her off. The thing about rape is, its a crime against the state. She might be fine with what happened, but people like him do it again and again. I want to be mad at her for jeopardizing other young girls because she doesn’t want to deal with it, but how do you get mad at a rape victim?
Prison as far as I am concerned is getting off easy.
But Chris Rock makes a great point.
I’ve heard some say that Polanski deserves a break because he survived the Holocaust, and lost his wife in a horrible way; but to me it does not excuse him being a child molester.
how many years after the manson murders?… private photo session in jack nicholsons house… that whole milieu.. what was the girls mother thinking? if there had been no scandal, would anyone have cared? i think it happens every day, but with less notorious players.
Maybe some of Polanski’s supporters fear they’ll be in the same boat one of these days….
ok some of you people quoting Chris Rock like the bible are really disturbing me… You do realize he’s a comedian and not a life coach right? He exaggerates things and turns them into jokes… please tell me you people do not get your perspective on life from chris rock and the like…!?!!!?!?>!
Granted, he’s right in condemning this man, but you do realize you don’t have to say something witty and comedic to realize he’s wrong!?!?
persistent cat, that is a really tragic view of sexual harrassment… are you a grown woman?
To Whoopi – It’s unfortunate your grandchild is male. I would love it if you had Polanski as your new dedicated babysitter. Would that work for you??
Debra Winger – Do you have under age daughters? Have Roman over for dinner and absent yourself for a few hours. Make sure the hot tub is the right temp and champagne is iced before his alone time with your daughter. Roman’s probably so good at this now the drugs may be overkill.
To those who stood up for sanity – Thank you doesn’t say enough, but here goes. Joy Behar(sp?) and Chris Rock, thank you for defending children against evil. Period.
And thank you, thank you, Jaybird.
I hate this “but the victim said she is over it” argument too.
Pedophilic rape, in fact ALL rape, is a crime not only against the victim but against society as a whole (which is why it is a crime and not a matter for the civil courts).
Rapists undermine/violate the moral code of society and endanger other members of the community, both directly, as the perpetrator may re-offend (how many reformed pedophiles/rapists are there really?) and because society must indicate to all its members that there some acts/crimes which are unacceptable.
This is one such case: Polanski drugged and raped a 13 year old- society cannot simply stand by and accept such behaviour, even if the victim has come to terms with it (or if she is sick of the media attention, or because she is too afraid to testify etc etc)
Persistent Cat: Not true. I was harassed at work by someone who was very good looking, but it made me feel horrible.
fizxgirl314-
The vicitm said no, that is all that matters. That makes it rape. Even a prostitute can be raped. Her mother did not know he was going to rape her. People ARE supporting him because of his “genius”.
As a Jew I am happy he was arrested right before Yom Kippur.Very fitting, imo.
Agree 100% with Susette.
I have always been a fan of Chris.. I don’t think people are quoting him like the bible. Some times a humorous spin can show a situation in a different light. I agree with him. We see cases of women and men years later who remember abuse or crimes and the guilty party is prosecuted. The point is not that we are not listening to the adult woman. The point is we should defend the 13 year old child she was. She is looking at it at a different point. But he has to be punished for what he did to her as a 13 year old child. If we found a person today who committed a crime (an average JOE) and it could be proven they would go to jail. does not matter how long ago it was. These people defending him should do so in a different way. Children in this country and all over the world are victims too often. IT HAS TO STOP. We need to make crimes against children stronger. Harder. I think he should go to jail for 2-5 years. But he should go to jail..
I hope more people in the Hollywood community take a stand against rape.
The people defending Roman Polanski – where is your morality? Scary.
Note: Chris Rock is promoting his documentary “Good Hair” now. It looks terrific.
Joy Behar cleared up the Whoopie quote on thursday’s episode of the daily show. It’s really not as bad as that.
As for Roman… fry him.
He should get Whoopi to defend him. It’s not rape rape sounds like a great legal defense. The judge will apologize for the misunderstanding and make sure he get a private jet back to his home for the misunderstanding that made him flee for 30 years.
