It was bad luck for everybody involved that the Ocean’s Eight trailer came out in the same week that everybody came to the late realization that Matt Damon is an absolute jackass. Matty D has given a series of absolutely terrible interviews in which he criticized the victims of sexual abuse and harassment, mansplained the levels of harassment and dictated how upset people should be for each level, and cast himself as one of the few enlightened souls who could properly adjudicate which sexual predators can keep their careers. This week of sh-tty press came months after Matt completely mishandled the questions specific to Harvey Weinstein, and it came a few years after he was a racist douche to Effie Brown.
So, basically, Matt Damon is canceled. Or he should be canceled, far and wide. The problem is that he has some kind of cameo in Ocean’s Eight. Plot details are closely guarded, but we know that Matt is one of the few “original Ocean’s cast members” to have a cameo in the all-girls movie. Now there’s a petition to get him edited out of the film! I don’t think people are asking for Christopher Plummer to be cast in Matt’s role or anything, they just want Matt edited out completely, which could be easy enough to do if he only has a cameo. You can see (and sign) the petition here. Thousands of people have signed the petition so far, and here’s why:
The all-female reboot of Oceans 8 was supposed to be an empowering film for women. The movie spotlight the talents of its tremendous female cast and showcase the savvy and prowess of its characters. But that was before allegations that Matt Damon — who has a well-publicized cameo in Oceans 8 — not only ignored but enabled his friend Harvey Weinstein’s inappropriate behavior by trying to squash a New York Times report in 2004 that detailed instances where Weinstein had used his position as a high-powered studio executive to harass and even assault women.
Damon also recently gave an interview where said he’d still work people who had been accused of sexual misconduct, on a “case-by-case” basis. This behavior is beyond enabling — it’s just gross. Matt Damon should not be in this movie.
Damon’s inclusion would trivialize the serious nature of the charges against sexual abusers like Weinstein — a show massive disrespect for the brave women speaking out. It would also send a terrible message about the inevitability of — and lack of accountability for — sexual harassment in the workplace that four in ten American women experience.
I’m calling on Oceans 8 producers George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh to toss Damon’s Oceans 8 cameo where it belongs: on the cutting room floor. Will you join me?
You know who I miss now? The late, great Bernie Mac. Bernie would have been great for a cameo. They can’t get Casey Affleck because… yeah, well, he’s even worse than Matt. Scott Caan is kind of useless. Brad Pitt…? I could see why Brad wouldn’t do it. So the answer is quite simple: hire Don Cheadle for a cameo. His character was always so weird anyway, why not have him turn up in Ocean’s Eight?
Also: the Daily Beast had a good piece about why Matt is Hollywood’s Large Adult Son. Matt Damon is the Dreaded Laramie of Hollywood, basically.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Warner Bros.
Yeeees! F&uck him anyway…
100% support this. Matt and his medieval ideas making a cameo in any women-centric film is pathetic.
Signed the petition, as should every woman. This behavior must stop!
I did too. Enough is enough.
Men who enable help keep this atmosphere from changing. He has to go. Over and over he proved he does not get it. Not one bad interview. You can forgive that but what are we up to now?
How many horrible things has he done?
He can take the Afflecks with him.
I signed it too.
Julia roberts , catherine zeta jones and ellen barkin should do the cameos
excellent point, I’d love to see that!
Agreed. More ladies. At the very least Julia because she helped with the schemes eventually
I can’t see any of those ladies pulling off a decent cameo. A cameo that doesn’t look like they’ve wandered into a film stage. Much like ed sheeran GOT or Jimmy Fallon Band of Brothers.
Damon had a major role in the 1st movie and most successful of the reboot. His cameo is probably tied in well.
Ellen Barkin. I want that.
This makes me a little bit happy. It won’t happen, but I hope he knows people are pissed at him, and that he needs to start reassessing how he thinks about things.
Me too.
I won’t sign the petition (it’s only a cameo and I’d bet for just a few seconds) but I’m glad someone is showing him that backlash is not only online, it’s going to hit his wallet too, sooner or later.
And given that some Star Wars fancretins started a petition to remove some women from The Last Jedi (too many women!! The horror! No respect for traditions!! It was a men’s fest until this cr@p movie!), this one about Matt Damon seems, at least, to have a point.
I think it will be good for him, so he understands that the Sun doesn’t shine out of his a**e, but at this point there are not a large number of signatures. I know it seems like a lot, but there are a lot of trolls out there who would gladly jump on any bandwagon. It serves the anti-liberal brigade too because they hate him and the story is getting some backlash.
Does the cameo involve the ladies pushing him in front of a speeding train if so i’ll be first in line when it opens.
