Men are finally speaking about Harvey Weinstein. I tend to feel the same way about “the men” as I do about the women – no one is required to speak out about Harvey Weinstein, but I understand why someone who has had professional dealings with him would want to go on the record, especially if they’re going to condemn his actions. The problem was that there was too much conversation about how Harvey’s so-called “girls” needed to speak, and too little conversation about how Harvey’s so-called “boys” needed to speak. Women are not responsible for Harvey Weinstein and when women speak, they are speaking from outside the patriarchal systems that run Hollywood and the world, which is the same system that allowed Weinstein to hunt for victims. When men speak, they are speaking from within the patriarchal system that protects and nurtures them. So what are the men saying? Mostly boilerplate.
Leo DiCaprio: “There is no excuse for sexual harassment or sexual assault — no matter who you are and no matter what profession. I applaud the strength and courage of the women who came forward and made their voices heard.”
Colin Firth: “It’s with a feeling of nausea that I read what was going on while I was benefiting from Harvey Weinstein’s support. He was a powerful and frightening man to stand up to. It must have been terrifying for these women to step up and call him out. And horrifying to be subjected to that kind of harassment. I applaud their courage. By coming forward they’ve provided a jolting wake up throughout our industry. I hope it’s going to be a help to others, both in our own industry and elsewhere.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger: “Harvey Weinstein’s reported behavior is abhorrent and unacceptable, and it has no place in our society.”
Michael Eisner: “Fired Weinsteins because they were irresponsible, and Harvey was an incorrigible bully. Had no idea he was capable of these horrible actions.”
Jeffrey Katzenberg. Katzenberg was one of the power brokers who got an email from Harvey Weinstein last week, as the stories began to break. JK tells THR that he was floored by Harvey’s request that powerful men come to his side and back him up. JK sent him an email back, and Katzenberg gave the email to THR to publish in full – go here to read.
Director Ryan Coogler: You can read his full statement here. He says, in part: “I am disturbed and saddened at the news that several women have been victimized by a person I had come to know through the purchase of my first feature film. While I had no further business dealings with Harvey Weinstein, and no knowledge of this predatory behavior, my career did benefit from this brief involvement….I work in an industry that too many times has proven to not be a safe space for women. I make it a priority to ensure that there is gender equity and an inclusive work environment on every project I am involved with. However, just minding our business sometimes isn’t enough. It goes without saying, but I will state it now: Sexual harassment is a human rights violation, sexual assault is a human rights violation, rape is a human rights violation….As men we sit in positions of privilege. It is our responsibility to leverage our position, and be allies to the women in our industry. We need to do everything we can to make sure violations like these don’t continue to happen. The first step is to listen. Salute to the brave women who came forward. I could never imagine how difficult that must be.”
The only one that really seems authentic to me is Ryan Coogler, honestly. Coogler isn’t one of the most powerful writer-directors in Hollywood, and his professional experience with Weinstein was probably quite limited. I guess I believe Colin Firth, in that I believe he’s genuinely horrified that this man who nurtured his career for years was also abusing women during those same years. I want to believe Firth had no idea, but we’ll see. As for the others…it’s a bit rich to see Iger and Eisner sharpening their knives, just as it’s sort of odd to see Leonardo DiCaprio try to feign some sense of feminist outrage. Oh well. They tried.
Still no statements from Quentin Tarantino, David O Russell (LOL), Michael Moore, Ewan McGregor and a lot more.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
They knew they knew they knew they knew
How on EARTH are we expected to believe they didn’t know when you have Angelia Jolie warning people and Gwenyth Paltrow telling her boyfriend and friends.
COME ON. They all knew. The men, the women. They just chose to look the other way as he helped them build their own careers.
I’m waiting for someone to be honest and come out and say, ‘I knew, I didn’t take it seriously, I fucked up’.
Wrap it up with this ‘ooooh I heard whispers but I didn’t really know – these were not whispers!
This is not new shocking news.
Quit it with the ‘women shouldn’t be treated this way’ chorus. OF COURSE they shouldn’t. But All of you looked the other way! Acknowledge and fix it!
I agree, they all knew and they’re just claiming that they didn’t for self preservation.
I totally believe that they knew, just like all the women knew. I also totally believe that their careers, just as much as the women’s (save the slut-shaming after-effect), would have been absolutely railroaded by this man.
They were icked out and afraid for their careers. I would also believe that while they knew, it’s a possibility that people didn’t know the extent of it. Still, Complicity is not a simple thing
I think we need to embrace our allies, as late as it may be. Maybe this will encourage them to speak up earlier in the future, rather than feign ignorance.
amen. total bullshit here. they are jumping on the “Rage train” for PR purposes and self preservation. fuck them all. especially matt damon ben affleck AND MOST OF ALL, the many who also work with woody allen and roman polanski. they are full of it. no moral compass they care only of their image and career, nothing for the victims. they are actively part of the problem. oh and kate winslet is garbage too.
preach!
I agree with you 100 percent! They are all speaking now because the cat is out of the hat. They all knew and didn’t care, as long as they are famous and have tons of money they don’t really care about other people, I think most of the charity work most of these celebrities do is just for PR purposes.
They probably knew because of rumours. I swear there are tons of men in the world like harvey. There are also men in the world who would never ever even think about sexually assaulting a woman. I’m happy that these men are speaking out. We need both woman and men to talk about it. Keep in mind, most of the people with first hand knowledge of these assaults we’re beneath Harvey. We can’t get mad at them for not being brave enough to say something you know?
I include men and women both. Everyone who has said ‘I did’t know’, instead of ‘I knew but I didn’t do anything about it because I was scared/didn’t care/couldnt be bothered/whatever’.