I notice sly comments condemning the victim because she forgave him and wants the case dropped. As a victim of rape myself I can understand why she would feel this way. It is more of a process dealing with rape and she is trying to get on with her life. Does this in any way justify Polanski’s actions? NO. The woman is trying to get over (if ever) a traumatic event in her life. Now she has other people to think about – her children – which places her in an undesirable position. Of course she wants to move on, who wouldn’t? But please stop trying (some of you on here) to use that as a suspect reason for her claims of rape. What he did was WRONG – any way you look at it. WRONG. After time passed, I didn’t want to confront my rapist either. I was lucky that the other 2 girls he did it to (1-2 years later) were much stronger than me and pursued it to the point where he got his just desserts. Also, he apologised to me after the incident but it in no way eased my mind. It just made me feel worse because it only served to reaffirm what had already happened; what I was already trying to deal with. She is probably reliving this nightmare over and over again as the media frenzy builds. And how awful for her! to see these idiotic “actors” supporting a rapist and PAEDOPHILE?! I too wouldn’t want to be cast into the spotlight as a result. She is still a victim. NO WAY AROUND IT.
Very funny comment by Chris Rock.
We do affect the film box office, and let producer’s know what we think.
When Tom Cruise was assertively promoting Scientology, Sumner Redstone fired him, believing profits were down $300M on Tom’s most recent film.
Chinatown gets a fair nod, but given the number of players, Huston, Dunaway, Nicholson, producer’s etc., giving Polanski glory doesn’t fit.
He pled out to statutory rape, and believes he did nothing wrong. He condemns American values yet wants the American court system to support dismissal of the case.
This is a criminal case and will proceed.
I’ll be watching closely to see who (celebs) aligns with whom.
Oh shudder- I’m sure they’ll be quaking in their boots at the thought of your condemnation.
As I said to the other would-be ethicists on here; if it bothers you that much, write a carefully thought out letter to someone in charge who can actually affect policy and make decisions instead of another grandstanding witch hunt.
@NIKKI: most eloquent comment, nothing speaks like (horrific) experience. Thanks for weighing in.
Great post, Jay Bird.
As I said to the other would-be ethicists on here; if it bothers you that much, write a carefully thought out letter to someone in charge who can actually affect policy and make decisions instead of “another grandstanding witch hunt.”
What?
A witchhunt implies someone erroneously accused of something, without cause, someone who others wish to get back at or rid of. This situation? Not remotely similar.
He admitted he did it. Enough said.
Take your punishment.
Actually, let’s just get someone proportionally sized to him that he was to that young child and let them proceed to do the things to HIM that he did to her, as he begs for it not to happen.
How’s that gonna work for you, Prickonski?
Yeah, thought so.
He needs to man-up, take his punishment, and quit hiding.
THEN the girl can have a better shot at closure.
While I sympathize with her wanting it to be over, however, we must as a society TRY to protect those victims and future as well, which means holding those accountable for their actions, regardless of sympathetic supporters or “wanting to forget”.
I’m for the victim, naturally, but the man is not beyond the laws of society and responsibility.
that is ridiculous. Chris Rock spews out a lot of bullshit, most of it against women… I really HOPE no one is fooled into thinking he is right about anything just because he generates a chuckle….
Defending him based on accomplishments or hard life makes no sense. But this is more than complicated situation. Though I do not condone what he did to her and it was statutory rape (the age of the victim makes it rape, not her consent or lack thereof, force or no force), he pleaded guilty BECAUSE he was offerred a plea bargain.. that’s how the system works. If he did not make a deal with the prosecution (which is how 80-90% of cases are handled), he would have gone to trial with no admission of guilt and you can only imagine what his lawyer (as any good lawyer, zealously defending his client) would do to this girl on the stand.. this was PRE-rape shield laws: her sexual history, her behavior, her mother pushing her into his hands to make a career would have been exploited. In this case, it was much better for her to accept the deal, his time served, apology and his money rather than go through a media circus of a trial. If I were her atty, I would advise that. She said herself that the day after she wasn’t upset about what happen only the police and ensuing publicity made her life hell. She doesn’t strike me as a victim who’s too afraid to confront what happened to her so we, the society, must do it for her. If there is a dangerous rapist out there, I’d say prosecute or he’ll do it again, even if some victims are too traumatized to do it. But he’s not dangerous and he’s not a pedofile, for pete’s sake, pedofiles a) target pre-puberty kids, and b) usually can’t get off with a grown woman. He hasn’t raped another girl so he’s not a danger to society (and don’t give me “that we know of”, let’s talk about what we know). The part that most offends me about it, is the fact that after the deal was made and everyone was O.K. with that (including her atty), the judge known for despising Polanski and wanting to make a name for himself using a high profile case, threatens to put him away for maximum.. Sorry, I would have ran too because that’s not justice. That’s making an example of someone famous to make a name for himself.