Haha I’d pay top dollar to see that!
This is wonderful news. Finally that douche is being brought down a peg or two.
Lmao! Perfect.
Lol!!!!!
I can just see Matt crying out in frustration. ‘But I didn’t rape anyone!!!’
And women around the world responded: dear Matt, like you said, we are viewing men case by case and you showed yourself to be a d bag.
Good one.
*nods*
But it’s true. He has done nothing illegal, nor has he condoned anything illegal. He has only been guilty of political incorrectness and not reading and understanding the way people feel. If we start removing cameos on the basis of people not saying the things we want them to say, it becomes a very slippery slope.
Of course the only reason that the studio would do it is if they believe that financially it’s the right thing to do – (significantly) more people will see the film without him in it than with him. So are you saying that you won’t see it as is in any paid format, but will commit to seeing it if they amend it?
@Kate: I won’t sign the petition, but he’s not being cancelled for “political incorrectness”. This term is being misused frequently to couch tragic opinions as unpopular reality. Damon’s comments were horrible and the worst of them were not included in the petition. He was way too sure of himself and his popularity that he thought he could pull off being the perpetrators apologists. He’s cancelled for good in my book.
Kate, workplace harassment IS illegal. And he knew about Weinstein’s harassment and bullying and did nothing. That IS condoning something illegal in my book.
In this case, it is the sum of all the things he has said and done for the last several years. He has been given a lot of chances and passes over and over.
I don’t like overly SJW correctness sometimes because it can be reactionary at times and I believe a wrong foot here, and there can help someone grow, but a definite pattern is a problem.
I agree with you Kate. People are allowed to have a difference of opinion. No matter how horrible I find their views. If you don’t like it then don’t see the movie.
Kate, I can’t agree more with you. Everyone has a right to their opinion and beliefs. I don’t agree with any sexual harassment what so ever; it’s unacceptable. However, it’s also wrong to blame and harass people (victims or not) who didn’t speak up.
Good idea and hopefully he will not be in the movie where it’s an all female cast.
A man who doesn’t understand the trauma the victims goes through when raped, sexually harassed, bullied and silenced – doesn’t belong in a movie where they celebrate women.
I have always said that the reason men had been “ruling” over us is because we women let them.
With Trump being elected President – we women finally said enough is enough. We won’t be silenced anymore and we are demanding the same respect we give men.
We won’t need diligence but will follow the Gandhi way – protest and don’t spend any money on these predators…
I haven’t cancelled him because I’m not giving up on my Bourne movies, I’m still going to watch them, and love them just as much.
If he’s not removed from Ocean’s Eight, I’ll still watch it.
I will not support any future movies he headlines, though.
He is cancelled for me. Meaning I won’t see any future movies with him.
But… heck I won’t throw away my Bourne dvds!!
The Bourne series comes in book form, too. Way better than the movies. The author is Robert Ludlum.
LadyD, I’ve read the books, several times. Ludlum was one of my favourite authors. I still love the movies, and Damon was exactly the Bourne I pictured back then.
Gotta admit, they did well when they picked him to play Jason. I was hooked from the first Bourne book, too. My grandmother got me into spy novels, (Alastair McLean ftw), and I will be forever grateful to her for introducing me to that world.
That doesn’t make any sense compartmentalizing this. You are either in or out supporting women not in the muddy water.
It doesn’t have to make sense to you. Damon being a tone deaf insensitive prick is not enough for me to throw away my favourite movies.
You do you, and I’ll do me. It’s not up to you to tell me how to show support.
@Peeking, if you spend money on Bourne movies again, you are supporting someone who has said horrible things in this discussion.
If what you’re saying means that you watch DVDs you already have, it’s different, because you are not throwing money (=power) at him again.
I must say that I find it hard to like movies where these douchebags have significant roles. I used to think Ian McKellen was all that was good, but I was wrong (again).
I decided some people are so terrible all of their work is canceled and those are the predators like Allen, Polanski, Spacey, Singer, CK and then there is the “from now on” club and that is Damon and the Afflecks. It sounds like a 60s band. lol
It has to be personal and sustainable in my opinion.
A petition is a good idea because it hits actors where it hurts and that is in their ego and image.
I am not going that route for actresses though except Kate Winslet. This is because of her post-October behavior and even after Dylan made a plea. Actresses have less choice and a lot less power but from here out I won’t support anyone who excuses predators and works with them.
I’m going to see Ocean’s 8, and I’m not going to let what amount to one minute of Matt Damon’s face ruin it for me.
Unlike Depp’s face ruining Fantastic Beasts.