Given the stories that have come out, I really believe anything who claims they didn’t know, is lying. I mean, really?
They knew and still worked with him. Brad Pitt who seems to be getting a pass knew two first hand accounts and was so desperate for Hollywood gold he worked with him. A real shame.
Btw, where is his statement ? Using people magazine for cheesy puff piece doesn’t count.
Stop being fake and apologize to the mother of his children and his children for working with her abuser.
I know people don’t like Brad for obvious reasons, but I think he like a lot of the women handled this the best he could at the time. When his girlfriend at the time told him about it he wasn’t a big star. He was up and coming, but not this huge star, he confronted him and told him to never do this again. He may have even naively thought his Missouri whoop down comment may have stopped him as it did for Gwyneth. He didn’t work with him until 2002 when he did a small cameo in a George Clooney film- he was Bachelor #1 and the other for a Steven Soderbergh film. He then worked with him again in 2009 for a Quentin Tarrentino film. I think these were mostly for the directors. Keep in mind Harvey if anything is more powerful in the industry in the 2000’s than he was in the 90’s. I’m sure he had little to do with the executive producer, none of his films Money Ball, 12 years of a slave, etc. did he work with him. He just acted in a few. I’m not sure what people on here expected people to do. If you didn’t have anybody willing to help them. Who do you go to if you hear something like this. Apparently, the media outlets wouldn’t publish it, the NY DA’s office wouldn’t prosecute and that was 2015. Some went to HR but that didn’t help Harvey ran HR.
The one thing Matt Damon got correct in his statement is the story isn’t about him or others like him, but it is about the victims and the person to blame the most is Harvey Weinstein. I love Ryan Coogler’s remarks, but I really don’t need to hear a ton of those we should look harder unless people are going to come up with steps to make this happen. I think Brad’s confirmation of Gwyneth’s comments is good, as it puts the story where it should be on the creep who did this.
Huh? He is constantly getting a pass for his crap. Enough. If Angelina Jolie can have a career after saying NO to Harvey and never giving him the time of day. Brad freaking Pitt aka the golden boy definitely could.
Sad for him that not even Weinstein could convince Hw into giving him an Oscar for acting. That’s what it comes down to. Brad Pitt chose to work with Weinstein and betray the mother of his children for a trinket that means NOTHING.
People are up in arms over some of the statements claiming they didn’t know. Well even when they did know it changed nothing because Oscar glory was more important.
Killing them softly ended up getting an F CINEMASCORE. KARMA.
these guys aren’t that good of actors. they knew, they just didn’t want to rock the boat. zero integrity a total cowards.
I’m getting a bit uncomfortable with the EVERYONE KNEW yelling. Some of them knew yes. Some of them knew some things. Some of them knew stories. Some knew he was a bully. Some knew he propositioned women. Some knew him as a champion of independent film. But you seriously believe they all knew he was a rapist? Oh but we knew? No, we believed rumours that turned out to be true. Those of you saying you knew, did you call the police to report your suspicions? Why not? You knew.
I know you think you’d know. I know you think they should have known. Sorry, not that simple:
A former workplace I interacted with two superiors, one a complete bully and blowhard. Awful. I would have loved to see him shown the door. The other was lovely to me. Totally professional, credited me for my work, gave helpful advice, never even a questionable comment to me. But I had heard whispers about him, stories, he was apparently under restrictions from HR. And then….he continued to be lovely to me until I left that work place and to this day. But some women still have stories about him. There are accusations. What do I do with that? So sometimes a bully is just a bully, a jerk but not a harasser. And sometimes…well…to this day if someone came to me and asked me to back them up on the other guy’s bad behaviour I couldn’t do it. Not saying I don’t believe them, but my experience is nothing like theirs. So what do I know? What do I really know? What do I do?
Mia4s Some great points. I also think gossip sites that make stories up or blow them out of proportion deserve some of the blame too. Why would celebs who read or hear lies about themselves believe the stories about others? In their position I know that I wouldn’t take any notice unless someone I really trusted confided in me.
@Mia4s there is a comic my friend showed me of two eagles having coffee, saying “has the hawk bothered you? Hawks never bother me.” And the other one saying, “yeah, I don’t know what those other birds are talking about.”
I mean, isn’t that kind of what we do as people – they have never been awful to me, so until I have seen that, I am not going to believe this? Yet, if there is a pattern, I tend to think we should believe that. And as we say here, believe women.
It sucks that the person being awful to one is not enough, but at a certain point, you have to trust these (mostly) women have nothing to gain from stepping up and telling their story.
In the same vein – journalists know who they never interview alone, my female friends at the biggest company in the world tell all new female hires to never take meetings alone with soandso, and that they will always join in so people do not have to be alone.
I guess, don’t be that eagle, you know? Don’t dismiss it just because it doesn’t affect you, because the victims already disbelieve themselves a lot.
@Ladidah, I don’t disbelieve them. I don’t. But since I witnessed nothing and no one confided in me about their direct experience, saying “I know” is a problem. I don’t know. I have absolutely no information that I could offer to an investigation, nothing that could even get him called into HR. I heard things. Yes if I had heard things and women hadn’t already come forward I would have tried to speak with other women. But I know of at least two who are in my shoes. No issue, no problem. So what if I had talked to them first? No apparent problem. That’s what I feel we are missing in this EVERYONE KNEW rush. It’s rarely all or nothing. Sometimes…but rarely.
