Wednesday night, Harvey Weinstein slithered out from under his rock and attended an event for Actor’s Hour at Downtime bar. He was there by invitation from Alexandra Laliberte, who runs Actor’s Hour. It was supposed to be a showcase for young actors and comedians. But then Kelly Bachman got on stage and made a few pointed comments about Weinstein and Bachman booed and told to “shut up.” Then one woman got up and close to Weinstein and started yelling at him and she was the one thrown out of the bar. Then actress Amber Rollo got up and took that woman’s place. One of Weinstein’s security goons called her a “c-nt” and she got kicked out too. Rollo then did a Twitter thread about it (follow this tweet for the story):
***TW Sexual Assault***
Hey everyone. You might have seen my tweet about cursing out Harvey Weinstein last night. As a rape survivor I'm so furious and sad and frustrated.
Here is a thread about what happened.
— Downright Rude (Amber Rollo) (@ambercrollo) October 24, 2019
After Rollo’s Twitter thread went viral, The Hollywood Reporter contacted Downtime bar AND Harvey Weinstein. Here’s what the bar’s spokesperson had to say:
“We want to address some concerns about a recent incident at Downtime. A company called Actors Hour rented our bar for a private event, with a guest list all their own. Shortly into the evening, one guest began heckling another, causing a disturbance to everyone in attendance. After several requests to stop were ignored, we kindly asked the heckler to leave.”
“Please know that our goal at Downtime is to create an environment where everyone feels welcome. We respect the privacy of our patrons and event partners, and want to ensure that all guests are treated equally, with the same service and respect. In keeping with this goal, we made a decision that would allow the evening to continue as planned. Thank you, Downtime.”
I mean… Downtime’s staff could have behaved differently. They should have behaved differently. But ultimately, I think this was the fault of Actors Hour and… you know, Harvey Weinstein. Here’s the statement from Harvey Weinstein’s rep:
“Harvey Weinstein was out with friends enjoying the music and trying to find some solace in his life that has been turned upside down. This scene was uncalled for, downright rude and an example of how due process today is being squashed by the public, trying to take it away in the courtroom too. As an aside — Harvey in fact suggested the woman should be allowed to talk and ask him any questions. The venue’s personnel asked the woman to leave, not Harvey’s. I would just point out that he is being treated as if he has been convicted. Accusations are, in fact, not convictions. Due process is still the foundation of each and every one of our civil rights in this country. Please don’t lose sight of that definitive conviction when you write. Anyone should be allowed to be there if they are acting in accordance with the norms of the space. As for the name calling, it was 100 percent not anyone in HW’s employ and not someone speaking on HW’s behalf.”
“This scene was uncalled for, downright rude and an example of how due process today is being squashed by the public, trying to take it away in the courtroom too…” WTF does “due process” have to do with women standing in front of Weinstein and calling him a rapist to his fat rapist face? You know what is actually “rude”? Inviting a f–king serial predator of ACTRESSES to an event for actors.
Here’s Kelly Bachman’s stand-up, which… got her escorted out of the bar. NSFW for language. When she says “f–k you,” it’s pretty cathartic. But the dude who told her to “shut up” needs to go straight to hell.
Photo courtesy of Backgrid.
Actors Hour and the Downtown Bar are both getting absolutely murdered online and have had to shut down or turn off comments….good. Will anything long term come of it? Sadly probably not. But they should be ashamed…or at the very least scared.
Ummm who are those people (women!) sitting with him? How sick are we as a society that he still..STILL has hangers on? That’s pathetic on a level I cannot comprehend.
I wonder what he promised those people or how he threatened them to get that invitation.
I’m pretty positive he didn’t have to threaten anyone. I’m sure he was invited b/c organizers wanted him. Actor’s Hour is definitely the type of org that would welcome Harvey bc the man still has connections and can silently fund an indy.
Part of the magical thinking that says “if I do or don’t do X, I won’t get raped.” And I get that reasoning to an extent – I hate the fact that there is little to nothing we can do to not be raped and we as humans cling to magical thinking.
But OH MY GOD I agree with you, Mia45. Who the hell hangs around with a known rapist with something like 87 known victims? That’s insane!