Agreed. When I was watching FB and JD was suddenly there, it was quite unpleasant and completely took me out of the film. I’ll not watch the next one.
I won’t let him ruin it for the ladies. They need this to be a hit to show that women can open and sell a film. He has already done his damage, and his fat head is in the movie already so I signed the petition but will go anyway.
Totally agree. If you don’t see the movie because you don’t want to support Matt’s 2 minute cameo, your actually hurting/not supporting the women in the movie more. The fact that that’s not clear to everyone on here is ridiculous.
We’ve come a long way since Mike Tyson’s cameo in The Hangover.
He’s just such a tool. “The preponderance of men don’t do this thing” – OH REALLY? So you’ve never hit on a coworker in the middle of work? Or told her she was pretty? You’ve never gone up to a woman at the bar and drunkenly slurred things to her? You’ve never repeatedly called a girl, even after she’s said “yeah naw” to you? You’ve never “asked for consent” in a way that didn’t allow her to *fully* consent? You’ve never put your hand a bit lower down on a woman’s back during photo calls? STFU, Damon. You really are a tool.
Donna Cheadle FTW!!!
agree. since they can’t get the late, great Bernie Mac (I MISS YOU BERNIE!), then Don Cheadle would be the next choice.
Yep. He is hilarious in Funny or Die skits.
Bernie Mac…sniff He would have been great.
This is not fair. People just don’t understand me. I mean, I married a person of (almost) color right off the bar, a real world woman, I am so down to earth, I even made a cook cameo in The Entourage. Why are people not understanding me? I am all about the arts without considering personal aspects of life. Haters just want to hate, I just don’t get why people hate me so much when I am not even a racist. Signed off, tone-deaf Matt Damon.
cool cameo not cook!
And he has daughters ! Lots of them!
LOL!!! But only they count.
I mean, to be completely honest, I know his cameo won’t keep me from buying a ticket for the movie. I do get why people would want him to be edited out, though, and I support it. Also, just a random fun fact I got from someone who worked on the set: Apparently Awkwafina’s character will be some sort of equivalent to Matt’s Linus (similar type of con artist).
The problem with all the cancelling this one and that one is all this shunning of bystanders to real crimes may wind up cancelling women’s voices instead. I want the culture of complicity that protects people like Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby to end, but attacking Matt or Meryl as though they are guilty of actual crimes is not the way to accomplish that. Matt may be an entitled ass, and wrong, but really all he’s done is say things I disagree with. Same with Meryl. I don’t believe either of them when they claim they didn’t know, but I fear that pillorying people like them is going to lead to backlash.
“but I fear that pillorying people like them is going to lead to backlash.”
Your last thought is spot on. It’s probably already happening.
And a petition to get him edited out is silly, absolutely silly.
Thank God there are some logical people around here. This whole boycotting someone for saying something is getting f*ing ridiculous. Do you think that’s the proper way to affect change? Is not seeing Matt Damon’s face in a LARGELY FEMALE CAST movie worth bringing down the entire project?? This is the same thing that happened with Feminism and why people don’t want to publicly align themselves with the movement, lest they move from “men and women are equal” to “MEN SUCK; KILL THEM ALL”. Jesus Christ.
Also love that there is a petition to get Matt Damon out of a cameo, but not against all the douchebags that actually did the assaulting. Priorities, people.
@Jayem, spot on.
Yaaaas! Exactly.
Agreed. All this cancelling is silly and shortsighted. Bigger fish to fry than Matt Damon.
Not at all.
There are enough people and enough forms of entertainment to easily not consume anything headlined by douches. By mindlessly consuming their ‘art’ we have given them the power to behave as they do. And that includes myself.
Hollywood movies are not the only movies by which you can be entertained. Try a foreign movie some time. And if you think that’s pretentious, realize that Hollywood movies are foreign movies to the great majority of the world and they watch them too.
If not that, why not visit a gallery, performance, musical, book reading, sports event with women headliners?
And after writing this, I just discovered a Finnish movie on Netflix set in the seventeenth century, called Devil’s Bride. It shows exactly the lengths (some, not all) men go to when it comes to blaming women as long as they get to harass us.
Nothing silly about this centuries-long conspiracy.
Even more ridiculous that men call #metoo a witch hunt in the light of this.
I am not a big canceler because it can get overdone but that is my opinion. And other people have their own boundaries and tolerance levels.
With Damon though it is about his treatment of Effie Brown, his championing of Casey and deflecting questions when he knows Casey has more victims than reported, his associations with HW and ongoing stupid statements.
I am not canceling Quentin, Clooney or anyone except the predators. Not women, as if they could have done anything. This is because other innocent people work on films without any glory.
