Last year, Jeffrey Tambor “quit” Transparent after a few people on the show’s production claimed that he verbally harassed them. Back in March of this year, Tambor gave his first big interview to The Hollywood Reporter where he basically admits that he’s not a perfect person, but he also made it seem like people were totally overreacting. Even though Tambor is persona non grata on Transparent, he still had a job on Arrested Development. The cast of AD sat down with the New York Times this week, and guess what? Tambor’s behavior with Transparent employees was never just fake news. Jessica Walter cries openly during the NYT piece, talking about how Tambor verbally harassed her as well. She cries as all of the men in the room – Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Tony Hale and David Cross – all try to cape for Tambor and minimize her experience. You can read the piece here:
We spent an hour with the cast of "Arrested Development." Jeffrey Tambor's behavior came up. "In like almost 60 years of working, I’ve never had anybody yell at me like that on a set," Jessica Walter said. https://t.co/Q4yp5Fq5vo
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 23, 2018
In a sitdown interview with The New York Times, Arrested Development stars Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter, Tony Hale, Jason Bateman, Alia Shawkat, Will Arnett and David Cross got candid and emotional about the recent allegations of sexual harassment against Tambor during his time on Transparent and his behavior on the set of their own show.
Walter, who stars as Tambor’s ex-wife on the show, had her own verbal altercation with Tambor in the past. As the topic of Tambor’s allegations came up, including reports that he had yelled at directors and assistant directors on the set of Transparent, Walter said, through tears, “Let me just say one thing that I just realized in this conversation. I have to let go of being angry at him. He never crossed the line on our show, with any, you know, sexual whatever. Verbally, yes, he harassed me, but he did apologize. I have to let it go… In … almost 60 years of working, I’ve never had anybody yell at me like that on a set. And it’s hard to deal with, but I’m over it now.”
Tambor had referenced the “blowup,” in his words, in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Walter noted that the THR interview was the reason she brought up the incident to the Times. Bateman defended Tambor during the discussion, saying it was “part of his process,” but Walter disagreed. Hale, similarly to Bateman, noted that “we all have our moments,” to which Walter responded: “Not like that. That was bad.”
When asked if she would have reservations working with Tambor again in the future, Walter said, “Of course not. No. I’ve just given it up. … I don’t want to walk around with anger. I respect him as an actor. We’ve known each other for years and years and years. … Of course, I would work with him again in a heartbeat.”
During the interview, Alia Shawkat responded to her co-stars who spoke about Tambor’s “process” by saying: “But that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable. And the point is that things are changing, and people need to respect each other differently.”
Jason Bateman, David Cross, Tony Hale and Will Arnett are all canceled now. Sorry, but it’s true (Cross was already canceled before this, #fact). Arrested Development is canceled too, and it truly pains me to say that because it’s one of my favorite shows of all time. But this sh-t is unacceptable. Jessica Walter weeps openly as she talks about the pain caused by Tambor’s verbal harassment and all of the dudes just ignore her and minimize her and it’s awful. They’re awful. Not Walter and not Alia Shawkat, just the dudes are awful.
one small but very striking thing from that nyt arrested development interview: jason bateman essentially explaining "how the industry works" to jessica walter, as if she isn't an accomplished veteran of the same industry.
— david bynch (@soalexgoes) May 23, 2018
I can’t stop thinking about that NYT interview with the Arrested Development cast. It’s such a perfect distillation of men’s reflexive instinct to protect other men at the expense of women. And then men wonder why harassment — in all its forms — is still such a pervasive issue.
— Sarah Lerner (@SarahLerner) May 23, 2018
Jason Bateman is #1 on the call sheet of Arrested Development. Which means he sets the tone on set. The NYT interview makes it painfully clear that his show's set is a nightmare for women and anyone who enjoys not being humiliated at work. #Shame #TimesUp
— Jose Molina (@JoseMolinaTV) May 24, 2018
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I legit wanted to flip a table reading this. Watching the video was a million times worse. I wasn’t watching the show because of Tambor and Cross but now Netflix needs to cancel this. How dare they minimize the experience she had? And patronize her as if she hasn’t been working in the industry longer than Jason’s been alive?! Makes me scream.
F*ck Bateman. I’m done.
