Did you ever wonder how monsters like Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey could flourish in a supposedly "enlightened" community like Hollywood? You need not wonder any longer. When Will Smith arrogantly walked onto the stage at the Academy Awards and slapped Chris Rock right across the face in front of a global audience, he pulled back the mask once and for all on the toxic sense of entitlement endemic in Hollywood.
All of Hollywood's glitterati, all of the A-Listers, all of the studio heads, all of the top producers, directors and agents, people of every race and every gender, just sat back and watched one of their own literally assault someone on live television and did nothing about it. Actually just doing nothing would have been a vast improvement over what they really did. Those enlightened few actually gave him a standing ovation thirty minutes later.
Wow.
Now you know why people who achieve success in the movie business feel that the normal rules of society -- or even its laws -- do not apply to them. They can expect to be coddled and excused as long as they make money for people. Although I bet you somewhere producer Scott Rudin was shaking his head saying, "Not in public, Will. Not in public."
I don't mean to pile on Will Smith. I feel bad for him. Based on his emotional and rambling acceptance speech, I believe Mr. Smith was dealing with some serious mental health issues. Castigating him would be punching down. But what's the excuse for Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey?
When the women bravely broke their silence about Harvey Weinstein, all of the A-Listers who cozied up to him for decades in return for profitable employment expressed shock. "We didn't know he was doing that..."
Bullshit.
They might not have known about the specific rapes, but they all knew he was a horrible, bullying monster 24/7. I live in Baltimore and even I knew that.
A couple of studios -- Paramount -- MGM -- were interested in releasing one of my films. It was quite exciting. Then the producers called me and said they were considering going with a Weinstein owned company. I advised them strongly against it. I said go with anyone else. Literally anyone else. I said Harvey Weinstein wakes up early every morning to figure out new ways to cheat filmmakers out of their money. They told me not to worry. They had an ironclad contract. Plus, they added, incredulously, that they heard Bob Weinstein was attending a Bible study.
They went with the Weinsteins and, surprise, surprise, they were cheated.
They should have known better. Books have been written about the Weinsteins. However, the offer of money by the Weinsteins blinded them.
You're willing to overlook a lot for money or power or fame.
And what about Kevin Spacey? If only because I live in Baltimore where they filmed House of Cards, I heard horror stories about him. Now, if I, who never stepped on the set, heard about it, wouldn't you think that the producers of the show did too? Are you telling me they never even heard a rumor? And what about the producers of his other films? What about his agents and managers? Nobody heard anything? At all?
No, of course not! He was making money for everyone. So hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
And this isn't just in Hollywood itself. Anywhere people are making movies, producers and directors are pressuring women for sex in return for roles. And the lure of fame is so great that the women often will say yes.
I feel guilty that I haven't done enough to call out the Little League monsters I have dealt with. I only called out one of them by name in these blogs. I have bigger targets but held my fire because I expected to be called as a witness in a lawsuit and I didn't want unnecessarily reveal anything before then. Still, most of the stories are scattered throughout these blogs. I just don't name the names. Why? My excuse now is that I am waiting to tell it all in a book.
And maybe that is just an excuse.
Maybe I'm afraid to burn all of my bridges too.
Maybe I'm no better than anyone else in Hollywood.
I'm willing to admit it.
A producer recently joked that now I had an ending to my book trashing a well-known figure in the world of faith-based films. Yes, I probably have a great ending for my book now. However, my book was never about trashing anyone but myself. My book, if I write it, will be about what I was willing to overlook to have a quote/unquote ministry in faith-based films. Sadly, I discovered your ministry lacks any value if you're willing to overlook evil to have it.
I hope I write the book.
And I hope I wouldn't have applauded Will Smith too.
Other blogs about the film business:
The Downward Media Spiral, Part 1The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 1, An Introduction
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 3, This Is Us
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 4, Arrival
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 5, Methodology
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 6, Clara's Tale, Pt. 1
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 7, Clara's Tale, Pt. 2
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 8, My Tale, Pt. 1
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 9, My Tale, Pt. 2
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 10, My Tale, Pt. 3
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 11, Natalia's Tale, Pt. 1
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 12, Natalia's Tale, Pt. 2
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 13, John's Tale, Pt. 1
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 14, John's Tale, Pt. 2
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 15, Come Inside!
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 16, Marion's Tale, Pt. 1
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 17, Marion's Tale, Pt. 2
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 18, Jeanne's Tale, Pt. 1
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 19, Jeanne's Tale, Pt. 2
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 20, Lisa's Tale
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 21, Recap, Pt. 1
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 22, Recap, Pt. 2
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 23, Recap, Pt. 3
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