Silence is not just assent, it is complicit consent.- Part 6
I'm beginning to think the major broadcast network nightly news programs are going to have to be extended by five minutes. Five extra minutes of broadcast time to allow for the daily review of the latest allegations of sexual assault among notable folks. Today found stories breaking about a candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, Roy Moore. Writer/actor/comedian Louis C.K. was the subject of a story in the New York Times where five women accused him of masturbating in front of them. A former news anchor accused Kevin Spacey of getting her then 18 year old son drunk and putting his hand down the son's pants and groping him. On Wednesday, Portia de Rossi added her name to those of Lisa Guerrero, Jenny McCarthy and Juliana Marguiles; all of whom accuse Steven Seagal of sexual impropriety
How many of the alleged victims of these people would have remained silent if the Harvey Weinstein scandal had not broken wide open? We have no way of knowing. But I suspect that a lot of them might have continue to remain silent. Here is an excerpt from the New York Times story:
We've heard from several sources that this shameless funnyman whips it out at the most inopportune moments, often at times when his female companions have expressed no interest in watching him go at it. A representative example: At the Aspen Comedy Festival a few years ago, he invited a female comedy duo back to his hotel room. The two ladies gladly joined him, and offered him some weed. He turned it down, but asked if it would be OK if he took his dick out.
Thinking he was joking (that's exactly the kind of thing this guy would say), the women gave a facetious thumbs up. He wasn't joking. When he actually started jerking off in front of them, the ladies decided that wasn't their bag and made for the exit. But the comedian stood in front of the door, blocking their way with his body, until he was done.
One of the ladies was so shaken by the episode that she complained to the festival's organizers about the comedian's behavior. She promptly received a call from his extremely powerful manager explaining that, if she valued her career, she would drop it. She valued her career.
Gawker was looking into this a decade later and the apparent victim was still refusing to discuss the matter, probably due to the intimidation of the manager. The manager, one Dave Becky strenuously denies having threatened anyone. No surprise there. Unless and until the alleged victim offers proof of any threat, there's no way to prove anything.
Therein lies the rub. People like the aforementioned alleged sexual predators are protected by those around them, because they bring in the bucks. The big bucks. So rather than allow the goose that lays golden eggs for all be slaughtered, they protect the predator. It may make sense from a strict focus on the bottom line of the business, but it illustrates the complete moral bankruptcy of the people who protect these people.
This manager also represents Amy Poehler, Kevin Hart, Hanibal Burress and Aziz Ansari. How will they react to this? That remains to be seen. Are allegations enough to end a long-term business relationship?
Netflix did. They have severed all ties with Kevin Spacey. Ridley Scott is replacing Spacey in the movie All The Money in the World, which is scheduled for a December release. He has brought in Christopher Plummer and will re-shoot all of Spacey's scenes. Expensive. But probably less expensive than trying to release the film with Spacey still in it. Imagine the picket lines outside any theater showing the film if Spacey wasn't excised from it.
Meanwhile, Terry Crews has filed a police report accusing Adam Venit of being the man who allegedly groped the actor at a party. He's also fired WME as his agent, which is the agency where Venit worked. Venit was not part of the team who represented the actor, but he has been suspended since he was identified as the "assailant" of Crews. Meanwhile, 3 Arts continues to be the manager of Terry Crews. The same 3 Arts Entertainment company where Dave Becky works.
* * *
A large number of men are holding on to the "this is always how its been" rationalization for staying silent, excusing the behavior of these predators and so on. Some of them are saying that the allegations of sexual assault that date back decades shouldn't carry the same weight as those that are more recent because "...those were different times." It may have been ignored but that doesn't mean it was any more acceptable then than it is now.
We all need to make it clear. Every single allegation made against these men, represents unacceptable actions. Actions we must stand up and shout about. Yes, some of this stuff is he said/she said or he said/he said and no one has been convicted of anything...yet. But we need to make it clear to people like Dave Becky and others who have been so focused on protecting their "interests" that their actions are just as unacceptable.
Kudos to Charlie Day and Chloe Grace Moretz for pulling out of promotion of the movie I Love You Daddy, which Louis CK directed. HBO is removing Louis CK programs from its on demand offerings. FX is "reviewing its relationship" with the comedian. Hopefully the other actors involved in I Love You Daddy will also step away from promoting the film.