I loved AD, and was willing to overlook Tambor and Cross, but this is too far. Yet another example of how a man ‘process’ is valued more than the actual health and well being of a woman.
Shawkat, the most junior, is the only one who supported her. I’ll be watching her next product instead of AD.
Check out her show Search Party, it’s pretty good, I think it’s had 2 seasons so far, and she’s a producer on it too.
@lucy2 (Lucille 2? sorry I know future AD should be canceled, but man I will still love the old ones). Second the Search Party recommendation! I eyerolled at the idea of another show about Brooklyn millennials (being one I can say we are an over-studied group), but it’s unexpected, suspenseful, and really biting.
Yeah, my name is from Lucille2, and my avatar is Buster. 🙁 Tony Hale did comment that he apologized to Jessica personally, so I feel a tiny bit better about him, but not much.
Search Party season 1 took such an unexpected path, I was really surprised by it!
I had the same reaction. Couldn’t even bring myself to watch the video because I don’t want to rage any more than I already am this morning. This is so disappointing and disgusting.
I also saw on an article last night that Jason Bateman had to stick up for his wife publicly when she was assaulted by a man to give the claim legitimacy so you would think he understands why supporting a woman who has been harassed would be important.
This story gave me an actual panic attack while reading it on Jez yesterday. I didn’t recognize it as the trigger until I stepped back after getting called down, but my heart was racing, I couldn’t breathe, and ended up calling my husband for help. What kind of bullshit, glossing-over, f*cked up, gaslighting approach… Bateman is canceled for me. Tambor obviously already was, and across after the Charlene Yi thing, but… this is f*cked up.
Also, how many women recognize what Jessica Walter is feeling in that moment?
You bet. That mix of shame, fear, guilt and anger?
That this is maybe her taking it too seriously, or maybe not enough, and everyone says it’s nothing and she likes her job and maybe she shouldn’t make a fuss and… on and on.
Women taking on the emotional burden that a man created by behaving Inappropriately. It’s a double punch of awful.
Hmm interesting reminder about Charlene Yi… which made me think, hey, Michael Cera wasn’t there. They were at least friends, if I remember correctly. I wonder how he would have reacted to this whole situation. Probably like the rest of them (except Alia).
Yeah, this is a bridge too far for me to cross in order to watch the show. She has been in the business for 60 years, so by all means, Bateman, mansplain to her how the business works.
I say we all go around flipping tables when stuff like this comes up. Then we can gently explain to men that it’s part of our “process” of coping with millennia of abuse and harassment.
LooseSeal-
YES YES YES. I am on board!!!
Arg! Jason Bateman starts almost every quote with “not to belittle what happened, but…”. DUDE, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING. It’s like there is a tiny voice in his head telling him that he is minimizing and mansplaining. He is acknowledging that voice but he just can’t shut up. He just can’t stop himself.
I am in the process of teaching a “Respect in the Workplace” training at my office. Most complaints aren’t intended to get the other person fired. They just want the unwanted behavior to stop. No one wants to be perceived as a trouble maker and unfortunately many times victims carry this burden more heavily than the offender. I see this actress taking on the responsibility of balancing the message… sharing her truth but also saying she’d work with him again. The victim shouldn’t feel responsible for the repercussions of another persons bad choices, but with the others minimizing what happened, they are putting her in a position where she has to do the same.
I read about this last night and was shaking with anger. Maybe these clueless dudes should SHUT UP AND LISTEN.
Just look at her IMDB. She’s been working for YEARS. If she says she’d never been yelled at like that before, then you have to believe her. These guys are complete a**holes with absolutely no respect for her.
I think the only reason Will Arnett piped down is because his new movie Show Dogs normalizes child molestation and grooming (google it). There dudes are all canceled for me.
I was waiting for this article this morning. I completely agree with EVERYTHING you said. I can’t wait for the non-apologies. I was actually sickened reading the NYT piece.
Jessica Walter is amazing.
thank goodness I can still enjoy Archer without wondering about the actors.
Sure, if you skip the episodes guest starring Tambor and cross. 😂
I wish POS men would stop ruining good shows lol
What?!
No….dont ruin Archer for me.