That’s sadly because we as a society still rape as something that the victim’s responsibility some how or some way. The way it’s handled by the police (interrogation of the victim’s dress, whereabouts, often judging them by standards of women’s gender roles as upheld by society. The way we focus stories on victims’ backgrounds rather than the villains’, the way rape victims are cross-examined on the stance as culpable in the crime committed against them. It’s all informed by the patriarchal values that a woman’s body does not belong to her and there should be no boundaries to sexual advances. These women at the bar did the right thing which to remind everyone that Weinstein is a rapist, and holds immense power still in the film industry. We should talk less about the survivors and more about the perpetrators. Rape is probably the only crime where the victim gets repeatedly punished/re-traumatized for the crime committed AGAINST them.
Maybe he paid for them. There are still escort services.
I completely agree!
You know what is also rude and uncalled for? Using your position and power to abuse, intimidate, and sexually assault women. But yeah sure, let’s get all outraged because he can’t take a few women calling him out on his bullshit. F@ck him and f@ck those women sitting with him.
This shows something that women from all over the world experience or witness in different ways: Make abuser feel less than welcome, get called slurs, told to shut up and be kicked out. These women were brave in the way did this.
@otaku yep yep yep. this is today’s best example of rape culture. F*#k all those people that deny it excists and reinforce it with such depicable behaviour.
This fucker showed up looking for freaking solace? ‘Cause this prick needs consoling. I’d like to console him with a shovel.
Cannot believe the person who invited him thought this was a good idea
I’m not saying that I left an online review before they shut down comments, or encouraged my friends to do the same. Not saying that at all… 😉
Paid escorts with him maybe?
There was also a male comic that came on after the first women comic and literally made fun of what she said about Harvey and then gave Weinstein a compliment. That as*hole should be shamed and boycotted.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he had skeletons in his closet.
Good for those women. That man is a disgusting creature who should never feel comfortable going out in public again.
How is that guy not already behind bars? Due process my eye…
May as well close up shop no one’s going neqrcthere again due process your heads outta ya azzzholes when is Weinstein goin gtoncourt wth is taking so long drag him in there right now
i was so enraged reading this article and “due process your heads outta ya azzzholes” made me chuckle so thanks, Dorothy 🙂
Tell me again how “cancel culture” is ruining men’s lives.
Right? Harvey is still doing whatever the eff he wants. Good for these 3 women for not pretending like there wasn’t a vile, rapist monster in their midst. Shame on the venue and Actors Hour for siding with said monster.
Exactly
That looks like a terrifyingly small venue. Why would you invite the world most famous (alive) predator to a well-lit small venue and expect women who are showcasing to be fine with it? Those poor actresses probably needed the gig or they would have walked out.
That clip was so uncomfortable and awful to watch. That comic was so brave to speak out as she did, and thank g the other women in the room finally cheered her.
YUP. And he had preyed on women in their profession!!! LIKE WTF. Why did they invite him?!!?
And once due process has been met, and he’s convicted, which he will be, then what will his rep say? “Oh, nvm, a jury of his peers deemed the overwhelming evidence against him credible so now go ahead and shout whatever you want at this man who has been convicted of a crime…?” No possible way. Shut up shut up shut up. The man has lost his right to civil treatment, sorry not sorry 🤷🏼♀️
Ugh. I’m all for “polite” society but Actor’s Hour is completely in the wrong for letting that POS in the door. It’s not as though it’s a “he said/she said” with one accuser-this guy has harassed/assaulted women for decades. I am baffled that any group that says that its point is to nurture young talent would think it’s okay for him to be sitting there.
Everyone should “feel welcome?” Everyone? I get they had to release some kind of neutral statement, but still. Even scum like Epstein, for example, should feel welcome?
I don’t believe everyone should always be welcomed. I believe people like Weinstein and Trump should be publicly shamed, since it’s probably the only thing that makes them understand anything. That and removing their wealth.
Also, if welcoming ONE person is making at least THREE people feel so uncomfortable that they can’t contain their anger at an event that was supposed to be chill, then maybe they should prioritize welcoming the larger group over that one person.
You can’t just bring an “alleged” alligator into a room and be like “everyone stay calm and let’s welcome this alligator. hey! hey! stop being upset! ok you need to leave you’re making the alligator feel unwelcome.”
Heh – and you’re so right.
Lol….very funny, but sadly also very true.
The phrase cancel culture is clearly meaningless. if this man is not “canceled” who the fuck is??
so ragey about this
“The phrase cancel culture is clearly meaningless”
Basically? Yes.
