Saturday, October 7, 2017

Harvey Weinstein: Clinton Friend, Fundraiser, Sexist Pig

Following-up, "Harvey Weinstein Exposes Hollywood's Double-Standards."

Here's Melissa Mackenzie, at the American Spectator:

A great moment in Sleazeland.

Harvey Weinstein sexually harassed women for decades.  The women in Hollywood remained silent for decades.  Hillary Clinton took Weinstein money for decades. It was an open secret said one Hollywood insider anonymously.

Weinstein’s lawyer and counselor is Lisa Bloom, Gloria Allred’s daugher. Lisa Bloom represents women’s rights unless she’s being paid gobs of money by Hollywood bigwig pigs like Harvey Weinstein. Then, her sensibilities lean to the crassly money and power side. In this way, she’s a lot like feminist hero Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton, the recipient of Harvey Weinstein’s largesse, found that her grabby hand’s nerves fired more quickly than her crawling skin nerves. Funny how that happens to feminists.

Speaking of feminists. Where was Ashley Judd when Harvey Weinstein feted Her Royal Highness Hillary? Why did Judd remain quiet when the serial abuser Weinstein paid big money to be for Her?

All this is not to absolve Harvey Weinstein or to say he isn’t awful, because based on many reports, wow, is he ever.  To get a solid feel for how disgusting Mr. Weinstein is, one need only read his own comments about Ashley Judd. Aren’t women always to be believed? From the New York Post:

Weinstein continued, “But she changed her story when giving it to the Times. I know Ashley Judd is going through a tough time right now, I read her book [her memoir “All That Is Bitter and Sweet”], in which she talks about being the victim of sexual abuse and depression as a child. Her life story was brutal, and I have to respect her. In a year from now I am going to reach out to her.”

He also insisted of Judd, “I never laid a glove on her. After this supposed incident, which she says was in 1997 while filming ‘Kiss The Girls,’ I took her to an Academy Award party where we were photographed smiling. She claimed to the Times she never worked with me again. She did two movies with me — ‘Frida’, which came out in 2002, and ‘Crossing Over’ with Harrison Ford, released in 2009.”

And when asked about the Times reporting that he has reached at least eight settlements with women, including a young assistant in New York in 1990, actress Rose McGowan, an assistant in London in 1998, an Italian model in 2015 and O’Connor, he told The Post, “No company ever talks about settlements, and neither does the recipient, so I don’t know how the Times came to this conclusion, but it is pure conjecture, the reporters have made assumptions.”

Weinstein plans to sue the New York Times for $50 million even as he’s taking a break to get therapy because of his unspecified problem.

Here’s Weinstein’s full statement emphasis added with some comments in italics.
I came of age in the 60’s and 70’s, when all the rules about behavior and workplaces were different. [Really? There was a time when it was okay to take showers naked in front of subordinates and then ask them to massage you?] That was the culture then.

I have since learned it’s not an excuse, in the office — or out of it. To anyone.

I realized some time ago that I needed to be a better person  [this is a laugh line] and my interactions with the people I work with have changed.

I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it.

Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go. That is my commitment.

My journey now will be to learn about myself and conquer my demons. Over the last year I’ve asked Lisa Bloom to tutor me and she’s put together a team of people. I’ve brought on therapists and I plan to take a leave of absence from my company and to deal with this issue head on. I so respect all women [hahahahaha] and regret what happened [translation: I regret getting caught]. I hope that my actions will speak louder than words and that one day we will all be able to earn their trust and sit down together with Lisa to learn more. Jay Z wrote in 4:44 “I’m not the man I thought I was and I better be that man for my children.” The same is true for me. [So Weinstein is making reference to Jay Z who cheated on Beyoncé and is doing okay and hopes he’ll come out of this unscathed as well?] I want a second chance in the community [Translation: I want to be let off the hook like Woody Allen and Roman Polanski] but I know I’ve got work to do to earn it. I have goals that are now priorities. Trust me, this isn’t an overnight process. I’ve been trying to do this for 10 years and this is a wake-up call. I cannot be more remorseful about the people I hurt and I plan to do right by all of them.

I am going to need a place to channel that anger so I’ve decided that I’m going to give the NRA my full attention. I hope Wayne LaPierre will enjoy his retirement party. [This is disgusting. To deflect away from his bad behavior, he’s attempting to rope in ideological enemies. He’s saying: Remember who the real bad guy is here.] I’m going to do it at the same place I had my Bar Mitzvah. I’m making a movie about our President, perhaps we can make it a joint retirement party. [Translation: I’m shifting the blame to a common enemy and I’m pissed off that the President still has a job and I might lose mine.] One year ago, I began organizing a $5 million foundation to give scholarships to women directors at USC. While this might seem coincidental, it has been in the works for a year. It will be named after my mom and I won’t disappoint her. [Translation: Even though I’ve used women as objects, I’m still pro-women. See? I’m a good guy.]
A simpler statement would have been, “SORRY, NOT SORRY!”

Twitter response encapsulates Weinstein’s weasel statement...
More.

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