@Ladidah -thanks for sharing that. Let’s not forget that once a person is abused, it changes them sometimes in a way that almost seems to give off pheromones alerting others they can treat the person the same. I’m thinking of child abuse specifically but it happens with adults too. See Rose McGowan; my heart is with her so much it nearly breaks. Also speaking from lifetime of experience here. Been many years working on myself to try to heal. Anyway, your comment is true and I’m grateful to see it in response to Mia4s.
I do believe there is a difference between “knowing” and knowing. Someone put it quite well yesterday but I can’t find that comment now.
@Mia4s I agree with you.
What irritates me about this is… I think people are forgetting that spreading rumors like this, could get your ass sued till you have nothing, it’s not just something that is potentially career ending. It’s not all about knowing. It’s about having proof. You need to back it up. So the best thing women could do (if they were not comfortable, with going public, what is there right and is as well understandable considering the scrutiny the victims are always put through) is spread the word to warn other women, and it looks like they did this. You can have freedom of speech all you want, but if you are throwing serious allegations around you need proof to be safe.
Now, I do think that there are people that seem to be getting a pass tho. There were people that knew and could prove it.What about those who worked close with him? What about those who ordered all his victims to his hotel rooms? What about his security? What about his board? What about his brother? What about his wife? Why aren’t people outraged about them not speaking out, and letting this go on for decades?Why aren’t people outraged for them not to stop this because they had to know. They were the ones who could stop this and they are the ones who could prevent this. They were his enablers.
@Mia4s
100%. You’re not at all saying you don’t believe them – but you are in a position SO many people are in. You only have your own experiences to go by as being something you ACTUALLY know. Your own interactions were professional and kind, and you’d be unable to offer any evidence to anything else without being present or it happening to yourself.
It’s topics like this that are difficult for people to separate emotion from viable concrete proof (understandably!). If someone had come to you and said “this just happened to me, what do I do?”, or if you witnessed something happen, it’s a lot different than hearing stories second, third or fourth hand. It’s not that it makes them unbelievable, it just leaves you in a position where you can’t do a whole lot with it. You can keep a closer eye on interactions, be there for people who need help – but until you’ve ACTUALLY witnessed the behavior all you can do is believe people – you can’t go to HR or report someone to the police because “Donna told Amy what had happened, and Amy told Dan, and Dan told me”. You need something more solid to actually make a difference – and acting on something without solid evidence to supply someone who is able to make a case could easily make the whole thing worse.
I work in a satellite office of a large company. There are people in this office who I consider to be crappy people. This is based on making stupid remarks, having a poor attitude, and being disruptive. I can 100% say that I don’t think they are good people. I think they’re jerks, honestly. But even just in my department – I have heard vague comments of “from what I’ve heard, I wouldn’t trust them”. I’ve been working here for over 5 years. One person in particular that I can’t stand who has made some sexist comments over the years – always here and there, and always very carefully worded – I just found out that he was harassing one of the women I work with years ago. I 100% believe her, of course. But despite knowing he was a jerk, I didn’t know he actually had harassed someone. I didn’t know that until SHE told me. Just because everyone regards him as an idiot, a jerk, sexist, a whatever – it doesn’t mean I KNEW he had actually harassed someone. I KNEW he was a poor excuse for a person but I didn’t know the depths that it had gone. Another person who I have heard make some disgusting comments got a promotion and now from the satellite office is actually managing some of the staff in the main office. They think he’s a great guy, a hard worker. They don’t see the same person that the people on his team see, or the people who have to work near him. I know he’s been hauled into HR multiple times. Since they only interact with him occasionally over the phone, and he is a butt-kisser in their brief interactions they think they KNOW what he’s like. But they don’t.
So I completely understand where you’re coming from. There’s a difference between suspecting, believing, and disliking someone and actually being in a position with evidence to prove it.
@jellybean Completely agree. These people know that a lot of the stories going round are BS so of course they question what they hear. + everything Mia said. Still, I also agree that only two of the statements sound somewhat genuine.
Exactly Mia.
I could not agree with you more.
Colin Firth even said he was a difficult person, and Eisner dumped him for being an a-hole but knowing about rumors and knowing it is true and that there is no doubt is another thing.
Harvey is a nasty creature, and I think the desire to have nothing to do with tangling with him probably kept the silence going too.
Well stated Mia. Excellent points, all.
I agree Mia. Also people should consider that sometimes people like Narcissists conduct smear campaigns on people. so if you go around taking other peoples word on things, you could inadvertently be abusing them by proxy. You can only go by your own experience.
Hmm, I think it is problematic to compare your company environment to hollywood and the weinstein company.
If one works in an industry that has an entire tv show about hollywood – Entourage if anyone remembers – portraying disgusting, lecherous, ill-tempered Harvey “Weinberg” – the spitting image of Weinstein of course – who wanted sex with Vince’s girlfriend or something equally disgusting for financing a movie for Vince, is it really possible that everyone said “oh so they just came up with that portrayal out of nowhere? ”
You would have had to never watch entourage, never read vanity fair, THR, never talked to an agent, and never watched the oscars and been completely befuddled by seth mcfarland’s 2013 jokes about weinstein no less – while working in Hollywood and trading on connections and relarionships – to be shielded from this info – and I just don’t see how that is possible unless you are actively burying your head in the sand.
Sorry it is harvey Weingard on Entourage, and wrong storyline – though harvey weingard had an awful temper, manners, language, was clearly abusive AF. Thirty rock made the joke about turning down sex with Weinstein for favors, my bad.
I had one more thought which is that the katzenbergs, bob weinsteins, power brokers of the world do not invest and do business with people without understanding and knowing their character and the liabilities involved in doing business with someone. Small directors whose indie films get bought up, ok maybe not.
so I guess I focus on the power players – dicaprio, katzenberg, bob W, etc
And here is an example – I know someone who works in financial investment for people that are as rich as Katzenberg.
