by Legendary LewI don’t care if Hollywood rots.
We’ve already seen sexual harassment and abuse allegations pour out into the media and we’re supposed to be shocked–SHOCKED, I SAY–that all of these transgressions have occurred.
Please wake up.
The term “casting couch” was coined over 100 years ago and guess what? It still means the same today as it did back then.
Weinstein, Price, Spacey, Affleck, Woody Allen, Gibson, Singer…do you think we are anywhere near the end of the list?
Not even close. Why? Because this problem is systemic. Just as The Catholic Church adopted a method of hiding sexual predators away from outside interference, Hollywood has the system of career damage and legal liabilities to protect against accusations.
What’s frankly more amazing are the excuses I’m reading and hearing.
So far in recent days, there have been the following pathetic retorts to sexual harassment and abuse charges:
* “You’re damaging an entire industry!” (Barbara Walters to Corey Feldman on his pedophile accusations)
* He’s 93 years old and his hand slips down (G.H.W. Bush)
* I was drunk/am recovering substance abuser (multiple times)
* I’m coming to terms with my gayness
* It was many years ago
* Some of/all the women are liars
* They were in this industry and should have known what they were getting into
* She dressed inappropriately
You get the idea. I’m not even going to continue listing any more, because there are as many excuses as there are abusers.
Does this mean that everyone in the film industry is an abuser or an enabler? No.
What it does mean is that there are no effective systems in place keeping horrible people from entering positions of stature. Once those persons make money for the Hollywood studio system, they get protected. As long as everyone is fat and happy, as during the golden days of the The Weinstein Company, almost everybody shuts their traps–even those fighting against other forms of discrimination.
This scenario will happen again and again unless we, as consumers of movie product (because, honestly, that’s how the studios see us) take action.
Do you view WalMart, McDonalds, Amazon, Nestle, BP or other corporations with moral apprehension? Do you boycott them?
Do you view what’s happening right now in Hollywood with the same level of disgust?
If so, then it’s long past time to boycott them.
But Lew, does this mean I should stop watching Oscar-winning or Emmy-winning works from the likes of Woody Allen, Mel Gibson, Casey Affleck, Weinstein Studios, Kevin Spacey?
Yes. FUCKING YES.
Stop protecting these people because they’ve created “great art.” Music producer Phil Spector created some of the most amazing music I’ve ever heard. Does that mean I want him, a convicted killer, to get out of prison and produce another record?
Hell no! His days are done. There are other great producers out there who aren’t criminals. Give them a chance.
Same with Hollywood. Who knows how many great talents were chased out of that town, because they saw or experienced first hand the exploitation that goes on.
If you want that to change, YOU have to be the change. Tear it down.
#BoycottHollywood
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