I know!! 😩 @ LAK
But Tambor was the voice of torvald utne I believe (and probably a few others). And cross was the nerdy pirate working on his dissertation in the Heart of Archness episodes. 😕
I watched Play Misty for Me again the other night, and she is a standout in that role. I wish she’d revisited that role with Jeffrey. Don’t cross Evelyn!
There is no excuse for verbally attacking someone. Jason is revealing a lot about himself by dismissing it as a “process”. Maybe we have some closet rageaholics disguised as “nice”?
That was a damn good film and she was great.
Agree about Jessica. She is a class act, and always has been. I only listened to a small snippet and when Jessica started crying I had to stop.
@ LAK And I ❤️ Mallory Archer, but goddamn, Lucille Bluth is my spirit animal. I would watch anything this woman was in. She even made the 90210 remake moderately watchable for a few episodes! 😍
Ugh. I just lost all respect for Hale, Arnett and Bateman. Damn it!
Why is it acceptable for an actor to be awful just because it’s his “process”? It blows my mind.
I am most disappointed by Tony Hale.
Me too. I love him in VEEP.
I was going to say the same. Bateman and Arnett don’t surprise me, but Hale? Very disappointing.
Ugh. The old artistic license to be an abusive ahole excuse. But I won’t cancel the show b/c that would punish Jessica walter too. But Bateman ‘s a jerk for rationalizing.
Washington Post had a detailed breakdown of the exchange. It’s worth reading for its horror value. Link:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/05/24/arrested-development-star-jessica-walter-addresses-jeffrey-tambors-verbal-harassment-her-male-co-stars-defend-him/?utm_term=.4e99ac2dbaec
This is incredibly upsetting. I love the show, and respected a lot of these actors, but not anymore.
I’m disgusted that they would not let Jessica say her piece and own her feelings. I’m disgusted that they defended someone who is abusive onset, rather than coming together to stop it. And I’m disgusted that only the young woman, with little clout in the business, is the one with enough guts to stick up for what is right.
Tambor was there, btw. And apparently will Arnett did not defend him, but also did nothing to back up Jessica.
I am so sick of this idea of the fragile male ego, who gets to be abusive, angry, and act like a spoiled child, because he’s an “artist”.
Yes to everything you said. This exchange proves, yet again, why women can be hesitant to come forward. My heart goes out to Walter, having to endure insult on top of injury.
Exactly. And it happens all the time. Dustin Hoffman mocked Meryl Streep’s partner who had just passed on the set of Kramer vs Kramer, Jared Leto sent Margot Robbie a dead animal on Suicide Squad, etc. The list goes on.
But it’s always couched in “but I’m an ACTOR and it’s for the performance!” as if it’s a carte blanche for actors to torture and abuse their co-workers. Plenty of actors like Jessica Walter have put together very impressive resumes without acting like an asshole.
If this is how Jeffrey Tambor gets into character on a sitcom, he needs to do some therapy or find a new career.
Meanwhile, women, who are apparently never artists, are just bitches and “difficult”.
Hey, let me mansplain your own feelings to you so you know they’re wrong.
Read this on another site and left the same comment. This behavior is prima facie evidence of a hostile work environment, against which Ms. Walter is protected by the Constitution, as well as other federal and state (depending on certain jurisdictional issues) law. She should sue those assholes individually, and the show as well. Can’t believe they were dumb enough to go on record like that. Fuckwits.
Kaiser, I’m pretty sure Tambor was in the room for the interview… made it that much more awkward. Xx
ETA: Reading the full NYT piece gave me a rage stroke. This is gaslighting and mansplaining and a culture of toxic masculinity. SO angry at Bateman’s repeated attempts to diminish Walter’s experience. She says repeatedly how hurtful it was and how it was unlike anything else in her 60 year career… and Bateman makes excuse after excuse. Eff you, buddy! And to think I loved Michael Bluth…. I literally watched an ep today. Pffft.
100% this!
“Don’t mess up our gravy train” seems to be his/their overriding concern.
F@ck these guys! Really? You are lecturing Jessica Walter about how the industry works??? She was an accomplished actress before Jason was an itch in his daddy’s pants!! Reactions like this are why so many women don’t come forward and are forced to suffer in silence.
Bateman has always given me bad vibes. Now there’s a reason why.
