If you were hoping Hollywood would back up its consistent nagging to the general populace about being more virtuous by denouncing Miramax co-founder Harvey Weinstein, don’t hold your breath.
As they did when Roman Polanski was found out to have committed multiple acts pedophilia, Hollywood has instead decided to go completely silent with comments, or condemnation to Weinstein’s sexual assaults.
According to the Daily Beast, dozens of celebrities were reached out to for comment, only to receive “no comment” responses, or no responses at all:
In the wake of the blockbuster Times exposé, The Daily Beast reached out to dozens of prominent actors, actresses, and filmmakers—who both have and have not worked with Weinstein—only to receive many replies of “no comment” and plenty of radio silence.
While this is not a good look for Hollywood, it’s not a surprising one. When Polanski was arrested in Zurich in 2009 for the vaginal and anal rape of a 13-year-old girl, celebrities got together to sign a petition urging his release. The names included Harrison Ford, Tilda Swinton, Darren Aranofsky, Penelope Cruz, Wes Anderson, (of course) Woody Allen…and none other than Harvey Weinstein.
Hollywood’s devils look after their own. If a child rapist can’t earn their ire — and indeed keeps their admiration — then Weinstein is in the clear.
Oddly, the only one to truly speak out against the event so far is Lena Dunham, who called Hollywood out on its hypocrisy in calling out the Catholic church for some of its member’s sexual misconduct, but not its own.
The woman who chose to speak about their experience of harassment by Harvey Weinstein deserve our awe. It's not fun or easy. It's brave.
— Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) October 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/lenadunham/status/916017775369379840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-7152646382358734923.ampproject.net%2F1506977814714%2Fframe.html
Look, I’m as surprised as you are, but if even Lena Dunham has the sense to publicly denounce a serial sexual assaulter, then maybe the rest of Hollywood — and I can’t believe I’m typing these words — could follow her lead, and regain some semblance of credibility here.
At this time, Hollywood actresses are instead directing their ire to TSA agents who dare ask for their phone number, and pretending Republicans are going to bring about a real life version of The Handmaid’s Tale.
If Hollywood is wondering why less and less people are showing up at the theaters, or not tuning into their increasingly ridiculous self-congratulatory awards shows…this is one of those reasons.
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