Of course! Also, it’s all their fault for having those sexy, sexy vaginas and for wanting to have careers! Don’t wimmins know their place? /s
And then there’s the people who have nothing to gain yet publicly defend these monsters. What’s their excuse? (He said staring at a previous commenter above).
In the 1999/2000, the Action sitcom had a plot on a couple of episodes involving a disgusting producer that, I felt, looked a lot like Weinstein. I always thought it was an insider reference, and now wonder if that’s the reason it never had a second season (because it was very smart, IMHO).
“Bobby Gianopolis, played by Lee Arenberg is the chief executive of the unnamed movie studio. Bobby G, as he is well known, uses menacing threats to get what he wants from Peter and the rest of the Dragonfire staff. Often these threats involve withdrawing his massive financial backing or exposing his gigantic penis. Bobby G is gay, but married Jane, Peter’s ex-wife, in order to quell any rumors of such. Many critics have suggested that Bobby is a parody of former FOX CEO Barry Diller.”
Lee’s physique is more akin to Weinstein…
(edited with the Wiki quote)
The mainstream viewpoint baked into our culture that we’re all exposed to every day.
I really disagree with this. The linked piece from TMZ also notes that Tina Fey put a Weinstein’s-a-predator joke in 30 Rock. Comedians say things in jokes that people aren’t ready to say outside of jokes. While jokes are funny, they are rarely, “just jokes”.
On it’s face I’d say that naming a person considerable more influential than yourself a sexual predator in front of an uncomfortable Oscars’ crowd full of people who have enabled them is just the kind of thing I’d like comedians to do. Of course MacFarlane might have done so in terrible taste, but to whatever extent he thought, “You’re putting me on stage at the Oscars? Then I’m going to point out Weinstein is a fucking rapist” I’m impressed rather than disgusted.
Some people will glom onto anything or anyone for attention; that’s pretty self explanatory, IMO.
(I tend to blame their parents for not hugging such individuals enough and making them feel valued during their formative years.)
But the whole system of perpetually enabling predatory behavior for personal gain?
That’s another kettle of fish, one which reeks…
It’s about control of the narrative and the reality that has to be reckoned with unless you can change the story.
two points to this cc @nungesser
He is known as a genuinely nice and charitable guy; but, is in it to make money. He’s openly said he is tired of Family Guy and some of the other stuff, but knows it makes him money and gives him the clout to do other things he truly enjoys (The Orville for example).
And boy howdy does that guy get a kick out of rape jokes. Here’s a typical example from Family Guy, a show in which the running gag for one of the main recurring characters is that he’s a horrible sexual predator.
Peter: “Wait wait! Can I have that record? I love that song. I’ll let you have sex with my daughter!”
Waiter: “I don’t know, let’s see what you daughter looks like.”
Peter: “She’s… er…” (points past his own daughter to an attractive teen) “…right there.”
Waiter: “Okay. I’ll do her. But can you tell her to cry and beg me to stop?”
Peter: “I think this can be arranged.”
My opinion is that it boils down to fragile and toxic masculinity. They see the outrage as an attack on guys being guys, that it’s not that big of a deal. Hey the women probably enjoyed it!
I feel that you may have misinterpreted my stance. I have no problem with comedians (or anybody) shining a light on these abuses or “open secrets”. I am all for exposing scumbags to the world.
I really can’t imagine a comedian – even one that relies on shock humor outing someone as a rapist/pedophile/abuser “just because”.
My sticking point was more the “it’s funny because it’s true” aspect because, no, it shouldn’t be funny.
Lets also remember he is partially responsible for the new Cosmos as well.
forgot that in mentioning the Orville. Nice catch thanks.
Which is why I tolerate the humor in The Orvillle. To me it is clear he wanted to make a classic homage/honor to old school TOS/TNG. The humor is injected in since fox thinks that is the only thing that sells.
I rolled my eyes at the commercials for this show, because it seemed to be Seth MacFarlane’s Galaxy Quest. But my Trek-loving friends are telling me that it’s a more authentic-feeling Star Trek show than the new Star Trek.
For all the faults of his works like Family Guy and A Million Ways to Die in the West, the guy has earned his lifetime pass from me by producing the revival of Cosmos. It was a great science series (for network TV!) and appropriate for our times with a great deal of intelligent things to say about science denialism.
Plus the Orville is kinda growing on me as the “Non-union Mexican equivalent” of Star Trek". (Adrianne Palicki’s presence buys a lot of goodwill from me)
I think it has some Galaxy Quest elements to it. There is some level of not taking itself too seriously. But @akbar5656 I think is right that some of the crasser stuff is to appease the studio. He really has made a good sci fi show IMO.
I’ve also starting looking at the Orville as a modern day Batman tv show.
It’s got the camp, its got the big name stars, its got the groan inducing cheesy humor yet the world it all exists in is taken seriously and for real.
Just this time it is scifi and not superheroes.
I remember that show, it really was excellent and perfect casting for Jay Mohr. I’ve always wondered if it trod on too many toes to continue past the first season. From what was public news at the time that they were satirizing, I do think the CEO character was based on Michael Eisner with perhaps a touch of David Geffen.
Another day another dinosaur that gets caught up in the tide of history. This shit was never legal, but it was definitely tolerated back in the 50s when chauvinism was culturally ingrained among the power brokers. My guess is that a majority of retirement age CEOs could have sexual harassment suits leveled against them by today’s standards and more of them will.
My hope is that this sort of thing scares the worst of them into retiring and hopefully make room for some younger blood up top.
My fear is that we will start to see some last minute amendments on bills that make it harder to file sexual harassment lawsuits.
From what I’ve seen there is a big generational aspect to this, with younger men being far less sexist in their attitudes and actions. I think it is the difference between growing up in a culture where a woman’s place is in the home and the man’s job is to protect and care for the woman. Kids these days have grown up with stronger women who are capable of taking care of themselves and have their own thoughts and opinions. They don’t get nearly as much subconscious training that women are pets that must be cared for and can be played with. So the good news is that it should get better over time as these old folks die off, but the bad news is that it’s likely to get worse before it gets better.
I loved the Cosmos reboot but I’d be careful about handing out those lifetime passes. For all we know MacFarlane may one day be outed as a sexual predator himself.