99% of it is just internet posturing. Plus it’s used for EVERY infraction. We’ve talked a lot about the British press drawing parallels between Prince Andrew’s involvement with pedo-sex traffickers and Harry and Meghan’s so-called environmental hypocrisy? Cancel culture does much the same: “Oh he said that? Cancelled!” “Oh she worked with him? Cancelled!” “Oh he sexually abused 84 women? Cancelled!”….wait, what was that last one? People shrug off the first two as a temper tantrum, and sometimes that’s fine. The third though? Must. Have. Consequences.
We need people to follow Kelly’s lead and push REAL WORLD consequences. It’s going to take a lot more than likes and retweets to make any actual difference.
So many great comments today! +100!
Yah I know one of the comics involved. Bartender booed her. Screw this bar.
OMFG so angry at the dudes who were like shut up and booed
UM NO F YOU
That was the bartender?!
It’s really good to know *who* tried to shame Kelly Bachman into silence. I feel like he thought he’d get to stay anonymous in his misogyny and ardor for a predator. That boo was a painful reminder that women’s feelings and lives are still not very valuable in this society (unless they’re being weaponized somehow). It’s not *as* painful as the fact that Weinstein was there in the first place, but still… That bartender deserves to get fired.
All of this.
Men still don’t get it and they don’t care. This is so disheartening. I wish I had more to say but it genuinely makes me so sad that I’m at a loss.
Same. Harvey’s scandal was so big I thought yes finally this monster will get what he deserves but nope he’s still out there walking free. How long before he quietly makes his comeback in the industry? *sigh* there is no justice in this world
The story here, in my mind, is that men don’t care. The staff at the bar immediately began to boo and call the women names. Men think that our fear and need to feel safe is irrational and crazy, and we are pets to most men. We are bagels provided to feed their sex drive or we are considered beloved but too weak to know how to properly protect ourselves. The Incel movement and the way they discuss us is really not that far from how many men who aren’t incels treat women in real time, but it just pops out less often. Every time a man who I think I can trust acts out and says or does something demoralizing or controlling, I realize how pervasive this “bagels vs quality” attitude about women is among most men.
The reality is that most men can physically over power the women in their lives, and it makes them feel entitled to control us. They go to the basest level of survival, and then preach about how exceptional humanity is because we can be God-fearing and think with a higher mind than animals. Then they treat us like animals.
I keep fighting, but sometimes I just can’t anymore. I deeply admire these women for claiming their power in an unsafe space. They may never work as actresses again, though, and that makes me so sad. I’m losing hope.
So true that men can’t stand to have their behavior checked. Ex- I visited NYC years ago, as a grown woman of 34 at the time. I was traveling solo, and ended up at a Broadway show. A nice looking businessman type Sat solo next to me. I decide, since he’s solo, to make inane preshow conversation. I asked solo guy, “Do you know anything about this musical? Cause I don’t.” That’s all. Literally 10 words. He takes that as a cue to start touching me as he answers, rubbing my arm, asking if I was cold, and where my hotel is. This dude knew me less than 10 seconds and thought it acceptable to invade my space, touch me without consent, and inquire where I was staying. The entitlement is real.
It freaked me out and I excused myself to go to the bathroom. I instead flagged an usher, told him the situation, and he led me to another seat (he found an unsold one), actually better than my original one. He even came back after the show, to check on me and make sure the creepy guy didn’t follow me or anything as I left the theater. So glad he took my issue seriously.
Later. telling a few friends about it, I got, ” well, you shouldn’t talk to strangers; of course he thought you were hitting on him” and “you could’ve gotten this guy in trouble for nothing.” Sigh. I’m not friends with those peeps anymore.
Rapunzel, good for you for dropping those friends. Those friends were probably women, I assume. We call each other’s outrage and fear “fake” and THAT is one of the reasons rape culture is so pervasive. We reinforce it by telling each other that our outrage is over wrought and that we should have known better. You of never know who is going to See you as a bagel or as a dumb saint.
“We call each other’s outrage and fear “fake” and THAT is one of the reasons rape culture is so pervasive. We reinforce it by telling each other that our outrage is over wrought and that we should have known better.” So true. It’s not the easiest thing to unlearn.
