Silence is not just assent, it is complicit consent.- Part 4
One wonders if the newspapers in major metropolitan areas are going to have to add a new section to their daily offerings. Their Entertainment section may have to include a sub-section on the latest Hollywood names to be accused of sexual harassment/assault.
The Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times has a story in which 38 women separately accuse James Toback of sexual misconduct. His most recent directorial effort, The Private Life of a Modern Woman had its premiere last month at the Venice Film Festival. By Tuesday, 200 additional woman contacted the Times to say they were victims of Toback.
Here's an excerpt from the Times piece: "In his trailer on the set of “Black and White,” Toback knelt in front of actress Echo Danon and, she says, put his hands on her thighs, telling her, “If you look into my eyes and pinch my nipples, I’m going to come in my pants right now.” She resisted. She felt helpless. Eventually he backed down."
"Listen. I have an idea. Stand up. Come over here and touch my nipples. Come on, just touch them. Then I'll come and you can trust me, because you'll see that that's all I need to be turned on."
Other accusations involving Mr. Toback appeared in Gawker in 2008, 2010 and 2012. I'd forgotten about the Spy Magazine article, although I read that magazine with relish every month from 1988 through its demise in 1998. Yet like most of the public, I was unaware of this man's actions until publication of the article in today's L.A. Times. Why is that?
Then there is this, the final portion of the Times article of today. "Her manager told her not long afterward that he wanted to see her again. Her reply: He’s a vile person. And you shouldn’t ever send another woman to him."
* * *
Therein lies the rub. That manager, and countless others (not just managers but producers, directors and everyone else) did not protect women from people like Harvey Weinstein, James Toback and the others.
Fox News learns that Bill O'Reilly pays out $32 million to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit and promptly signs him to a new contract.
The Weinstein Company signs a contract with Harvey Weinstein that allows him to dispose of allegations of sexual harassment/sexual assault by paying settlements.
Quentin Tarantino says "I knew enough to do more than I did" and goes on to admit he knew of the settlement between Harvey Weinstein and Rose McGowan; and that Weinstein had victimized his former girlfriend, Mira Sorvino.
Matt Damon admits to having been aware of Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment of Gwyneth Paltrow.
So why did these people continue to work with this man?
The same reason that the makeup artist who was dismissed from a film production after he harassed Blake Lively got a letter of reference from the unit production manager because, "no one wanted there to be bad blood."
Sexual harassment and assault has been universally ignored by the powers that be...not just in Hollywood. However, I suspect is has been worse in the entertainment industry because the people in the corner offices are more concerned with the bottom line than the people who generate those profits. As long as the company is making money, dealing with this kind of thing has been viewed as nothing more than the cost of doing business.
Is this legal? There was an episode of Law & Order titled "Virtue" regarding a city councilman who had forced a woman working in the law firm where he was a partner to have sex with him; in order for her to become a partner. I make mention of this episode because the closing argument made by the actress portraying his attorney where she defends his forcing this woman to have sex with him is right on point:
"So what? If we assume that everything Sarah Maslin said is true, my client is the quintessential sexist son of a bitch. He not only took advantage of Miss Maslin, he demeaned her. He humiliated her. He destroyed her dignity. As a woman, I'd like to go over there and smack him in the head. But as an officer of the court, all I can do is say, "So what?" Sarah Maslin was ambitious. She wanted to get ahead and she got what she wanted by her own choice. She alone determined her fate. Sure she may be emotionally distraught. But under the law, you hurt someone's feelings, you take out your checkbook. You do not go to jail."
The Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times has a story in which 38 women separately accuse James Toback of sexual misconduct. His most recent directorial effort, The Private Life of a Modern Woman had its premiere last month at the Venice Film Festival. By Tuesday, 200 additional woman contacted the Times to say they were victims of Toback.
Here's an excerpt from the Times piece: "In his trailer on the set of “Black and White,” Toback knelt in front of actress Echo Danon and, she says, put his hands on her thighs, telling her, “If you look into my eyes and pinch my nipples, I’m going to come in my pants right now.” She resisted. She felt helpless. Eventually he backed down."
"Listen. I have an idea. Stand up. Come over here and touch my nipples. Come on, just touch them. Then I'll come and you can trust me, because you'll see that that's all I need to be turned on."
Other accusations involving Mr. Toback appeared in Gawker in 2008, 2010 and 2012. I'd forgotten about the Spy Magazine article, although I read that magazine with relish every month from 1988 through its demise in 1998. Yet like most of the public, I was unaware of this man's actions until publication of the article in today's L.A. Times. Why is that?
Then there is this, the final portion of the Times article of today. "Her manager told her not long afterward that he wanted to see her again. Her reply: He’s a vile person. And you shouldn’t ever send another woman to him."
* * *
Therein lies the rub. That manager, and countless others (not just managers but producers, directors and everyone else) did not protect women from people like Harvey Weinstein, James Toback and the others.
Fox News learns that Bill O'Reilly pays out $32 million to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit and promptly signs him to a new contract.
The Weinstein Company signs a contract with Harvey Weinstein that allows him to dispose of allegations of sexual harassment/sexual assault by paying settlements.
Quentin Tarantino says "I knew enough to do more than I did" and goes on to admit he knew of the settlement between Harvey Weinstein and Rose McGowan; and that Weinstein had victimized his former girlfriend, Mira Sorvino.
Matt Damon admits to having been aware of Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment of Gwyneth Paltrow.
So why did these people continue to work with this man?
The same reason that the makeup artist who was dismissed from a film production after he harassed Blake Lively got a letter of reference from the unit production manager because, "no one wanted there to be bad blood."
Sexual harassment and assault has been universally ignored by the powers that be...not just in Hollywood. However, I suspect is has been worse in the entertainment industry because the people in the corner offices are more concerned with the bottom line than the people who generate those profits. As long as the company is making money, dealing with this kind of thing has been viewed as nothing more than the cost of doing business.
Is this legal? There was an episode of Law & Order titled "Virtue" regarding a city councilman who had forced a woman working in the law firm where he was a partner to have sex with him; in order for her to become a partner. I make mention of this episode because the closing argument made by the actress portraying his attorney where she defends his forcing this woman to have sex with him is right on point:
"So what? If we assume that everything Sarah Maslin said is true, my client is the quintessential sexist son of a bitch. He not only took advantage of Miss Maslin, he demeaned her. He humiliated her. He destroyed her dignity. As a woman, I'd like to go over there and smack him in the head. But as an officer of the court, all I can do is say, "So what?" Sarah Maslin was ambitious. She wanted to get ahead and she got what she wanted by her own choice. She alone determined her fate. Sure she may be emotionally distraught. But under the law, you hurt someone's feelings, you take out your checkbook. You do not go to jail."
Using power to force someone to have sex is not an injury of the victim's feelings, but that's how these people who consider such things nothing more than the cost of doing business view sexual harassment and assault.
Why did people like QT, Affleck and Damon continue to work with Harvey Weinstein? To make movies? Could they not make their movies with someone who wasn't known to them as a sexual predator?
posted by me at 7:00 AM
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