Ha, he hasn’t always given me bad vibes but definitely in recent years. It probably sounds crazy but I couldn’t even watch his latest show Ozark because something about him — smugness, arrogance, not exactly sure — came through beyond just his character portrayal.
If you’re crazy, I’m a step beyond you, so no judgment! He just always plays the smarmy “nice guy” – who isn’t actually nice.
Well, I’m still watching. It’s a great show and I don’t think her intentions were for people not to watch. Not watching also means not supporting her..so no. Not cancelled.
Wow. Just wow.
I agree. I’m watching for Jessica and for Alia and Portia (and the production staff and makeup and wardrobe etc). Sadly most of the shows and movies from the past and a lot from the present have male assholes on them. Many great male painters from Picasso to Pollack were raging sexists. Ditto lots of great literature. I’m ecstatic that males are being called out for their behavior and I’m hoping for a future where this stuff is not acceptable and women have co equal power and men suffer for their actions and other men chose their words wisely. Bateman is being called out, as he should be. It’s a big show and employs lots of people, I’m not throwing out the baby with the bath water.
She did say at length how much joy filming this show brings to her, and that she’d love to keep playing the character for years and years. This makes me question whether to watch/not watch.
I wonder if Portia deRossi has any similar stories about working with Jeffrey Tambor?
Was wondering the same thing… She said on Ellen she quit acting so maybe she doesn’t have anything to lose anymore and might back up Walter on this – not that she has any obligation to do so but it’d be validating since Walter’s male counterparts are a bunch of douchebags.
Jason posted a lengthy apology on his Twitter an hour ago. He’s getting an earful over his behavior in that interview.
Figured that would be coming. The outrage is understandable. I hope the apology is sincere and that he learned something, not just PR scrambling.
HIs apology screams to me of someone ashamed of being caught, basically disassociating what happened yesterday as not who he “really is.” Also he writes “yelling at work.” Verbal abuse, Jason. IT WAS VERBAL F-ING ABUSE!
Few things are worse than a group of men. They will not protect women. They will only protect themselves. They’re like a pack of wild hyenas. How many of us have encountered three or more men and been victim to their bullsh*t. Either at work, on the street, at a bar, ect. Are we really surprised that this group of men protected their boy?
It’s so easy to slap a pin on your tuxedo and give soundbites to the media about supporting Me Too, but here is the perfect example of when you need to stand up for women and all of them in that room failed to do what was right.
It’s infuriating listening to that clip and how Jessica has to put aside her own feelings and excuse Tambor’s behavior. She does not have to forgive him. She does not need to act that it’s okay to scream at her because he didn’t so anything sexual. And if you’re method as an actor is to belittle those around, your method sucks. Try pulling that crap in you’re average job and see how long you last.
Yeah, it was disheartening to read how she was sort of backed into saying she’d work with him again. I get that she wouldn’t want to hold onto anger but I can’t help but feel he doesn’t deserve such graciousness.
I was the only girl in a tight knit group of friends and once we got drunk and one of them drunkenly punched me in the face and broke my nose. No one did anything, no one protected me, no one asked me if I was all right. They all just looked very uncomfortable and like they were wishing the whole thing would disappear. One guy took the puncher aside and as I left for the hospital I saw the puncher crying and my friend comforting him. No one came with me to the hospital. The next day the caping began in earnest. I couldn’t be comfortable in a group with them anymore. The puncher didn’t apologize but had friends proxy apologize and acted like nothing happened. I told my friends I needed space with him and was told not to break up the family over this. I said I wasn’t trying to, I just needed space. Apparently I wasn’t part of the family I’d known since I was five because no one tried to get me back when I faded from the group.
I am sorry you had to experience this.
In a group situation, initial reactions are very telling. I wonder how the on-set dynamic will be for Jessica. Most of the cast showed who they are during that interview, just as your so-called friends did. Even though Jason has reacted to the blowback with a tweeted apology, I wonder how Jessica will be treated by them. Will there be any genuine concern, or a thinly veiled “you caused us trouble” attitude.
So sorry to hear this. Unfortunately reaffirms what I have been suspecting. No one cares.
It’s really mind boggling to me that all these men saw this woman crying, saw how deeply Tambor’s abusive behavior affected her, and still went out of their way to defend Tambor. That’s wild. The youngest person in the room was the only one with a hint of compassion.