The people who protect these predators may be morally bankrupt, but there is another approach we can take to get them to do the right thing. If we can unite behind refusing to put money in their hands from the works of these animals into the hands of their protectors, we don't need them to acquire morality. They will recognize that the bottom line suffers from their protective actions, and will stop shielding such people.
How many of the alleged victims of these people would have remained silent if the Harvey Weinstein scandal had not broken wide open? We have no way of knowing. But I suspect that a lot of them might have continue to remain silent. Here is an excerpt from the New York Times story:
"In 2002, a Chicago comedy duo, Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov, landed their big break: a chance to perform at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colo. When Louis C.K. invited them to hang out in his hotel room for a nightcap after their late-night show, they did not think twice. The bars were closed and they wanted to celebrate. He was a comedian they admired. The women would be together. His intentions seemed collegial.
As soon as they sat down in his room, still wrapped in their winter jackets and hats, Louis C.K. asked if he could take out his penis, the women said."
In 2012, Gawker published a story asking "Which Beloved Comedian Likes to Force Female Comics to Watch Him Jerk Off?" Here's an excerpt:
Thinking he was joking (that's exactly the kind of thing this guy would say), the women gave a facetious thumbs up. He wasn't joking. When he actually started jerking off in front of them, the ladies decided that wasn't their bag and made for the exit. But the comedian stood in front of the door, blocking their way with his body, until he was done.
One of the ladies was so shaken by the episode that she complained to the festival's organizers about the comedian's behavior. She promptly received a call from his extremely powerful manager explaining that, if she valued her career, she would drop it. She valued her career.
Gawker was looking into this a decade later and the apparent victim was still refusing to discuss the matter, probably due to the intimidation of the manager. The manager, one Dave Becky strenuously denies having threatened anyone. No surprise there. Unless and until the alleged victim offers proof of any threat, there's no way to prove anything.
Therein lies the rub. People like the aforementioned alleged sexual predators are protected by those around them, because they bring in the bucks. The big bucks. So rather than allow the goose that lays golden eggs for all be slaughtered, they protect the predator. It may make sense from a strict focus on the bottom line of the business, but it illustrates the complete moral bankruptcy of the people who protect these people.
This manager also represents Amy Poehler, Kevin Hart, Hanibal Burress and Aziz Ansari. How will they react to this? That remains to be seen. Are allegations enough to end a long-term business relationship?
Netflix did. They have severed all ties with Kevin Spacey. Ridley Scott is replacing Spacey in the movie All The Money in the World, which is scheduled for a December release. He has brought in Christopher Plummer and will re-shoot all of Spacey's scenes. Expensive. But probably less expensive than trying to release the film with Spacey still in it. Imagine the picket lines outside any theater showing the film if Spacey wasn't excised from it.
Meanwhile, Terry Crews has filed a police report accusing Adam Venit of being the man who allegedly groped the actor at a party. He's also fired WME as his agent, which is the agency where Venit worked. Venit was not part of the team who represented the actor, but he has been suspended since he was identified as the "assailant" of Crews. Meanwhile, 3 Arts continues to be the manager of Terry Crews. The same 3 Arts Entertainment company where Dave Becky works.
* * *
A large number of men are holding on to the "this is always how its been" rationalization for staying silent, excusing the behavior of these predators and so on. Some of them are saying that the allegations of sexual assault that date back decades shouldn't carry the same weight as those that are more recent because "...those were different times." It may have been ignored but that doesn't mean it was any more acceptable then than it is now.
We all need to make it clear. Every single allegation made against these men, represents unacceptable actions. Actions we must stand up and shout about. Yes, some of this stuff is he said/she said or he said/he said and no one has been convicted of anything...yet. But we need to make it clear to people like Dave Becky and others who have been so focused on protecting their "interests" that their actions are just as unacceptable.
Kudos to Charlie Day and Chloe Grace Moretz for pulling out of promotion of the movie I Love You Daddy, which Louis CK directed. HBO is removing Louis CK programs from its on demand offerings. FX is "reviewing its relationship" with the comedian. Hopefully the other actors involved in I Love You Daddy will also step away from promoting the film.
The people who protect these predators may be morally bankrupt, but there is another approach we can take to get them to do the right thing. If we can unite behind refusing to put money in their hands from the works of these animals into the hands of their protectors, we don't need them to acquire morality. They will recognize that the bottom line suffers from their protective actions, and will stop shielding such people.
posted by me at 8:33 PM
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