In the six weeks since Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey published their remarkable expose into the allegations of sexual harassment, misconduct and assault levelled at film executive Harvey Weinstein, the tide, for a time, began to shift.
Woman began talking. Furiously, quickly, passionately. As if that report, at the subsequent reaction to it, created a cloud for them to lean on – one that would support them, not let them fall through.
In six weeks, more than 33 men have been accused of assault, harassment and misconduct, that’s 33 men who have abused their powerful platforms to take advantage of women trying to make their mark on Hollywood.
Many have been banished from the industry. Many have been sent to rehab. Numerous TV programs have been put on hold while the allegations linger. Films have been re-shot.
But according to actor Brian Cranston, after a little while, we should let them back in:
“It would take time, it would take a society to forgive them, and it would take tremendous contrition on their part. And a knowingness that they have a deeply rooted psychological and emotional problem and it takes years to mend that. If they were to show us that they put the work in and are truly sorry and making amends, and not defending their actions but asking for forgiveness, then maybe down the road there is room for that, maybe so. Then it would be up to us, to determine case by case whether or not this person deserves a second chance. I think in the face of it, we should let that open," he told the BBC this week.
“We shouldn’t close it off and say: ‘To hell with him, rot, and go away from us for the rest of your life.’ Let’s not do that, let’s be bigger than that. Let’s leave it open for the few who can make it through that gauntlet of trouble, and who have reclaimed their life and their dignity and respect for others. Maybe it’s possible. It would be egotistical for anyone to say, ‘I hope he fails.’ To that person, I would say, ‘F**k you. Why would you want that? So you can be right?’”
Cranston's right - to a certain degree.
There should be room for these men to rehabilitate themselves. There should be room from them to grow and change and learn of their mistakes and acknowledge the depths of the pain they inflicted on unwitting victims. There should be room for us to be better; we shouldn't be throwing them to the wolves or encouraging their demise or hoping they rot and fail and disappear.
Encouraging a total and complete demise isn't good for anyone. It's not good for the world.
But where Cranston goes wrong is his point about the door to Hollywood being - conditionally - open. The door to Hollywood for these men should forever be firmly closed.
For decades, harassment and sexual misconduct has permeated the walls of Hollywood. It's lurked in the most quiet corners and most obvious of hallways. The power structure of Hollywood - one that has such few women in positions of power - enabled these men to wreck havoc in the most reckless and evil of ways.
If we're committed to our desire to protect and believe women, then we must commit to a stance that locks serial abusers out of the industry that allowed them to cause so much harm.
Hollywood isn't just any industry. It's a remarkably public industry that comes with fame and money and power. Rightly or wrongly, in the after-affects of a scandal like this one, those factors must come into play. That letting someone like Weinstein back into his post would provide him money, fame and a pedestal.
Listen: Did some men get a free pass when it comes to accusations of sexual harassment? (Post continues...)
It would be a total and brutal insult to alleged victims to welcome any man back to stage that he once abused so completely.
So for that, the door will always be closed. Not to rehabilitation, or to living a good and relatively fulfilled life post-rehab.
Just to an industry that has been smeared with the marks of powerful and abusive men.
Top Comments
I actually agree with Brian Cranston, his observations around letting these men back into Hollywood are based on sensible & a well thought out ideal.
I don't agree with the author's refusal to allow these men back into the Hollywood system, once they've completed their rehab/bulk of their therapy, etc.
We need to face facts the studios & the production companies are largely complicit, as they have known for years about the offences & behaviours of those that represent them & the continued exploitation, that certain individuals are involved with.
The minute people lose their integrity is when they try & hide behind their corporate name or reputation, the whole Danny Masters situation, with Netflix, highlights this. The problem is the bigger & more powerful these corporations get, the harder it is to get access to those that offend & get them to admit their offenses, this often is where the problem lies.
Those that are the major contributors & fund the Hollywood system, need to start again & develop a proper setup that keeps everyone safe, like they do now with young child actors.
Meetings between those with such power imbalances between management & young/new actors/actresses should be done through their agents & only through these types of bodies. There needs to be a proven reason that a meeting of this nature needs to take place, Having said this if exceptions are made they need to ensure there's such regulation around it specifically NOT going to hotel rooms for meetings, ensuring recordings/notes of the meeting should be taken (after all it's a business meeting).
The indiviudal the actor/actress is meeting with needs to not only accept that the meeting will be recorded, but also acknowledge it for legal reasons. It may go without saying but, NO Alcohol or drugs can be used at said meetings.
The powers that be in Hollywood needs to flush out the bad eggs, so as to try & prevent some of the sleaze & abuse of power that sits within this particular industry (I don't know how they can do it) but they need to recognise that at the heart of the movie industry there is a major problem. Though this is problematic, it seems any industry that deals with humans in any capacity, especially those that use them for such a subjective manner as acting, modelling & Miss World & associated beauty pageants, opens up young people to exploitation & the power imbalance that cause these problem to become "open secrets", & recognised as part of how the system's dysfunction.
Recognition is important & this is what Cranston seems to be expressing. Those that have been outed, some famous, some not, though they're often powerful & highly influential individuals, the main message that needs to be sent to those that aspire to work in this particular system, is that at some level there's forgiveness, (if you're prepared to do the work), as none of us are perfect beings..
We need to remember that all first world legal systems assume innocence until proven guilty, trial by media even social media is highly speculative, often damaging & in the pursuit of a great story, the truth is often sacrificed, certain people often get tarred by the brush, when they are actually innocent while the guilty go free, but by this time the damage is done, the sacrificial lamb has been slaughtered, for the greater good.
With the lack of journalistic source checking & fake news that abounds the danger that those mendacious individuals who are either delusional or deeply obsessed can do real damage to an individual actors or celebrities reputation & future career opportunities, due to their mental imbalance..
This current heated & highly emotional vortex that sits around this problem of sexual harassment & exploitation will stain many people's lives some who are unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time & along with accusations that are dated & highly problematic at best, often with little to back their claims, with accusations towards people who for whatever reason feel it's necessary to damage reputations & careers, often due to pettiness, jealousy or a lack of will or talent. These accusations inflict deep wounds upon these individuals & their families & social connections. (Those that are guilty & proven so need to face their accusers & account for their actions).
Yes this type of damage can inflict huge economic losses on the corporation's but also career losses to those involved, this can destroy families, inflict social purgatory & add to the individual's deep mental wounding, from a human perspective this creates & inflicts more damage often leading to issues around self harm/suicidal ideations.
The maxim for change needs to be you can never have too much education, "vulnerable" youngsters, both female & male need to be aware that there are people who are looking to exploit & profit from their youthfulness & good looks.The system/ society's attitudes towards young people needs to move away from the superficial to helping support strong self agency. There needs to be a permanent body set up & funded by the production/movie companies ie Warner bros to help bring the message to young hopefuls of the pitfalls & dangers of what can happen when they move to Hollywood "to become a star".
They may even need to go as far as having ex-movie stars to go around the country giving talks in high schools, so that people can hear from those that have experienced the exploitation & dangers that lurk first hand.
The message I'm getting from your comment is that offenders should be forgiven because it ruins their own and their families lives and that young hopefuls should be prepared to encounter possible abuse?
I agree that protections should be set in place to ensure that this abuse is not countenanced nor hidden again. However, I think allowing people such as Weinstien back into the fold perpetuates the abuse by giving them back their platform and their power. You make the decision to prey upon someone, then you pay the price by being moved out of an industry where people can be so vulnerable.