I hope because of this PR nightmare, they’re not leaning on Ms. Walter to smooth it all over and say it’s not a big deal.
Bateman has an apology up on Twitter already. I do think he’s realized his error (now that everyone has pointed it out to him) but this doesn’t speak well for any of them. He needs to do better in the future, and I hope he has learned that.
Good that he knows enough to apologize but damn that was disappointing. I will say his apology seems thoughtful and sincere.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?! JESSICA WALTER – UNDISPUTED QUEEN – WITH TEARS IN HER EYES, EXPLAINS HOW BAD IT WAS AND NO ONE SAVE FOR A 20-SOMETHING YOUNG WOMAN SPEAKS UP FOR HER? ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME.
I am so disappointed in Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Tony Hale (who seemed like such a freaking sweetheart). She is crying in front of them and they make excuse after excuse. There’s only one thing they should have said: “How he behaved is inexcusable, and I am sorry I did not step in when I witnessed it. We have been so brainwashed that we think abuse in any form is acceptable in this industry and part of the price we pay to be a part of it. It is not.”
I have mentioned before that I recently experienced workplace harassment. I tried to deal with it myself by basically being invisible. It continued. I contacted my boss (a female) who said everything right (“This is harassment. It has to stop. I am sorry.”) and because I was reticent to get HR involved (our specialty is a kind of small world where everyone knows each other, and I am leaving for a new job in another state in 1 year), she got a special third party involved who handles workplace disputes so it could be kept quiet. The harassment stopped. BUT when my boss checked up on me to ask me how I was doing and if the third party was helpful, she also added, “I’m glad it worked. I wasn’t sure what to do. Both of you are young and I was thinking about your careers.” I went cold. I don’t give a damn about his career. I thought I saw him in the hallway yesterday and I broke out in a cold sweat and I am not a nervous person. If he attempts something again, I am going nuclear.
His career is damaged by his own behaviour. Not mediation.
Document what that boss said. And anything else like that. If he’s not gone, sadly,, you may need it later.
Oh, I text my co-worker all of what happens, so it’s there in the texts. I used it when I talked to the third party.
You’re so right detritus. I’m sick of people saying “these accusations will destroy his career!” No, HE destroyed his own career when he chose to harass, assault, abuse, etc.
You go, kNY. I’m sending you good vibes.
Screw that dude’s career.
Thanks!
Sending positive vibes and strength to weather the bullsh*t your way!
I’ve been through something like this myself. I went through the whole formal third-party mediation process thinking the person in the right would prevail. Turns out my boss decided to protect his boy (even after admitting to me that the guy’s behaviour was wildly unacceptable) and went after me and all of my witnesses/supporters, all of whom ended up quitting or were eventually fired. Harasser still has his job after only getting a letter about his behaviour put in his HR file and I’m still so disgusted by how the boys club circled around a truly despicable person rather than just be decent human beings.
It’s the same story everywhere, I guess.
I am so sorry – it’s alarming how men (and some women) will protect abusers. Part of why I didn’t go to HR is because if it got out, I feel they would have sided with him, said I was too sensitive and that he was just joking. He was not. It was awful.
There are no bounds to my love for Jessica Walter and this is beyond awful. She is a show business VETERAN.
She started out strong with THE GROUP and LILITH, but fell prey to the boy’s club that Hollywood became in the late 60s/early 70s. Unlike so many other actresses of that period who weren’t stars, she kept working. It may have been dreck like ‘The Love Boat’ and ‘Fantasy Island’ but she kept going through the 80s and 90s.
I was so happy to see her finally get the kind of role worthy of her talents that Lucille Bluth has been and it breaks my heart to hear that’s how she was treated by Tambor and how she was dismissed by her male colleagues.
Like someone said above, I don’t want to stop watching the show because she’s still on it as well, but the rest of their work, never again.
I scanned Walter’s credits on IMDB and it’s littered with TV movies, PORKY’S rip-offs and cameos. Plus she also did the summer stock circuit for years as well.
In other words, she’s travelled the lowest rungs of the show business ladder and for her to say that Tambor’s behavior is the worst she’s experienced speaks volumes.
Wow, that is a great point, Neelyo.