1. They DO understand the pain they are causing and 2. They care deeply, just, about causing pain. The woman who wrote Down Girl put it like this, if they didn’t care about women and thought we were objects, then they would treat us like toaster ovens. But no one is out there trying to get a sadistic thrill out of abusing a toaster oven.
I’m just shocked that people invite him to events and want to be seen with him. No shame at all.
In a day and age when LGBTQ+ people can be fired or refused housing/business, etc, and people shriek about the rights of businesses/landlords to do so “bc Jesus”, the fact that f*cking DUE PROCESS and FREEDOM OF SPEECH somehow applies to situations like this drives me INSANE. Like, this is not a court, which is all either rid those things applies to!!! GOD. Also Kaiser, Buzzfeed has a really excellent write up with comments from others there and the venue, etc, that you might like. Sigh.
Amazing! This actress has some skills staying cool under pressure. The booing bros and Weinstein have no idea that we are burning the patriarchy down, this is the beginning.
+10000000
She did AMAZINGLY
“…how due process today is being squashed by the public” — This is just a pet peeve of mine, but i really get annoyed by people saying the word “squashed” when the correct word is “quashed”. You would think that a high-profile PR rep would know this!
Anyway, i’m just disgusted that anyone would even invite that disgusting rapist to anything. Bravo to the women who spoke up against him. If i ever found myself in the unfortunate situation of having to be in the same room as that lowlife, i would have to be restrained, because i’d have the uncontrollable urge to attack him.
Errr……agree with your entire comment, except that squashed is actually a word. Here’s googles definition:
“flat, soft, or out of shape as a result of being crushed or squeezed with force.”
Although I guess you mean the legal jargon for the situation is quashed, not squashed.
Rage. Nothing but rage. Weinstein and anyone sitting with and/or giving him a platform deserves nothing but non-apologetic fury. For all time.
As long as he has deep pockets, there will be people giving him air.
YES
I think most people know that relying only on ‘due process’ when we talk about a rapist is complete bs. We know the stats that something like only 1% of rapists even see a sniff of ‘due process’ & that relying on that is a shield for perpetrators to continue abusing women while we wait on a broken system that does not hold them accountable or protect us. A man saying he wasn’t convicted (yet), & therefore wants zero consequences for his actions, means jack sh7t.
I first saw a story about him visiting a cafe with actresses and it made me so angry, I punched the hell out of my poor mattress. Now it turns out he actually STAYED and when someone pointed out how insanely inappropriate this was she was booed? He wasn’t kicked out immediately? WTF is wrong with these people. How could anyone even invite him. How could they bear to be under the same roof with him. Also, why the hell is the accused rapist of so many women walking out and about? Why does he even have the money to do so? How come he can afford a publicist? WHY IS HE NOT IN JAIL?
I don’t believe this is an innocent outing, either. I bet he was testing the waters and looking for new victims. And that woman that invited him is an absolute garbage, just like the people that booed and tried (succeded!) to silence those women. Granted, not as horrifyingly vile as the serial sexual predator himself, but still, absolute garbage.
His case is in the midst of being prosecuted. I think he has several cases both criminal and civil heading for court. It could be like Cosby, and hopefully he will be convicted and go to prison. Aside from the obvious, of rape not taken as seriously as it should be, it is a bit more complicated to prosecute than some other things as there are rarely witnesses to rape, women are too traumatized at the time and often report a while after which does make it difficult for evidence, and the perpetrator can always claim it’s consensual and you have to fight that. This is only part of the issues with this crime and prosecution.
Your statement makes me sad why would any woman be seen in any sort of public venue with him, much less an actress. I know some do things like this, but really why??????
You know what’s “downright rude” though?! RAPING WOMEN.
Wow I can’t believe someone thought it was OKAY to invite him?!?! Let me guess, a man invited him. Why isn’t rape taken more seriously.
I remember in college getting into heated arguments with guys who said ‘oh well she’s dressed like a slut so she’s going to get treated like one’ and I was raging on them. I remember telling them women walk around EVERY DAY and have to be aware of their surroundings. They just don’t get it. Most men are terrified of prison because rape. Try not being in prison and having to worry about that EVERY DAY. I wish rape was taken more seriously in a courtroom. I remember once I was visiting a boyfriend out of state and I got roofied in the first drink of the night then blacked out for 12 hours. He had to fireman carry me home….but he still had sex with me that night. He even joked about it. He raped me. I didn’t consent and he didn’t care because were were dating. It took me YEARS to admit to myself that it was in fact rape. I got in my car and drove home 4 hours while feeling horrible. I was in no shape to drive because whatever was in my drink was strong. I got home safe and screamed at him on the phone and never spoke to him again. He lived 4 hours away in another state. I’m okay, I’m fine but it can happen to anyone and it happened to me.
