I agree 100% with Mr. Woody Allen's comments to the BBC:
"The whole Harvey Weinstein thing is very sad for everybody involved," he added. "Tragic for the poor women that were involved, sad for Harvey that is life is so messed up.
"There's no winners in that, it's just very, very sad and tragic for those poor women that had to go through that."
Allen said he hoped the revelations, which emerged after an investigation by the New York Times, would lead to "some amelioration", but said: "You also don't want it to lead to a witch hunt atmosphere, a Salem atmosphere, where every guy in an office who winks at a woman is suddenly having to call a lawyer to defend himself. That's not right either.
"But sure, you hope that something like this could be transformed into a benefit for people rather than just a sad or tragic situation."
I have something to say about wounding and hurt. Not to conflate an argument with the allegations against Mr Weinstein but the wounding of someone is not always physical. That is why Harvey Weinstein fought for the 2011-12 documentary Bully. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rated the film R preventing kids from attending who were bullied and who were the film's subject. Mr. Weinstein finally got a PG-13 rating after removing some profanities. Like most teenagers don't use profanities on a daily basis not to mention the NYPD or the LAPD and those who they law enforce! And of course 'the bleeps' on TV talk shows can't be words but that horrid bird song one sometimes breaks into when on camera. Gives a new meaning to Snow White's Whistle While You Work.
Quipping aside, the demeaning and demoralizing of both students and adults from the mean spirited happens more often than is ever mentioned throughout the world. And of course all the time in show business. Nobody ever questions it: no crime has been committed. One is told to "get over it" or "get a thick skin". It's happened to me more times than I can remember both in New York and London. Attending media film screenings there was a tabloid critic who found delight almost daily, weekly, monthly, yearly in belittling me. OK: a week, a few months maybe, but for 3-4 years! (And no, that person didn't write for the Murdoch press- they were very polite and distinguished.) It was nothing really. Slowly ever slowly, though, it does become something: something very hurtful.
It is nothing compared to the bullying that goes on the workplace nor at educational institutions. When suicides happen it is often almost impossible to delineate between those who were suffering from mental illness and those who were really no more abnormal than the average 'Joe'. Pushed off that 'cliff' by the bullying from others.
Nicole Katherine Orttung, 21, of Arlington, Virginia was writing for the Columbia Spectator (a student at the university and interning as a published reporter for the Christian Science Monitor.) I read her work. It was good. She seemed intrepid. A promising future. So why one day did she return home and hang herself?
Asking for a massage is clearly very different from rape. And according to the allegations, Mr Weinstein perversely enjoyed asking young women for the former. But when women make those former allegations it may well have been a very intimidating experience for them. Even scarring. For someone stronger they may have just been able to shrug it off. May I add that women can be intimidating as well. And what they deem mere 'flirting' and 'play' can hurt an adult as much as it can a teenager.
These are the things I took from Mr Woody Allen's comments: something like this could be transformed into a benefit for people rather than just a sad or tragic situation.
as a P.S.
I shouldn't write any more on this. But then I consulted my inner 'lion' and thought what the heck: what do I have to lose? The fact that many folk who benefited from Mr Weinstein's financial contributions are debating whether to give it all back/or to charity. With no disrespect to Meryl Streep, but if you call Mr HW 'God' in an Oscar speech then denounce him very quickly in earnest years later after a few high profile allegations emerge surely you should give back a percentage of that film's proceeds and the 'knock on' financial gain from Mr. Weinstein's clearly significant 'God' contribution to the film's success? Same goes for Gwyneth Paltrow and….That seems fair. I know: sounding like a devils' advocate. But fair advocacy. Come on, if you believe so strongly in what you are saying.
I was an overweight pimply kid who had no fear. One of Australia's top film casting directors did interview me. I had lost the weight but not the…."What can I do with a face like that?" she said in front of me. Not to be hurtful, simply musing.
Well: a fears years later I had also lost the 'ahumm' and was onstage in London with the greatest actors in the world. Now the problem was being Australian- even though I didn't sound so and could legally work there. They were prejudiced. A powerful producer invited me to a swanky lunch to discuss a project. Later: "have another drink". I said no. 'They' said "you want to get on in the world don't you". I had another drink. Now, this person never propositioned me. I could lie- nobody would know-but I am not going to. What if 'they' had done? You can't re-write history, though I wasn't that naive to know 'something' was going on. Times were different then. Different now? Yes most probably. But clearly many cases where not. I did rather go 'what?' when I read a NY news guy had used in legal defense: overtime he continued to hear the cracking of ice cubes in a drink because of an embarrassing bar meeting and was traumatized. Not like it was a provocative action with ice cubes every week. And I do not in any way want to belittle that guy. But there is a point when.. !!!!!
I guess I should stop writing now...they said I should sing no more...
"But the queen finds no rest. Deep in her veins. The wound is fed; she burns with hidden fire" Virgil -Aeneid (IV.1-2)
th
Stephen Colbert ;) with Ethel Merman- told you he was a 'with it' kind of gal....
who exactly does 'the' make up?....always lyin' about their freckles those...ummmuh!
Well: Stephen: if u r not interested then Bill Murray looks a lot like you through stained glass and a hurricane! We do have options here (as is the 'wont' of Hollywood!)
If u are interested it is 13% (god rate!) 'cause I have an in with the guy who serves Bernadette Peters bagels. AND: I know the pimp (I mean pumpernickel guy) who serves Scott Rudin. (In an undisclosed 'Wikibagel' he...about you to me: 'mention crayfish, fisting, Ethel Merman, Jacquline du Pravity Very bad uplink. Always willing to play 'soldiers' with Mr. Harvey Weinstein. Real lead going to auction!)
Such is the future of our world spake DuSpok Chakra!