They go to strip clubs with clients, so it is again, not a typical work environment when you are investing /financing that level of money -$100 million plus. People make it their business to make sure you are not going to f*ck them and once they suspect you will, you are done forever, knife inserted.
So I think “everyone” knowing to me means those with more and most power, involved in producing films – Clooney, damon, affleck – and the more wealthy katzenberg – they knew, because it was their job to protect their money, and because rich people are paranoid about losing money.
YES! All day YES!
I actually posted about them all knowing as my Facebook status yesterday because I got sick and effing tired about all of these celebs (men and women) coming out and saying ‘we are so disturbed, disgusted, appalled’ etc when it has been rumoured and quietly talked about for years. Hell us here have been talking about him being a POS for years and most of us (if not almost all) are not in anyway related to the Hollywood scene except for reading and commenting on our favourite sites. We knew he was a piece of crap and I have no doubt that most of these people knew as well and turned a blind eye because of who he was.
GAH!
Sorry, rant over.
Yup, I totally agree. And I can kind of see some similarities with Woody Allen, people are ready to turn a blind eye until it benefits them. It’s just after some horrid revelation, something that everybody already suspected and knew, that they feign shock and ignorance.
Ewan has issued a statement this morning via Twitter, if I’m not mistaken.
He confirmed everyone knew. And he doesn’t even live in the US.
Ewan has been living in LA for many years. Although, he didn’t even need to be … seems like Harvey pulled a lot of shit in Europe and the UK too.
There must be hundreds of victims.
I thought Jeffrey Katzenberg’s response was eloquent. It seemed sincere to me.
That he wants it published seems icky to me. He could have made a statement but his whole email is “Horrible Harvey, I knew nothing”. Harvey would know he didnt know.
Katzenberg is awful imo. He said, twice, he remains available. That right there is the abuse network operation. Women are ostracized and silenced, but friends of abusers remain by their side.
Also publishing this and the way he did tHis is manipulation and the same tactics Weinstein used for years. He had to talk with people to see what they said….Then he put it in writing and ran it by all those people. If this man can’t make a decision on this BY HIMSELF that’s because he knows he needs the abusers support network.
This is how they silenced abused women, exactly this way -set it up, put it in writing, and spread it far and wide. This guy is a phoney manipulator, same as HW.
I agree.
I thought Katzenberg’s was great. And I think it rings truer for me that he emailed this directly to Harvey before any of this actually took place.
He publicized it so that it would be known to everyone and Harvey couldn’t lie about his support. It seems like Harvey covered up plenty of things from the power brokers and I think they thought he was a guy who had some character flaws and was a skirt chaser. Remember Harvey’s main reputation was as a bullying loudmouth schlub but since some of the women kept working with him, it can make a person think the rumors are exaggerated or just enemies talking.
This whole idea of sexual harassment is not fully understood or how a victim reacts does not fit a pattern.
Yeah, statements would’ve been even better years ago, guys. Cat’s out of the bag now; I’m not sure anyone needs you to jump on the “those brave women!” bandwagon… they’re doing it without your past/present help.
Please please please tell me Colin Firth truly knew nothing…
I don’t believe most of the actors and actresses who have said they did not know, but I mentioned in another post that if anyone, I’ll give more leeway to foreign actors who spend most of their time outside of LA, like Colin Firth and Judi Dench. They probably aren’t as entrenched in the day to day operations of what happens in that industry. Those who live in LA I am more inclined to believe are more in the know and hear more gossip through daily discussion with their personal friends or work associates. I will believe Colin Firth any day over Damon, Affleck, and DiCaprio. That being said, Firth has also worked with Woody Allen, so to me that means he probably hears what he wants to hear about his work associates. It’s sad because I want to like Firth as a person, but there are so many like him who seem decent, but at the end of the day, they will pick what is best for their career over doing what is morally right.
I quite liked Firth’s response as he does at least refer to the fact that he benefited while others suffered. I mean he was still blind, willfully or not, but this is something. Coogler’s response seemed very sincere.
The Weinsteins financially shafted Disney during their time running Miramax/ dimension films under it’s banner so it’s unsurprising to read Eisner’s salty response to Harvey’s troubles, and if you notice he says “THEY were irresponsible” not just Harvey, and reminds everyone that they were fired.
Iger as the next chief at Disney after Eisner inherited the shell of what the brothers left behind.
Colin and all of them knew. Like they know about all the rest of the Hollywood predators who are still protected by their silence because we all know Harvey is not the only one.
Eh. I gave up on Firth and McGregor years ago.
Colin worked with Woody Allen and Ewan with Roman Polanski. Their crimes were public record and it didn’t stop them from signing on to their projects.
Rumors that most non-industry people are unaware of clearly wouldn’t – didn’t – stop them.
Then Mr. Darcy must be forever dead to me.
I think I’ll just work on the assumption now that every man in the entertainment biz, so matter how likeable/rational/feminist he may seem, is a complicit asshole until proven otherwise. Except maybe Tom Hanks. BUT ALL THE REST!
And Mark Ruffolo please….
That’s solid reasoning, really.
(Although, be warned, Tom Hanks’ first marriage ended under a cloud of abuse – specifically verbal abuse, and also neglect – although the abuse was never confirmed. Oh, and probable cheating on his first wife with his current.
You can find fault with nearly anyone if you take the time.)
ETA: Oh, Mark. I don’t know of anything bad about him, but now I’m afraid.
ETA, again: Just remembered that Mark was in a dust-up a while back for the casting of a cisgender man for the role of a transgender woman. I thought his response was well done, even if it was not perfect.