Tambor actually was there, he just shut up real fast when his behaviour came up and let the other guys act as his defence.
The whole thing is so goddamn infuriating. The guys all falling over themselves to make sure Tambor’s feelings aren’t hurt whilst ignoring Walter crying in front of them. F$&@ing Jason Bateman mainsplaining the industry to a woman who was part of it before he was born. The relentless and wildly varied attempts to minimise. The way they just ignore the fact that Walter is being extremely clear and isn’t actually leaving it open to interpretation, and proceed to put their own spin on it RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER.
Ugh. AD is seriously my favourite show ever, but I won’t be watching Season 5.
Pretty sure that tambor WAS there for the interview bc JW spoke to him directly??
He was, and she did.
I think that a lot of the time when you’re working on the same show for years you kind of become a ‘family’ of sorts. There’s benefits from that – but also the same kind of negatives that come with most ‘real’ families.
And it sucks. But I think it kind of becomes instinct for them to defend their tv dad. It doesn’t make it okay. And it’s something that needs to change. They could have easily said “I’ve had great experiences with him – but what he did to you was absolutely unfair, and uncalled for, and we support you”. It’s something that needs to get drilled into their heads. People need to be held accountable. And there are a lot of real families out there where one person is a great to deal with most of the time – but when they blow up they BLOW UP. And it doesn’t AT ALL excuse the behavior. Others’ shouldn’t have to walk on eggshells to avoid it.
I am so glad that Alia called them out on that. I’m glad she was there to support Jessica.
I’ll probably watch the show. I don’t want Alia and Jessica and everyone else who has done nothing wrong to be penalized for this. But I’m not going to go out of my way to support the others in any other endeavors.
Erinn, thoughtful remarks. I do think it’s easy to underestimate the “family” dynamic that develops on the set of a long-filming series. I can understand the instinct to try to smooth things over and keep things relatively positive; that is the only thing mitigating my outrage a little. But since that meant the men throwing Walters under the bus in this case, of course it was absolutely not okay. And, yes, I don’t want to penalize Alia and Jessica for the men’s assholery, though I will not support anything Tambor is in ever again.
wow – I thought I liked all those men.
Ugh.
The pressure into being accommodating towards men’s feelings is usually on women, isn’t it? Men act like a pack, protective of one another and we “let it go” because not doing so will make you look like a bitter nag and god forbid women complain…
Yep. My mother’s husband has had mean outbursts and she has a history of protecting him (thankfully his outbursts are not extreme anymore and she is doing a better job of recognizing when he is being ridiculous). He has literally been rude to every important person in my mother’s life (mostly females – her daughters, sister, mother) and yet she texts us to remind us to wish him a happy birthday, father’s day, safe trip if he’s traveling, whatever. I don’t anymore.
oops
Yes, I can’t help but think that that was a huge factor in Jessica’s decision to forgive him. It’s her business, of course; maybe letting go helps her cope better, but nothing happens in a vacuum. I can her being the one to be pulled aside and asked to not “make a scene” when Tambor went on a rampage. She’s sticking up for herself as much as possible in this interview, but you can tell it isn’t easy.
Totally right….’she didn’t want him not to work’ after berating and menacing behaviour towards her- she still took his career and feelings into account.
If you look at the photos, everyone was mugging and having fun, except Alia, who was putting on an “I’m not there for it” face. I wonder if she did the photos during/after the interview. And Bateman was really a poor actor in this interview–much worse than the other two (and I’ve never liked Cross.) But Tambor was the WORST. When Walter said she needed to forgive him and move on, he said, “Absolutely.” What an asshole. I can understand why Transparent cancelled him (even though, honestly, there seemed to be a “let’s get this old guy out of the way so we real trans people can live” vibe to some of the comments they made.)
I will always be impressed by the strength of women. Alia Shawkat was amazing to stick up for Walter that way. I second the commenter who said she’d watch Alia’s next project instead of AD.
What stood out to me was how one or more of the men kept saying essentially, “actors on this show are like family, and family members do and say horrible things to each other, so it’s ok if we in our work environment do and say horrible things to each other.” Just gross.
Yes, that’s how they’re rationalizing it. Not okay.