I am going to see this film regardless of him. It is a cameo and not lead. *shrug*
I don’t see Meryl as being anywhere near the level of Matt.
She might or might not have known. Matt is actively saying we should be talking about the men who don’t rape instead of the victims.
I’ll see the movie either way.
good. asshat
I don’t think that all sexual harassment is equal. Getting an appraising look, hearing a comment, and being touched are not the same levels of offense, to me.
I’m not offended when a male co-worker, knowing I’m nervous about giving a big presentation, tells me that I “look good’ just before I take the podium. A pat on the shoulder when I say I’m leaving work because the vet just phoned & my dog has to be put down? Nothing offensive there to me.
Some comments are offensive & sensible women should be able to differentiate without screaming “sexual harassment” every time they hear a male voice. If a lesbian female speaks a compliment to a woman or touches her arm, is that harassment? By earlier comments in this thread, maybe so. A lesbian boss I once had complimented my child on her appearance. Egads!!!
“tells me that I “look good’ just before I take the podium. ”
I would scorch him, to be honest.
All sexual harassment is not equal only in front of the law. Personally, I’m disgusted by all of it. They need to keep their inane comments to themselves. Also, I don’t give a d@am if I look good before lecturing others or presenting anything. As long as I am clean and showered (exactly like the men do!) I am fine.
I understand what you are saying about the compliment. I had almost the same situation, a big speech. I was petrified and my (male) co-worker gave me a pep talk right before and at the end of it told me I look amazing, which made me smile, boosted my confidence and helped me relax. I did great by the way! And maybe every woman doesn’t “need” a compliment to do well. I suppose I don’t “need” one either, but it made me feel good in the moment.
I agree. I know it’s the wrong thing to say these days because we have to run full tilt with every accusation, but I hate how Harvey Weinstein is going into the same bucket as Al Franken in the annals of history. Serial rapist and predator with 80 accusers is NOT the same thing as grabbing a woman’s waist, not even close. I read a comment by someone who was sexually assaulted, meaning raped a gunpoint, lamenting that her trauma and years of therapy are minimized by women calling a butt grab sexual assault. And now we’re going to throw Matt Damon in the bucket for speaking? This is the movement going too far.
No one and I mean absolutely NO ONE is equating Al Frankeen with Weinstein. People are just looking for reasons to be against this movement. The fact that Al Frankeen had to pay a price doesn’t mean he’s in the same bucket as HW. If after Weinstein we only expected “equal” predators to be outed, there would have been less than 5 cases.
A woman being raped at gunpoint is tragic, but that doesn’t make her a know-it-all on other people’s suffering. There are degrees of EVERYTHING in this world. And they all matter in their own context.
@Samantha:
“People are just looking for reasons to be against this movement.”
You are completely right. People are always looking to be against any woman sticking up for women. Even women who say logical things like: “my safety is more important than being polite” are being called feminazi’s or worse.
The people under scrutiny in Hollywood are not the ones who said “you look nice”, but rapists, men who pulled their dick out and other harassers. Oh, and the people who try to minimize how bad these things are of course.
What does your looks have to do with you being nervous about giving a speech? They could have easily said don’t worry you’re going to do a great job, because they know you know what you’re doing and you got your speech lockdown.
Your looks don’t make you capable of giving a speech or being nervous about it.
Personally I’d rather have someone compliment my skill because they I know what I’m talking about then compliment my looks.
What does your looks have to do with you being nervous about giving a speech? They could have easily said don’t worry you’re going to do a great job, because they know you know what you’re doing and you got your speech lockdown.
Your looks don’t make you capable of giving a speech or being nervous about it.
Personally I’d rather have someone compliment my skills because they know that I know what I’m doing then compliment my looks.
Actually, looking good is part of it for me, when I know I look good, I have more confidence. It’s not important for everyone, but it is for me.
And of course my pep talk included all the good stuff about how I know my stuff, I’m a great presenter, etc., the “you look amazing!” was just a bonus. 🙂
@Taxi and @Morgan, I totally agree, and I think it’s also why Taylor Swift got a little bit of backlash for being the “voice against sexual assault”. This wealthy white woman can (counter)sue over someone squeezing her butt and yet none of Bill Cosby/Harvey Weinstein/Etc’s rape victims are even getting their cases tried, much less winning them. Yes, it’s still a sexual assault, but it’s like comparing a papercut to a stab would. You’re both bleeding, but one is far worse than the other.
@Jayem, Taxi was talking about compliments and you are already talking about squeezing a butt being like a paper cut.
A perfect example of what a slippery slope this is.