Okay then, we’re down to Ruffalo, with an asterisk next to his name. Anyone else we can salvage? I won’t hold my breath…
We’ve always got Lin-Manuel Miranda.
TWC bought the movie rights to his first musical, but being as he’s a New York-based theater guy I buy that he wasn’t aware.
I’ve been wracking my brain and so far I’ve come up with two others, although I had to text my best friend for a brainstorming session:
Bryan Cranston and Neil Patrick Harris.
We need to start a list, I think. Not like it will be hard to remember, right?
@galaxias: Stephen Colbert?
@Alix: Good one, yes. Stephen makes the list. Jon Stewart can go up with an asterisk, as well.
Let’s add Terry Crews. Bradley Whitford is okay, too. Oh, and Ryan Coogler! His response is the only one I truly believe.
So, it stands:
1. Mark Ruffalo *
2. Lin-Manuel Miranda
3. Bryan Cranston
4. Neil Patrick Harris
5. Stephen Colbert
6. Jon Stewart *
7. Terry Crews
8. Bradley Whitford
9. Ryan Coogler
I wonder what it takes to break double digits. I don’t think triple is possible, though.
Mark Strong and David Tennant.
THIS. their words are EMPTY PR bs. you cant work with a man who admitted to raping a 12 year old child then claim to be an ally by calling weinstein a “bully” i think the word you’re looking for is RAPIST
I agree completely. I don’t buy word coming from Firth’s mouth.
This is fucking rich coming from Dicaprio , who always has a stack of NDAs with him at all times. Give me a break. I’m sure the Pussy Posse was not so innocent… And I agree with Clare, someone needs to be honest and be like yeah we kind of knew but didnt do shit because he helped our careers. Clooney’s statement was one of the more honest ones and I’m sure he wouldve held back less if the New Yorker and second NYT articles came out BEFORE he gave his statement.
I’m waiting for stories to eventually come out about the Posse. My gut instinct says that DiCaprio is a douchebag, but all of his relationships are consensual. I am not so sure about his friends though, especially Tobey Maguire. I always got a creep vibe from him and I would not be surprised if the day comes when women come forward about being harassed or assaulted by some of the men in the Posse.
Tobey’s definitely an asshole but I don’t get the sexual predator vibe from him.
@kitten is there really a predator vibe though isn’t that thinking sort of the problem? People go oh no he’s such a nice guy he could never or he’s a priest, or they didn’t seem like the type.
You never know who would or wouldn’t do this. Not saying Toby would want to make that clear as it’s it’s a huge allocation but just that the idea of there being a vibe is dangerous.
There is DEFINITELY a predator vibe, at least from my experience. I don’t think that kind of thinking is “part of the problem”, but rather symptomatic of someone’s gut instinct which for me, has been an integral aspect of keeping me safe too many times to count.
But you’re right that as celebs are strangers to us, none of us can know for sure. But it’s a gossip site where we speculate without proof, so there’s that.
Anyone else read that piece by the woman who ran the poker ring? The way Tobey treated her was disgusting, and he sounds like a horrible person. While I haven’t heard anything of him being a predator, I wouldn’t be shocked.
There’s this article written by Nancy Jo Sales from 1998 that was published in NY Magazine: http://nymag.com/nymetro/movies/features/2793/
Apparently JR Ferguson (Stan on Mad Men) was a real POS and was harassing Elizabeth Berkley so much her boyfriend got involved.
Has there ever been even a whisper about this kind of behavior from him though? We all know his dating preferences but that’s neither illegal nor painful for the women. He has a type and an age bracket. That may be distasteful to many of us and at least ONE of his posse bros seems to be a total d*ck (funnily enough the only one who played family man for years) but unless someone has said or heard anything, I’m not putting him in the same category.
I think the NDAs speak to his paranoia, not criminal behavior.
ITA I’m all in for mocking DiCaprio’s modelizing but I don’t see that behavior as indicative of serial sexual assault. I think the NDA is more about protecting DiCaprio’s privacy than covering for sex crimes.
That being said, this is Hollywood so who knows.
Well, there’s this:
“The Pussy Posse spotted Berkley in the crowd, and immediately sent L.A. publicist Karen Tenser over to scoop her up. “She said, ‘Jay Ferguson and Leo are going crazy for you, and they want you to come to Elaine’s after this.’” Berkley, who was dating actor Roger Wilson at the time, politely refused. Case closed, right? Not quite. Allegedly, Berkley was bombarded with calls from both Ferguson and Tenser, inviting her to dinner and out on the town. The harassment became so overwhelming that Wilson decided to step in: “I said, ‘Look, Jay… I know you guys are having a great time and the town is your apple—but not this part of town.’” After a pregnant pause, Ferguson responded, “Fuck you, you fuckin’ faggot motherfucker, we’ll call whoever we want and if you don’t fuckin’ like it, why don’t you come down here and tell us to our face?””
What followed was a surreal interaction at the ritzy restaurant Asia de Cuba in New York City, where The Pussy Posse was gathered at an appropriately dramatic supper. After Wilson arrived and took up Ferguson’s offer to “step outside,” DiCaprio reportedly added “let’s go kick his ass,” leading the Posse in a mass exodus. Someone punched a distracted Wilson in the Adam’s apple, damaging his larynx. Questioning the veracity of Wilson’s claims, one of Leo’s friends later insisted, “That girl would have come in a second if we’d wanted her to. Any girl would.”
https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-leonardo-dicaprios-wolf-pack-the-pussy-posse-is-back-and-bolder-than-ever
I am now suspicious of a trail of NDAs – it just seems like they are too convenient, too reflective of power imbalance, as they were in Weinstein’s case, at covering up criminal behavior.