I think they DO get it and they simply love causing women pain. It’s the sadist mentality.
“I remember in college getting into heated arguments with guys who said ‘oh well she’s dressed like a slut so she’s going to get treated like one’ and I was raging on them.” Ugh, yes. It’s disturbing how guys pick up the culture’s message that being disrespectful and abusive= how you’re allowed to treat girls/women marked as ‘sluts/thots’, etc. This is why it’s important to be mindful of messages sent about girls and women who don’t meet patriarchal standards of respectability. The same treatment demanded for those on one side of the dichotomy needs to be what the culture demands for the other. I’m sorry that your ex did that to you, it wasn’t your fault.
“trying to find some solace in his life”
Garbage.
Some updates I just saw. First Weinstein wasn’t invited, he just came with someone else. The head of the event thought about not letting him in, but then decided she thought the performers and people there would deal with it. Okay, they did especially the comedian. If you see the whole thing aside from being spot-on she was actually funny about it too. Which is really hard to do so props to her. Still I don’t think that was such a great idea, but I guess it got her event publicity.
Now my only issue with this is I think the comedian was amazing, and I applaud her for how she did this. I’m not sure I’m 100% with people just going up to people at a table and screaming at them deserved as it is. It just kind of opens up the door to others who may feel they have the right to do this to people who may not be so guilty of things. Still I’m conflicted cause he so deserves something like this, but not sure I like where it could lead.
Nope. More people need to scream in the face of evil. He should be treated as the pariah that he is.
Wow, everything you wrote is wrong. Pretty stunning accomplishment; now go cash your check.
That’s a lie on the part of the event runner. This was Weinstein’s second visit in a month, and a male comic who called him out last time was chastised for it, too. The person highlighting this linked to the posts he did at the time, which were dated a month ago. The bar are ass covering, and lying to do it. Weinstein was a welcome guest last time and the people calling him on his shit were the ones blamed, and he was a welcome guest this time, and the ones calling him on it were evicted. The women got thrown out – the man just got told off.
Now tell me how this wasn’t a conscious act by the bar.
https://twitter.com/SuddenlyCMoore/status/1187517376352399360
I saw on social media that the male comic who called out Weinstein that first time was not only chastised but banned from Actors Hour while Weinstein was allowed to return. The event organizers are absolutely lying to save their skin, though thankfully most see through it. Appalling.
How do these vile men not have ANY shame?
The ego on HW.
Good for anyone who shames him!
seriously! i said to my husband, “the BALLS of this guy! He thinks he’s gonna come back from this” and
the very fact that he was there is a form of intimidation!!! Im in awe of the woman comedian -let me memorize her name—KELLY BACHMAN —–for having the courage to stand up there and cal him out. And the bros who said shut up need to be identified and called out
The bros were apparently bartenders at the venue.
Who in their right mind would think it is a good idea to invite Harvey to an event? Since there are so many brainless people, incidents like this need to be happening, if the organizers don’t understand this is not ok, people around them should make scenes like this. Unfortunately it will be women. And that statement, ugh. Are we supposed to feel sorry for him?
Obviously the person who invited him underestimated the women there thinking they’d be too chicken to speak up. Good for them. And yeah whoever yelled shut up, is love to hear about some bad karma resulting from this
Shame on ALEXANDRA LALIBERTE!!! Why did she invite that POS?!?
Why are there women sitting with him? Hope both Downtime and Actors Hour go down in flames.
The people who didn’t verbally abuse Weinstein while he was in their midst are as weak as piss. Worse still they clearly thought the women who told him off were the ones who were out of line. How stupid is that?
if he weren’t powerful and just that improv guy who got blacklisted for bragging about raping a woman in her hotel room…would he still be invited? He produced some great art but he’s a scum bag. Why can’t people just accept that and move on? There are talented producers who aren’t monsters. Invite them.
this whole sh..show just actually shows that Weinstein is nothing/not a real problem. I said this a milion times and will say again and again It is society as whole and people surrounding him, enablers. Same with Trump.
btw great article in Guardian re that event.