It is personal, and people have different histories, but some things that offend others don’t insult me such as a polite compliment, a platonic touch on the arm or an inquiry if I am interested in them or open to a date. It depends on the person and my relationship with them and how they approach me. If I say No and they accept a simple rebuff with no hard feelings, then I welcome an apology and move on.
Like I said the Al Franken thing was a setup and Gillibrand and the other women did not consult the rest of the party before falling into the trap and making a public statement. The proof is there but lesson learned. We can’t railroad anyone or behave like vigilantes. Rape is not the same as an arm around the waist for a photograph when we have been taking photos like that forever. I can’t expect retro knowledge and understanding in instances like that.
There are degrees, and we should use common sense and also recognize intention and take the character of the person into account as well the nature of the setting and our relationship.
A measured, thoughtful and fair result, in the long run, will change cultural norms and attitudes.
So this is off topic as far as Matt Damon goes, but I just can’t get excited for this movie. I get that they are all new characters and perhaps the storyline differs to some degree, but it still feels like being thrown the leftovers. All these movies that are like reboots or remakes or offshoots of male-centric originals are not exciting or empowering or gamechanging to me. How about some brand new ideas? Characters and story lines that are created wholly as women-centric? I don’t want to see a female James Bond – apart from not wanting to line the pockets of the original misogynistic creators who contributed to the sad state of affairs in Hollywood right now – I want to see somebody new. I loved Melissa McCarthy’s Spy more than any Bond. I haven’t seen Atomic Blonde but why couldn’t something like that be franchised instead of pushing for Charlize Theron to be the “first female Bond”?
Ok, back to Matt.
Most movies will be reboots at this point. And most actors will sign onto collaborating reboots. They pay well. They’re guaranteed to not be awful mostly. And they’re easy. With back end deals and possible sequels.
This movie looks entertaining enough.
If the cameo also includes Cherry Jones (who played his mom), it must stay.
I love Cherry Jones!! Wish she was one of the main characters to be honest. Then you’d really have a movie.
Love Cherry Jones!
Ummm… wasn’t Sarah Paulsen involved with Cherry at some point? Mind you, there are ways of keeping actors apart within a movie universe.
Welp… much as I dislike him and feel his comments were straight up douchebaggery, I’m not gonna vilify him and act like he’s guilty of criminal behavior like the other guys that have been accused of actually abusing folks…
Damon is a hypocrite douchbag, but let’s not vilify him like he’s done what the others have just cause he’s an idiot apologist.
Yawn
I view Damon’s actions like this. Weinstein is assaulting a woman. Damon walks by the hotel door. Hears the attack. And not only does he not help the woman. He actively tries to keep anyone from discussing this attack or helping the women. Even after they speak up.
He’s pretty awful. He knew. He knows. He did and does (blind item via Jessica chastain)all he can to silence victims and protect the assaulters.
He still is gonna get paid anyway for working on the film regardless of whether it ends on the cutting room floor or not.
Signed and shared to Facebook. Fuck that guy.
I signed the petition because this f*cker sucks!
Totally trivial issue.
But we’re still cool with having Cate Blanchett star in it? The same one who defends Polanski and Allen?
A very valid question.
Good point. It seems the people pushing this petition are being rather selective in their indignation.
She was the Winslet of her Allen film. Ugh.
I just removed two MD movies from my Netflix queue. Done with this dbag.
I’m still annoyed by his cameo in Thor: Ragnarok.
Matt’s father has passed away and it was days before the premiere. It was just announced, though.
I think all this is a bit ridiculous. I get weeding out people that commit crimes like Weinstein. I get cancelling someone because you don’t agree with them or think they are idiots. But I don’t get why anyone should lose jobs or be publicly destroyed because they have a shitty opinion (according to some). So if you think Damon is an A-hole, don’t watch his movies, but this demanding high moral attitude is getting more and more misplaced.
ITA.
You have a good point, but Damon has developed a demanding high moral attitude. Some of us already stopped watching his movies, I being one of those people. I’m still going to bitch about him though, primarily because I want to. Some of us who did stop watching his movies did so due to his self-important attitude.
Good! I never really cared too much for Damon, he’s become such a smug, self-important asshole over the last decade. Marriage and fatherhood really haven’t done him any favors, except allowed him to double down on his smug self-important assholishness.
Brad pitt,geoge cloney matt demon, ben a, casey a Johnny deep
in fact they were always spoiled by hollywood for being cute they are really rats and the mask fell, the actresses who participate in that movie are the ones who participated in other movies with them, nothing new in that.
They are a disaster and hypocrites, demon, pitt and cloney finally realize they are really rubbish.