Posted on 10/09/2017 7:44:07 AM PDT by EdnaMode
Academy Award winner Meryl Streep called the alleged sexual harassment by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein “disgraceful,” “inexcusable,” and an “abuse of power.” She called the women who have spoken out against him “heroes.”
In a statement sent to HuffPost exclusively by Streep’s longtime publicist Leslee Dart, Streep says she did not know that Weinstein― with whom she has collaborated for years on films like “August: Osage County” and “The Iron Lady” and once jokingly referred to as a “God”― was engaging in “inappropriate, coercive acts” and that he had paid financial settlements to at least eight women after they accused him of harassment and assault.
Streep’s statement comes four days after an explosive report in the New York Times detailed decades of allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. On Sunday, the board of directors of the Weinstein Company terminated him citing “new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days.”
Here’s Streep’s full statement:
“The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported. The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes.
One thing can be clarified. Not everybody knew. Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally. I didn’t know about these other offenses: I did not know about his financial settlements with actresses and colleagues; I did not know about his having meetings in his hotel room, his bathroom, or other inappropriate, coercive acts. And If everybody knew, I don’t believe that all the investigative reporters in the entertainment and the hard news media would have neglected for decades to write about it.
The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar. Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.”
Weinstein was initially suspended by his eponymous company following the revelations, which included claims from former staffers as well as actresses like Ashley Judd. And on Friday, TV reporter Lauren Sivan told HuffPost exclusively that Weinstein had cornered her at a restaurant closed to the public and masturbated in front of her.
Members of the entertainment community have come under fire for being slow in responding to the Weinstein crisis. Over the weekend, “Saturday Night Live” Executive Producer Lorne Michaels came under fire for cutting jokes from the show that involved Weinstein. The New York Times reported that several jokes were tested during dress rehearsal but that they “fell flat” with the studio audience.
Michaels said he cut the jokes because Weinstein is a “New York thing,” meaning that he didn’t feel a national audience would appreciate the jokes.
Most of the late-night hosts, including Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, omitted the story in their Thursday night broadcasts. On “The Daily Show,” host Trevor Noah on Thursday made only a passing reference to Weinstein.
Weinstein was a prominent donor to Democratic candidates and liberal causes and was a frequent guest at the White Houses of former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Some Democrats who received donations from him have pledged to donate the money to other causes.
While some Hollywood stars have called out Weinstein, including younger actors like Lena Dunham and Amber Tamblyn, longtime collaborators like Gwyneth Paltrow and Quentin Tarantino have remained silent.
The corruption of the American power establishment is staggering, horrifying, dangerous, and sickening, and at its core is mendacity: contempt for truth.
“Mr. Weinstein is hosting his second fundraiser for the presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Monday night in New York City. Academy Award winner Mr. DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Matthew Broderick will serve as co-hosts for the event.” Washington Times
How many stars have enabled the chronic abusers?
I C W U D T.
hollywood costs ones virtue, principle, and body for the cost of success.
Sorry, not buying it for an instant.
Meryl, darling, you're a good actress, but you are not THAT GOOD.
So these women are brave to wait a dozen years to finally come out and say something. OK???
Meryl Streep is acting again.
Streep probably didn’t know. She was an established acclaimed academy award winning actress by the time Weinstein and his brother started Miramax. Streep and her generation of popular actresses all were established before Weinstein got all his wealth and power in Hollywood.
I’m sure he treated Streep and all her people and assistants with complete respect vs the young pretty actresses trying to get a come-up in the business.
What you mean she played his game?
If you mean screwed him for roles you have lost your mind.
She never needed him for roles.
Streep had already been nominated for two academy awards and the winner of one (Kramer vs Kramer) best actress, when Weinstein was still a nobody in Hollywood.
Miramax did not get its power until mid/late 80s after Streep was well into her iconic status as an actress and Hollywood royalty.
She’s a few years older than him and probably didn’t have anything to do with him outside of work, where he most likely treated her with respect vs the young hot actresses or employees that were trying to scrap for roles or a foothold in the business. Noway Weinstein is showing any kind of bad behavior with or around Streep.
Sexual harassers go after women in positions that are below them and wield power to bribe them into sexual favors to get or keep a job/career.
Can’t stand Streep’s politics but I get why she would not have known or seen any of Weinstein’s bad illegal behavior toward women.
Anna Nicole married for Love and
Bill Clinton was just “Counseling” a confused kid...
Bwahahaha
She knew, she’s speaking now to cover her political ass!
You don’t spend as much time around someone like that and not know. She did what was best for her career. She is only speaking out because people have demanded comments from the Fruit Loops that ran in Weinstein’s circle.
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