When I hear about (insert female celeb) having a stack of very strict NDAs maybe I will change my mind, but it would just make me think that female has some potentially abusive diva behavior tbh.
Also that dailybeast story, I mean you know none of leo’s posse would ever help a woman who cried bloody murder. I honestly feel sick at the thought of me + a bf + four guys at all times as TW (guess this site does not really do them?) an acquaintance was raped in college by her acquaintance and his four football friends.
There have been cases where NDAs have been considered void if criminal activity is happening. I know during the Jian Gomeshi shit show a lot of people were saying ‘but he says they consented to being harmed’ but when it comes down to it – you can’t consent to assault. You can sign a waiver stating to go try some crazy spicy hot wings, but you can’t sign something that states your waiter can beat punch you repeatedly. I’m not sure if there’s the same kind of thing in place in the US – but I do know there have been cases where NDAs have been void because of illegal activity. I’m not positive, but I think there have also been times where not reporting certain illegal activities have resulted in misdemeanors regardless of NDAs.
Oh boy lunchcoma, that is a disgusting to read. Wow. Well, yeah, I think we are to be hearing some things about leo and his pussy posse down the road. And I’ll tell you, as a huge mad man fan, I won’t be able to look at stan again.
DiCaprio’s statements always sound like a robot wrote them. Zero passion or genuine emotion. Just hitting the beats. At least I fully believe Colin Firth is upset.
Very strong statement from Ryan Coogler.
Agreed and don’t you feel like it’s similar to most of the male celebrity’s statements?
They’re all so…unsatisfying.
Because you can tell none of them feel a true sense of responsibility to affect change. It’s like they’re all just getting the vapors or something.
The men’s statements are so unsatisfying because they are only issuing them out of duress. They are all gosh “I didn’t know” and “I would have stopped it” BS.
Coogler and Ruffalo seem the most genuine.
I thought Leo’s was kind of honest in the sense he didn’t claim to not know anything.
I thought Colin Firth’s was kind of fake, if he did “hear” something.
From Katzenberg’s e-mail: “There appear to be two Harvey Weinsteins…one that I have known well, appreciated and admired and another that I have not known at all.”
Interesting. Obviously this was a Jekyll and Hyde situation and i’m not going to hold every single person in Hollywood accountable because Weinstein and Weinstein alone is responsible for his actions. However, i agree that if i – 24 year old woman from Malaysia who started reading gossip forums and blogs at the age of 15 in 2008 – heard these rumours, then actual people in actual Hollywood knew about it more deeply than i ever could.
Perhaps these statements would sound more genuine if, instead of speaking of the women, these men would acknowledge their role in a patriarchal society that has enabled this abuse to go on for decades. If we want to move forward and learn from this horrendous saga, then that’s where this has to begin. Not just women being brave and speaking up about it, but men stepping up and acting as an ally rather than just talking about it.
As always, endless love to all the amazing, brave, resilient women who have spoken up about their experiences.
Read this old interview from 2001. It’s actually a profile on Harvey Weinstein and it’s clear he is loved and hated.
http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/features/5460/
He was very good at his job and people admired him for it, and I’m sure many heard rumors but then I ask, what kind of rumors? I think Clooney explained it well. Gossip can carry a lot of lies and knowing that a guy likes young actresses isn’t the same as saying he sexually assaults them. This isn’t a Polanski or even Woody Allen type of situation. And while I understand many are frustrated and want to point the finger at everybody, I also don’t think that’s fair.
I do agree that it’s unlikely every single person knew the full extent of his crimes and behavior. I think a lot heard whispers and rumors, but unfortunately rumors aren’t that actionable – other than keeping your distance and warning others, as Jessica Chastain and Angelina Jolie did. And I think a lot of men brushed it off like Clooney said he did, thinking it wasn’t as bad as it really was.
This is a deeply rooted culture that needs to change, and as horrible as all this is, I hope it’s a start.
The issue with gossip blogs though is that you can’t really vet what’s true, and what’s a rumor that has gotten out of hand. How many ‘blind’ gossip sites have looked at Selena Gomez who had to cancel concerts, who didn’t look especially healthy, and who was clearly going through some sort of issues and then wrote ‘blind items’ about how she’s hooked on cocaine and is in rehab. This was a HUGE ‘known’ thing that a lot of people shared and were so dead set on. Then you hear reports about her having an autoimmune disease, and more and more information came out about her struggle with Lupus.
Even during the early reporting of her having a legitimate health crisis people were clinging onto the cocaine addiction/rehab/pregnancy type stories? I know there was a decent chunk of comments on this site where people were pretty sure that she was just an addict. I’m not saying she’s NEVER dabbled in drugs or anything – but Lupus is such a terrible, life altering disease – and she was sick enough that she’s already needed a kidney transplant. And she didn’t owe it to anyone to immediately shout to the world that she had Lupus as she was leaving her drs office – so the rumors persisted for quite a while. And because they were repeated often enough by a large number of websites/comment boards it stuck in people’s memories.
I think at the end of the day we can feel like we know something – there can be plenty of rumors out there, but there ARE a lot of times where stories are made in a vague manner by focusing on a few realistic or just barely believable ‘details’ and they spiral out of control. In the case of HW the rumors turned out to be based in a good deal of fact. He’s an absolute garbage human. But until someone actually comes forward to confirm the rumors we can only speculate with the information we have.
I am sort of conflicted on Colin’s statement. He worked with Woody Allen, so that is a mark against him at the same time, he has nothing really to gain from this and seems genuine.
I don’t expect anything from David as he is guilty of being an obnoxious prick who is also a bully. He probably is afraid he will be next on the chopping block.