Jessica Walter has more talent in her little finger than all of these jerks combined. She is the best part of that show and it’s disgusting that she was allowed to be treated like this. Good for her for speaking her truth. Good for Alia for backing her up.
I started getting into the show very late, and honestly as soon as the stuff about Tambor came out I quit watching it because for me it really taints the whole experience. I’ve never liked Bateman because in roles like Juno and State of Play he seems too good at playing those slimy smarmy characters and something about him triggers the part of me that’s survived two-faced psychopaths and makes me feel uneasy. I’m not saying he’s a psychopath bit he triggers that part of me. So that he said that I feel like my inner misgiving about him was right. I really wonder if it would have gone differently if the other women on the show were there.
Did Will Arnett say anything? I read it yesterday and I thought he was silent. Bateman did most of the talking, no? It was a travesty, but I’m not sure Arnett was involved. Though of course, he did not speak up FOR her either.
Yes, that’s it. He did not defend Tambor, but did not stand up for Walters either.
Yes, he apparently was silent which, while not as bad as actively defending the abuser, is still pretty shitty. How hard is it to say “It’s a work place and we need to remain professional and respectful of each other.”?
Yes, men instinctively protect other men. I think this is because bad behavior is so pervasive that most men fear their own bad acts will come out. When they defend another man, they are in fact being defensive. I went through a long, extremely stressful sexual harassment battle at work a few years ago. I wonder now how differently it could have turned out, now that me too and time’s up are part of the conversation. In discussing this with a friend yesterday, I said, you know, I have been harassed in one form or another in every job I have ever had, since i was 13 years old but those other times it was the “usual” type of harassment, the insidious, engrained in our culture type. How programmed are we to accept excuses like Bateman’s? And when i looked back even further, I can remember as young as 5 being sexually harassed by “older” boys while I was playing at the park. I can remember being laughed at by boys in class because I was a very good student and not afraid to speak up in class and answer the teacher’s questions. My personal experience is that women are harassed and diminished from very young ages. It was not until the harassment at work was so extreme and overt and that I had text messages and witnesses that I reported it.
Thanks for telling your story..it speaks volumes about how we are often expected to accept varying degrees of abuse because we’re told from a young age ‘oh, that’s just how boys act’.
Everything you have to say is right on
I’m so disgusted by all of this, I’ve just heard. I have been a fan of JB’s for years, I had no idea he was such a dismissive pack leader interested in only himself.
What about AD executive producer Ron Howard? I guarantee you that if someone yelled at Bryce like that (or even close to it), then he’d have him fired. In a heartbeat.
I’d like to think he’d do that for anyone being harassed on one of his projects, not just his daughter. I’m curious to see if he comments on this.
I find it hard to believe that this is the first he’s heard about it.
I hate that I have to cancel Jason Bateman. But he is officially cancelled.
Thomas Sadoski has a really wonderful take on this: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjJf0kHFTrQ/?hl=en&taken-by=thomas_sadoski
Sounds like the male cast needs some workplace harassment training from Thomas.
Hollywood truly is removed from the world. Those yapping guys who were defending their man-baby daddy figure probably didn’t realize they were openly helping the plaintiff in a lawsuit (if JW chose to go that route).
Yes, I just read this after seeing the link in an NPR article. I really loved that he had no qualms about blasting the lot of them. Makes me even happier that his show Life in Pieces was renewed.
This needs to stop! Men defending men who don’t deserve it! Ugh. Maybe they were trying to protect the show?! Either way totally unnacceptable!!!!
Tambor would have never pulled this crap on a man. Hope the backlash continues.
Yep. All the men and the show are canceled.
The first time I watched Jessica Walter was in The Group, if you can find it, by all means watch it. I’m going to take this thread a bit further, but has anyone read this article in Jezebel?
https://jezebel.com/dead-girls-and-our-sweet-quiet-boys-1826193367
This really captures what it’s like to be a woman, doesn’t it? What horrifying behavior from these men.
Thomas Sadoski (hubby of Amanda Seyfried and seemingly good dude) posted a picture on Instagram of him and Jessica Walter and WENT OFF about how infuriating this interview was. It’s delightful.
I felt terrible reading that. I’m glad she dug in and didn’t let go, but it’s obvious that what he did hurt. It’s her choice to forgive him, but it seems forced, like someone told HER to ‘forgive and forget’ to keep the peace.