And please do not construe it as me defending what he did (if you can make a distinction, of course;). But it’s not a “technicality” either.
I’d just add that telling the woman what she should feel (or how she should get closure) is highly patronizing. And probably offensive to her. She’s being used by prosecutors and she knows it.
Good for Chris Rock. I had no opinion on him before, but he just rose significantly in my view.
I can understand the victim wanting to put this behind her and avoid having her family have to be put through the pain of hearing and reading about her rape in the media. As for those defending Polanski I do not understand that at all. The victim may have forgiven him, but how many years of anguish and pain did she go through before she reached that point?
Also lets face facts. If Polanski was your regular blue collar worker and not a Oscar winning director, how many of these Hollywood stars would be supporting him now ?
He has a pattern of prefering underage girls, Kinski being one. Does it make him a pedophile? Not clear, really, but it shows a preference for those that are more than likely less formed, less INformed, more likely to be dazzled by the “older man”. Give me a break. What reasonable, supposedly mature man, needs to have sex with basically a child/woman, not quite formed into themselves?? Define it how you will, but it is wrong. He knows it.
As to the deal, yep, lots are made every day; but that judge is dead and gone, and the likelihood of him receiving a form the same thing still is a possibility, with very little time served, if any. He’s afraid of the consequences of jumping bail and running, as that is an entirely different issue and could result in real time. He has no remorse nor does he see where he may have strayed from moral judgement, but he is cognizant of the very real chance he is fucked. Boo fucking hoo. Face your responsibilities like an adult…then you may salvage some semblance of the “esteem” others seem to hold you to.
Me? Ain’t gonna happen. He isn’t suffering from anything, he believes he’s above the law, he’s falling back and letting others protect him. Bullshit. Grow a pair.
No Jay, I was referencing the celebrities about to be socially crucified en mass for having a different opinion about a legal case not the actual case itself.
I frankly don’t care how it’s settled one way or the other, I’ll sleep like a baby, go to work and raise my kid just the same. It’s all fine and dandy to have deep moral convictions and to stand by them through thick and thin, but it’s wasted energy blacklisting people and forming enemies lists based on a 20 year old court case that has nothing whatsoever to do with you or your family.
And as I’ve said about 18 times now, if this bothers you so much, write a letter to someone who can affect the outcome, instead of spinning your moralist tires in the muck.
nah, no moralistic tires stuck in muck for me. Just right and wrong. I’m not blacklisting anyone, but I do have a strong belief in accountability. Polanski is avoiding that. As to sleeping at night, yes, I can because it isn’t me. But is that right? Shouldn’t others, victims of assault, etc., be able to do the same, with at least some semblance of hope that even the most powerful will be held accountable? I’d say so.
Hope your kid is safe and sound, truly I do. Hopefully they won’t encounter someone rich enough, powerful enough, narcissistic enough to do as they please and then run. But then, you seem to be concerned with their safety. This person wasn’t so shielded, from what I see. Even if she were, we as a society must stand for something and be held accountable to a basic human morality, no?
Eh, pleasant dreams, and all that. Polanski doesn’t seem to have any trouble sleeping.
Just doesn’t seem right, to me….