Ryan’s statement was well-written and seemed genuine as well.
No comment on the other guys because I will be typing all day.
I was really impressed by Ryan’s statement. The others was a generic, “oh my god, I had no idea” statement. As the stories of this disgusting behavior are coming out, and I knew it was going to be bad. I really feel that the level of sexual abuse and rape are now at criminal levels. I believe firmly that rehab is not the place for him, jail is. He has a long history of sexual assault and if anyone else did the crimes that he did they would be in jail. He is a huge risk to women and humanity. He needs to be locked up.
It was the only one that felt sincere to me.
Yeah, that was the only one that felt sincere to me as well. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it comes from someone whose interaction with Weinstein was very limited.
They are assessories to a crime in my book. None of them are getting a pass. I’d convict them all. But yeah, Ryan gets community service.
ryan coogler is still my boo. great statement. same with colin firth. i don’t even mind leo’s statement. perfect example of someone who is a womanizer but that does not equate to an evil sexual predator.
Michael Eisner – shut up. you fired a bully and are shocked that he…gasp..bullied people? you fired him b/c he was a liability and you god damn know it.
Coogler’s response was the only “real” on to me. Again why out of all people they singled out him and Lin (the two minorities) while there are white males that have worked with him closely and for decades I don’t know.
Wait yes I do
yup yup and yup
Yes, they both demonstrated a genuine compassion for the victims instead of stating how bad it was making them feel. There is a difference I think.
Yes he’s the only one that gets it.
Where is the Gregg Popovich-esque statements from white male Hollywood?
I didn’t even like most of the female responses.
Viola Davis’ was the only one who wasn’t also victimized that rang true to me.
If Seth’s joke about Harvey’s reputation, on an OSCAR stage in 2013 was any indication, this is all too little, too late from the men. It was a joke to them then, and these “boilerplate” remarks are a joke to me now. I keep chanting, “Shame” a la Cersei Lannister style.
Do you happen to have a link to that joke?
Yeah, it’s all over the place now, especially now.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/seth-macfarlane-harvey-weinstein-joke-oscars-2013-women-sexual-harassment-allegations-a7994506.html
I’m absolutely disgusted that Tarantino is not speaking up. I liked his most of his movies and enjoyed following his career. I’m definitely done with him.
And Sam Jackson too, but especially Tarantino.
Probably some skeletons in Tarantino’s closet. He’s supposed to be a creep.
I call BS on everyone. Actors, actresses, former presidents, current presidents…
I knew, why didn’t you?? Just a casual gossip follower knows this, but you don’t? BS! BS! BS!
@originattessa
This!!!!
They all knew. They were all complicit. The Dems gladly accepted his donations and posed smiling alongside the abuser. I’m hugely disappointed with the Obamas. Of course they knew what he was up to, but they also knew their daughter was safe and couldn’t care less about the others. Angelina and Gwyneth spoke too late. They could have taken down this monster years ago and so many women could have been spared. Shame on all cowards crying crocodile tears for the sake of PR.
45 knew him and so did his kids but they aren’t saying anything either but then again it is them so I guess we shouldn’t expect anything. It does make me wonder what these people’s true feelings are though.
Cynical me thinks, these celebs are speaking up now for the wrong reason.
That’s not cynicism. That’s your brain and you’re intuiting correctly, 100% on the money!
Since Hillary is to blame for Weinstien being a rapist, according to many in the media yesterday, and since I can’t stand bernie bros and Michael Moore is a huge one, I would like to know; WHERE IS YOUR STATEMENT MOORE???
Come out come out wherever you are.
Yeah “Sicko”, right???
I thought about that yesterday and f*ck YES Moore you better speak up.
I have to say I was reading lots of stuff on blind items websites….I take it 50:50
Totally believing that someone like Weinstein can use his power and status to treaten women (men) to get what he wants…Bet most of the celebrities are like that….
But him saying its not true…
I just listened to that tape with italian model and gosh I have to say I feel frightened so I cant imagine how that girl who actually was wired and experiencing it live was feeling….
I would like to see a story touching on Terry Crews’ story on Twitter.
Came here to mention that. Very telling that he, too, was victimized by a powerful executive.
I know right. A big, physically strong man was publicly assaulted in front of his wife and didn’t even know what to do. What are the rest of us to do?!
@ kb, yes I read Terry Crews’ story yesterday on his Twitter. Unbelievable. I was so glad he spoke out about his experience.
I loved Ryan’s statement and I’m not going to fault him for selling Fruitvale to Miramax I mean it was a great Oscar worthy film and Miramax is a production company that produces wonderful films. If you dream of being a director and have a chance to sell your first work to this studio you’re going to.
What Ryan said was honest, reflective and true. I just love him.
As for Leo, STFU leader of the pussy posse! I doubt you have any issue with what Harvey did, you certainly don’t respect women. I can’t with him.
I don’t think anyone was required to speak. There’s obviously more interest in the women’s statements because they were all potential victims of Weinstein and I guess it helps clear the air if they reveal whether they experienced harassment or not, but again, they have no obligation to come out and tell her experiences just to be judged by others were they are being “genuine” or not.
As for the men, I think it’s good they are releasing statements to support victims of harassment even if many of those sound redacted by their PR person. I really don’t think this was known by everyone to the degree it really was. I’m sure everyone had heard rumors, but unless they saw it firsthand or talked to one of the victims directly, I can understand not getting further involved. The problem with this sort of behavior is that, while obviously unacceptable and disgusting, it’s not always so clear cut like rape. It’s very difficult to understand how harassment works unless you’ve experienced it, as it’s been made clear by many comments here.