Consider this, too: In SIXTY YEARS, this is the worst she’s encountered. What he did exceeds all of the misogynistic, condescending and sexualizing behaviour that occurred in the 50s-90s. We thought shit was bad then, and it was, but Tambor outdid all of that. Scary.
Exactly.
I’ve seen Bateman’s apology and it rings hollow. The way he immediately jumped up to try and minimize Tambor’s behavior and the extent to which he tried to explain it away is quite revealing. Notice how he starts the apology by trying to defend himself and say that he wasn’t actually trying to do the very things he did? Mercy.
This nonsense won’t end or at least it won’t be mitigated until women are in enough positions of power to where men have to listen to us and consider how things affect us because it will affect their livelihoods and social standing.
Bateman’s apology sounds like it was written by a PR person. It ticks all the boxes of the criticisms being made about his behavior. It does not sound genuine at all. These people suck.
Men protect men. I had to sue the company I worked for because my boss, the VP of HR, sent around a vulgar and sexually explicit email to his male buddies in the company, all of whom I worked with, pretending to be me. I found it and long story short went home, hired a lawyer and sued for harassment and creating a toxic work relationship. I got a year’s salary and benefits but also lost all my friends and colleagues at said company because they sided with him. I’m sure the story got changed into “oh it was just a silly prank but she blew it all out of proportion”. But to this day I’m proud of what I did which was to stand up against blatant, humiliating and hurtful harassment. I’m proud of Jessica for coming out and stating a horrible fact, and disgusted by her male co-workers who presented a united front against her. Shame on them.
So glad you did that, Jaded. Some people can’t afford to fight back with a lawyer for various reasons. Your actions probably made things better for many other folks. Also, you deserved that settlement.
They’ll probably never get it, but you without question did the right thing, and I’m glad you were successful in suing. I hope you’ve found a better environment to work in now.
Jessica was literally confronting her abuser in this situation. Tambor was sitting in the room, and she tried to make her feelings clear, and she was being dismissed and spoken over or immediately having Tambor’s abusive behavior explained away by her co-workers and, most vocally, by the lead on the show. She continued to try and speak up, attempting to ensure her point came across, and most vocally, Bateman and Cross kept pushing back at her, to the point that she began crying, and they STILL didn’t shut the fuck up. Alia Shawkat was the only one to push back at all the men in the room to recognize that Tambor was wrong. Alia could be blackballed for sticking up for Jessica because of this boy’s club bullshit.
I would love to be on the text thread that surely happened between Will Arnett and Amy Poehler when this article came out. Amy is so outspoken about feminism and raising their kids to be feminists and humanists. Will alternately went silent or attempted to lighten the mood instead of calling Bateman out, leaving Alia Shawkat to say “Hey, motherfuckers!!!” That’s cowardly.
Cross also wouldn’t shut the fuck up (not surprised), and Hale made me sad. I was pretty disappointed in Arnett, though, and I’m sure Amy has railed his ass for not standing up for Jessica, and secondarily, not being a role model to their children. This goes against everything she fights for. Regardless of whether they were trying to “smooth things over” or “calm everyone down”, they fucked up. These motherfuckers should be ashamed.
De Rossi and Cera weren’t there, but the shit between Charlene Yi and Cross can’t make things comfortable between Cross and Cera anyway. I also have no doubt that De Rossi, married to arguably one of the biggest humanists and activists of our time, and has quit the acting business sans AD, would have had no issue telling all of them to shut the fuck up and listen. I don’t think Cera would’ve stood for it, either.
Also, Thomas Sadoski fucking rules.
**Added while waiting for approval-I just listened to the audio clip. Hearing Jessica sobbing, Alia pushing back, and Bateman not only dismiss both of them, but loudly speak over them, has fucking ruined Bateman for me, who was one of my top 3 favorite actors. Seriously, listen to the audio. You need to hear that terrible asshole for yourself.**
Amber Tamblyn is such an outspoken advocate for women – I wonder what conversations are happening at her house right now.
Doesn’t Bateman have twin girls? (I could be wrong.) Doesn’t Arnett have a daughter? Are these guys going to accept their own children being treated the same way?