I briefly considered titling this post “The Daily Sexual Harassment Roundup”. But I worried that that would seem insensitive. And I don’t want to be insensitive. I want to make a point that this is what’s happening now: that the list of sexual harassers and predators in Hollywood is expanding so rapidly, it’s a challenge to keep up. And that the misconduct is so rampant, it could easily become a daily feature.
A week ago today, Anthony Rapp was the first to expose Kevin Spacey for his underage creeping. Since then, several more of his victims have come forward including Richard Dreyfus’s son. Kevin has gone underground. But there are reports that he could be charged for his f-cksh-t. Harvey Weinstein is also facing potential criminal charges in New York and London.
Brett Ratner was the other big name who was exposed last week with 6 women accusing him of harassment and assault in the LA Times. There was a VERY interesting article that was published in The Hollywood Reporter this weekend that we may not want to sleep on though. As you know, Brett’s company RatPac has a financing deal with Warner Bros. And now his friendship with Kevin Tsujihara is being examined. Who is Kevin Tsujihara? Oh, only the chair and CEO of Warner Bros!?!?
Brett and Kevin have been known to travel and party together. Supposedly Kevin has been seen drinking heavily when he’s hanging out with Brett. According to THR, Kevin was warned not to get into business with Brett. He did not take that advice. THR does not come right out and say that Kevin condoned Brett’s behaviour or encouraged it. But publishing an article right now establishing a connection between the two, and their extracurriculars, hints subtly at enabling, at best, and possible joint f-ckery at worst. Click here to read the THR post.
As I mentioned last week, Brett Ratner is a big fish. This is not to say that Kevin Spacey’s misdeeds aren’t important and shouldn’t be interrogated; no one here is playing the Olympics of who’s worse or not. The difference is in the harassment net - and the size of each individual web. The responsibility of most of Kevin Spacey’s assaults will fall on him alone. In Brett Ratner’s case, he may be just one pillar that’s holding up an entire cell. It’s very possible that that cell is close to the core of where the power is centred in Hollywood. After all, if we’re talking about power structures, there are few Hollywood power structures more formidable than a major f-cking studio like Warner Bros. Consider too all the golden properties and golden boys that Warners has always favoured. Superheroes and dark knights. Ben Affleck. Leonardo DiCaprio. Bradley Cooper. If this sh-t really blows up, can they really escape without a stain? Or is there too much on the line, too many famous and popular actors, men, to risk that happening?
And the Brett Ratner connections don’t stop there. Brett’s agent is Adam Venit. Adam Venit is head of the motion picture division at William Morris Endeavour (WME), one of the biggest agencies in Hollywood. He’s a major executive. You remember when Terry Crews tweeted a few weeks ago about being sexually harassed at a party? Well it has since come out that the man who groped him was Adam Venit. And he’s just taken a leave of absence from WME.
It’s encouraging for sure. That these very, very big players can no longer hide. At the same time, there are even bigger players. Players who are even more influential. Who are the puppet masters of these puppet masters. Who aren’t just millionaires but billionaires, insulated by relative anonymity. What are the chances that they’ll get dragged out and down too? Is it even possible?