Everyone’s statements are basically just variations of the same shit…
Brad Pitt needs to publicly apologize to gwyneth and Angelina for being so desperate for a Hollywood gold trinket that he worked with their abuser. Stop being a fake ass. It’s over the Hollywood veil has been lifted.
Your agenda is showing.
He doesn’t owe anyone anything. He had no direct relationship with him, and the last time Harvey was even attached to him was 2012 when he was with Angelina.
Stop using this horrible event to lash out at someone you don’t like. This is about a terrible man and how he abused and assaulted women.
More excuses. He knew and it was bad enough that Angelina refused to have anything to do with Harvey ever again.
He owes something to his ex wife and more importantly his children.
Don’t play the hero now by way of people magazine. What a joke.
Honestly everyone in Hollywood is annoying me at this point with this bs. Like these statements are pointless. They all sound the same and they’re some variation of “I didn’t know” or “I thought they were just rumors…” They can all stop releasing statements imo cause it’s only making me dislike people more.
It is with a heavy, yet angered, heart, that I cancel Colin Firth from my life.
I am fed up. I am tired of the things we, as women, suffer and are expected to put up with just because we’re not men.
We’ve all been victimized at one point in our lives, and if you haven’t I sincerely hope you remain untouched in that way. My own country created a movement that sparked a fire but is going nowhere thanks to shoddy legislation and unhelpful men and patriarchal power.
The #NiUnaMenos banner can be used as a blanket for what happened under Weinstein’s hands and many other men in powerful positions abusing their power to exploit the vulnerable.
DiCaprio: BARF! Skeeve! “Blah blah blah” said the weirdo deviant. He gives me the major icks.
I think DiCaprio is probably “deviant” sexually but with willing partners which, while maybe gross, isn’t a crime.
I’m curios to listen to Alicia Vikander ‘s opinion http://www.celebitchy.com/442758/alicia_vikander_was_very_excited_when_harvey_weinstein_took_an_interest_in_her/
everybody knew. if you complain about harassment or even assault, the dudes all just stand up for each other and make you start doubting yourself. “But what was his intent? Maybe he just meant it affectionately” (because maybe a guy choking you until you say you can’t breathe was just him being affectionate!) or “You bring it on yourself, he just likes to provoke you because you act so prudish” (because its fine for a director to tell a female producer to put on a bikini and go join the extras, he doesn’t say that because she’s a woman! she should be more fun!) or “keep your voice down” (if a guy who is above you repeatedly grabs you and says he won’t let go until you kiss him and if you don’t it will be worse for you). There are never any consequences. Maybe the guy doesn’t go back to that job, but he goes on to the next and continues upward with his career while the woman has to either suffer in silence (with new fun guys to harass her!) or give up her career, neither of which is fair. Men are protected, women are not. but all these guys pretending its a shock? nope. everyone talked about it. There are more guys everyone talks about out there too. Women can be like some of these actresses who have spoke up and warn each other about specific guys’ behavior, but if no one at the top will do anything, then it all just stays covered up. Even if not all men in Hollywood are out harassing and assaulting women, even the good guys sometimes stand up for the bad guys because they are their bros and women are treated like objects. No one cares. They only care now because its in the news.
Yep. And women are part of the network protecting abusers.
I’ve decided, especially with all the extra stories being link shared, this is just human life. I’m glad I never had kids.
This applies not only to Leo:
https://imgflip.com/i/j1obl
I can’t even imagine how horrible a person you have to be, to be called “an incorrigible bully” by Michael Eisner, the Godfather of bullies.
Right??!?
Eisner is a good example how outside of work can seem okay but has a “work” personality. Harvey is truly a rarified despicable man. I am so glad for women he is toast.
I wonder if there’s anything else they should come clean about while they’re at it?
I also side eye Leo’s concern given that he has a history of viewing women as nothing more than f#ck toys.
At least Hollywood shows some remorse. Most of the big on air guns at Fox News have never spoken out against Roger Ailes and one of their other creepy predators, Bill OReilly, is now showing back up on Fox.
Of course everyone knew. It was an open secret. Look, as I have read, Rufus Sewell, who is hardly a Hollywood insider, tried to warn a woman about Weinstein at a party when he saw Weinstein sitting with her. After Weinstein lured this woman to his hotel room and got naked in front of her, etc. (she escaped), Sewell told the woman that everyone knows that Weinstein does these kinds of things to women. So how in the world can actors, producers, and so on, who work regularly with Weinstein, NOT know? Impossible.
All I see are men proactively protecting their reputations and careers, while behind the scenes praying nothing blows up in THEIR face.
Read Director Paul Feig’s interview in The Guardian. It’s one of my favorite interviews and/or comments by a man in the industry about Harvey and the culture and what needs to be done.
Title of the article.
“Bridesmaids director Paul Feig condemns Harvey Weinstein: ‘Men need to speak up'”
Exactly.
Ryan seems very sincere, good on him. As for the rest, well blah blah blah. Anyone think that this massive cover-up of sexual deviants in Hollywood has hurt the liberal cause, seeing as most in Hollywood claim to be liberals. This revelation has uncovered the hunger and desperation of these celebrities that many look up to. They will lose their morals for a chance to further their career.
French actress Lea Seydoux just gave an interview at the Guardian, she says she’s a Weinstein’s victim too.
She also speaks about a director she worked with who told her “I wish I could f*ck you” when she was mid-20, and chronology fits with Tarantino.
I am really REALLY disappointed in Colin Firth. Not sure why him more than the others.
As a survivor myself, Coogler’s comments made me cry. That is what it feels like: A human-rights violation. Well-said.