(and just for the record..I’ve had personal experience, through a close family member, with rape, assault, the victimization by the justice system of the victim themself, and the ugliness that accompanies it all, so my passion is two fold..what is right and what most certainly is wrong, IMO.)
the best way to get your point across is with your pocketbook…. not letters :/
There is absolutely no excuse (Holocaust, Manson killings, etc) to excuse this if it really happened. If he is so disturbed by his experiences to behave so then he should have been in a mental ward, not living it up in Europe.
remember tiny tom jumping on ouches and calling people glib? he had to dial down the intensity and make apologies real quick when the public found him distasteful and stopping going to watch his movies…
to say that “blacklisting” people isn’t an effective way to make change, is really cynical… and not based on reality….
exhibit B: Chris Brown… he’s learning real quick that he can’t be rich AND a woman beater…
boycotting these people is about the BEST way to get your point across… it’s only that so far we’ve blindly been indulging in this idiot’s movies that they think somehow we’ve forgotten what it means to rape a child….
you don’t really have to do anything… usually, when people are vile, you find them distasteful and avoid their movies naturally… hopefully, this is what will happen and we’lll show that that no matter how rich, talented, well known or furry you are… WE the public are the ones with the power… don’t forget that!
To all the folks screaming that Polanski had plea deal, which the judge “unfairly” was going to overturn..
SO WHAT?
Haven’t you ever seen Law and Order: SVU? No deal is final until the judge adjoins the case! The DA and Judge throw out deals all the time — usually because new evidence sheds more light on the case. There are plenty of plea bargains made in good faith only to find later that the defendants have been withholding information, or circumstances may change in which different sentences are more appropriate.
So the judge thought the initial plea bargain was too soft. It’s in the judges right to reject deals and dole out sentences that he or she deems fits. The DA does not get to determining sentencing — it’s the judge’s job!
Polanski did not have to run. He should have stayed for the court’s ruling. If he thought the sentencing was too harsh — file a damn appeal!!!
Polanski is whiner. Don’t do the crime, if you don’t want to do the time!!!
Hieronymus Grex: Your talents are being wasted here.
http://wonkette.com/
So the people that support pedophiles /rapists/ molesters haven’t been subjected to it, wouldn’t mind their daughters, sons, relatives, friends or loved ones having it happen to them ?
Get real. End of the line. No free pass.
Shit is shit
If he hadn’t of run before his trial, he would have completed any jail time for ‘sex with a minor.’ But the key words here are ‘if he hadn’t of run.’ He needs to be punished for both crimes now!!
“ok some of you people quoting Chris Rock like the bible are really disturbing me… You do realize he’s a comedian and not a life coach right? He exaggerates things and turns them into jokes… please tell me you people do not get your perspective on life from chris rock and the like…!?!!!?!?>!”
No idea what you’re talking about. Please be more specific and demonstrate how people are actually doing this. For example, I quoted another bit by Rock, but he’s certainly not my “life coach”–he’s made some trenchant observations that I happen to agree with, and made them in a way I consider to be funny. He’s also said plenty of things I don’t agree with. It’s like he and I are different people, or something.
But that doesn’t mean people are “quoting Chris Rock like the Bible.” Overly dramatic much?
Kudos to Chris for stating it like it is!!! It’s crazy that any one will defend Roman. Actors have their convictions all screwed up.
It was definitely rape. Otherwise why did he need to drug her?
I absolutely want him to pay for this and I hope he dies in prison in a tiny airless cell.
SFLinda – Technically he hasn’t paid her a dime, and it was only $300,000+.
Let’s set some things straight,
first off the man is a bit pedo. He apparently has stated that he will not have sex with any girl over the age of 25 (and he’s in his 60’s).
second, when he was arrested he admited he had sex with underage girl(s) before.
and third, he repeatedly sodomised her! And his excuse? He didn’t want her to get pregnant.
Just ugh.
First off I agree Polanski is scum of the Earth and I wish he had been in prison getting EVERY day for what he did to this girl but Chris Rock is an asshole! He couldn’t just go after a WHITE celebrity without throwing a black face under the bus and for your info bitch Charlie Sheen IS a ‘woman beater’ and he has the HIGHEST rated show on while making millions. And don’t forget Hollyweird almost gave an Oscar to wife-beater Mickey Rourke
*This really answered my problem, thank you!