Decades of Sexual Harassment Accusations Against Harvey Weinstein

[octoberlib]

Two decades ago, the Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein invited Ashley Judd to the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel for what the young actress expected to be a business breakfast meeting. Instead, he had her sent up to his room, where he appeared in a bathrobe and asked if he could give her a massage or she could watch him shower, she recalled in an interview.

“How do I get out of the room as fast as possible without alienating Harvey Weinstein?” Ms. Judd said she remembers thinking.

In 2014, Mr. Weinstein invited Emily Nestor, who had worked just one day as a temporary employee, to the same hotel and made another offer: If she accepted his sexual advances, he would boost her career, according to accounts she provided to colleagues who sent them to Weinstein Company executives. The following year, once again at the Peninsula, a female assistant said Mr. Weinstein badgered her into giving him a massage while he was naked, leaving her “crying and very distraught,” wrote a colleague, Lauren O’Connor, in a searing memo asserting sexual harassment and other misconduct by their boss.

“There is a toxic environment for women at this company,” Ms. O’Connor said in the letter, addressed to several executives at the company run by Mr. Weinstein


https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/us/harvey-weinstein-harassment-allegations.html

[Wednesdays]

1. I'll bet the "casting couch" was very common in the old days

Especially in the days when getting a job was literally a matter of life or death for someone starting out.

In many cases the starlets who kept quiet and acquiesced, survived. The others didn't.

[octoberlib]

2. Oh, I'm sure it was . Weren't people like Louis B. Mayer and Harry Cohn notorious for this stuff?

I imagine Weinstein isn't the only one doing this, either.

[Seeking Serenity]

3. Um, are we making excuses or looking the other way for this creep?

And if so, why?

This guy, who has settled a number of lawsuits against him for this kind of creepy, pervy, and sexist stuff, shouldn't get any more quarter around here than Roger Ailes did.

Ugh.

[Blue_Adept]

4. They're not making excuses

That may be your read of it but they're actually just bringing up some of the history as to WHY some of these older execs (and plenty younger ones as well, probably) think and act like they do.

[Seeking Serenity]

8. Where is the vitriol and unabashed denunciation for this creep

that there was for Roger Ailes or Bill Cosby (or any other alleged or accused high-powered sexual predator)? Werent they old and of a different time just like this guy (who in the article basically admitted his sexual predation)?

[Blue_Adept]

9. Not everyone spits outrage instantly for your pleasure

I guess we aren't sufficiently angry enough for you?

Even in the discussions for those that you list there were people taking measured responses.

Shame on them too, I suppose?

[Seeking Serenity]

14. Some people were definitely reserving judgment, you're right..

Others most certainly were not, but instead took every allegation as uncontestable proof and were braying for blood (or at least for their jobs or positions or for them to never be seen as anything other than human pond scum for all eternity).

[Skippy33]

17. I'll give you some vitriol

If true, he is a low down sleazy pathetic scum sucking maggot infested piece of owl shit.

[Major Nikon]

5. Saint Ronnie was even into the game

Since he was ratting out his union brothers and sisters to McCarthy, he had influence over who was fingered and unfingered. He used that power to bed down starlets who wanted to get off the blacklist. The fun only came to an end when he knocked one of them up and they had to get married to keep from destroying both of their careers.

[Yavin4]

6. "old days"? It most likely still happens every day.

It's the primary motivation as to why some men even go into making movies. See Treasury Secy. Steve Mnuchin.

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a12048998/louise-linton-facts-steve-mnuchin/

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. This is one of the weirdest comments I've seen on DU.

Of course it happened in the old days. It's also happening now. As evidenced by this article.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. The man is 64 years old. He's not some creepy old grandpa who is confused by modernity.

[malaise]

7. Wow Lisa Bloom sure has a different perspective

this time around - makes one go Hmmmmmmmmmm! I wonder what's the Cos!

[Seeking Serenity]

10. Apparently, for some people anyway,

A big enough retainer can buy out even the most deeply held convictions.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

12. He's producing her book.

[malaise]

15. Freaking wow

Oh my!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

16. Money changes everything, I guess!

[AmandaRuth]

18. hollywood old boys club

this type of attitude is exactly why no one in the Hollywood establishment came forward to confirm that 45 was a sexist racist pig (evidenced by his on set and backstage statements ) IMHO