Entertainment, Media Figures Applaud Harvey Weinstein Firing: ‘The Enabling Needs to End’
In the wake of an explosive New York Times report on sexual allegations against Harvey Weinstein which culminated with the Weinstein Co. board firing the co-founder on Sunday, industry figures — including an increasing number of men — began to add their voices to those who were the first to applaud the truth coming to light.
Gretchen Carlson, whose revelations led to Roger Ailes’ ouster from Fox News, tweeted, “Women’s voices heard. Again and finally. It’s working.”
“Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn said, “The enabling needs to end.”
Even before Weinstein’s firing, the allegations which led to him announcing an “indefinite leave” were the talk of the entertainment and media world and beyond. Several more women came forth to tell their stories leading up to his firing on Sunday, including a disturbing account of Weinstein forcing a news anchor to watch him masturbate.
One of his accusers, Rose McGowan, led the way in condemning the long silence about his behavior, with Lena Dunham, Patricia Arquette and others supporting her.
While some observers felt that industry men had been slow to condemn Weinstein, Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow were among the first prominent male Hollywood figures to do so.
Screenwriter Howard Rodman called for the industry to boycott Weinstein, who could potentially resurface eventually as an independent producer, if anyone would agree to work with him.
Anthony Bourdain referenced the stories that Matt Damon and Russell Crowe had been enlisted to vouch for an executive to the New York Times, during the course of an investigation into the executive’s alleged behavior — as a procurer of women for Weinstein — that was never published.
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