Patterico's Pontifications

10/30/2017

Why Americans Distrust Big Media: INCREDIBLE Spin on New Kevin Spacey Pedophilia Accusations

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:30 am



Last night, the world learned that actor Anthony Rapp is accusing Kevin Spacey of making a sexual advance on Rapp when Rapp was only 14 years old. The revelation is one of the more strange and disappointing allegations to emerge in the avalance of post-Weinstein stories of harassment and sexual assault by men in Hollywood and media. BuzzFeed reported:

In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Rapp is publicly alleging for the first time that in 1986, Spacey befriended Rapp while they both performed on Broadway shows, invited Rapp over to his apartment for a party, and, at the end of the night, picked Rapp up, placed him on his bed, and climbed on top of him, making a sexual advance. According to public records, Spacey was 26. Rapp was 14.

Spacey put out an eye-opening statement of apology, seeming to acknowledge that he had indeed probably done what Rapp accused him of:

Quite remarkable — especially the line that reads: “But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.” It’s not quite a confession, but the non-denial is striking. After all, most people would be able to deny without reservation trying to have sex with a 14-year-old boy. I don’t know what the statute of limitations is in New York on attempted sexual intercourse with a minor that young, but Spacey’s apparent acknowledgment of Rapp’s allegation could possibly even open him up to prosecution. At a minimum, it is a potentially career-ending admission.

And yet, much of Big Media portrayed the Real Story as being . . . Spacey’s admission that he is gay. No, seriously. One media organization after another ran headlines with variants of the theme: “Kevin Spacey Says He Is Gay.” Some of them changed their headlines after the fact, and others may still, so I will use screenshots to prove my point. Here’s ABC:

ABC Spacey

And here’s Reuters:

Reuters Spacey

Not to be outdone, here is the New York Daily News:

NYDN Spacey

Here’s Gabriel Malor with a similar screenshot from U.S News and World Report:

Um, that’s not the story, guys. It’s not even news. I have assumed Spacey was gay or bisexual for years. I was surprised to read that he hadn’t openly acknowledged it.

But I was a lot more surprised to read that he had allegedly tried to have sex with a 14-year-old.

Come on, Big Media. When America sees you doing stuff like this, right in front of our eyes, we don’t get fooled any more. We just get increasingly disgusted with you, and your transparent efforts to soft-pedal a story on behalf of one of your own.

[Cross-posted at RedState and The Jury Talks Back.]

134 Responses to “Why Americans Distrust Big Media: INCREDIBLE Spin on New Kevin Spacey Pedophilia Accusations”

  1. It’s not just this issue. The outrage and spittle over sexual coercion is reaching insanity levels. Dogs and cats living together. Men everywhere, guilty or not, surrender your junk, now!

    Ben burn (b3d5ab)

  2. Spacey pulls the gay card. Hooray for Pervywood!!!

    Colonel Haiku (d14968)

  3. Spacey’s liberal gayness outweighs his white maleness.

    If he was a conservative the headlines would be a bit different.

    And it seems like only yesterday he declared Trump a disease.

    harkin (10a18c)

  4. Most lefty “men” surrendered their junk a long, long time ago.

    Colonel Haiku (d14968)

  5. At a minimum, it is a potentially career-ending admission.

    No, it’s not. There’s a writer/director by the name of Victor Salva. In 1988, he pleaded guilty to five counts of child molestation, his victim being a 12-year-old boy and spent a year in state prison. He’s written and directed 7 films since then. If going to jail for molesting a 12-year-old didn’t stop his career, I don’t see how Spacey’s career is in jeopardy. Knowing Hollywood, this might be a plus on his CV.

    We’re seeing just a small part of the filthy cesspool of the entertainment industry.

    Chuck Bartowski (bc1c71)

  6. What Chuck said.

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  7. This is from the same big media that told us that Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner was unbelievably brave.

    AZ Bob (f60c80)

  8. These are the same people that will tell you pedophilia in the Catholic Church has nothing to do with homosexuality.

    harkin (70fe68)

  9. Yeah, yeah, yeah. “Come on, Big Media”.

    Big Media, bad! Big Media headline editors, really bad. Big Media “increasingly disgust[ing]”.

    Okie-doke. Whatever blows your skirt up.

    Riddle: What’s the only thing worse than Big Media? (Answer:) No media.

    Dog bites man.

    Q! (86710c)

  10. Man barks!

    Riddle: What’s the only thing worse than Big Media?

    (Answer:) State-controlled media.

    fyp

    harkin (70fe68)

  11. So the degenerate from American beauty was one in real life, he also played an incestuous drug smuggler in wiseguy about that time (his sister was played by Joan severance)

    narciso (9b1eec)

  12. The cratering of Hollywood comes at a great expense amongst the victims of sexual assault.

    mg (31009b)

  13. In American Beauty he got much better treatment.

    Mena Suvari was egging him on and he backed off because the cameras were running.

    And oh yeah the psycho perv wasn’t a forty year-old actor but (of course, it’s Hollywood) the retired Marine.

    harkin (70fe68)

  14. Drugging and anally raping a 13 year-old girl wasn’t a career ender for Polanski

    https://www.salon.com/2009/09/28/polanski_arrest/

    bobby (e2983d)

  15. Haiku said: Spacey pulls the gay card. Hooray for Pervywood!!!

    harkin said: These are the same people that will tell you pedophilia in the Catholic Church has nothing to do with homosexuality.

    Ditto. The Gay Mafia’s bugbear is the undeniable connection between homosexuality and child molestation. By coming out as gay, Spacey now has the entertainment industry, including the news media, reflexively on his side for the sake of their own self-defense. They will do their best to scotch the child molestation charge and yell “homophobe” at anyone who tries to look too closely.

    We will also hear “great artist” a lot from his network and their enablers.

    nk (dbc370)

  16. To tell the truth, I liked him a lot in both “LA Confidential” (that’s one movie that’s way better than the book) and “The Usual Suspects”. 😉

    nk (dbc370)

  17. Spacey played the queer what murdered his young lover in Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil. I thought it was a very good movie but then I did know Kevin was queer in real life so was he really acting?

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  18. 14.Drugging and anally raping a 13 year-old girl wasn’t a career ender for Polanski

    That’s because it wasn’t “rape rape” according to Whoopi.

    One of the more ridiculous things about the Polanski defenders was their excuse that it really wasn’t a crime because “the girl forgave him”.

    I guess that means it never really happened….or as Hillary would say: “What difference, at this point, does it make?”

    harkin (70fe68)

  19. “”LA Confidential” (that’s one movie that’s way better than the book)”

    Totally agree

    “and “The Usual Suspects””.

    That movie ended for me when they killed off the best character (Fred Fenster) half way through. A few good moments but man was I bummed when he exited.

    harkin (70fe68)

  20. Hoagie @17: Never saw it. I’ve always wondered if that was not Clint Eastwood paying his dues to Hollywood.

    nk (dbc370)

  21. Patterico’s article is down the left side
    http://thelibertydaily.com

    mg (31009b)

  22. “This is from the same big media that told us that Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner was unbelievably brave.”

    Well, heck, wearin’ those stiletto heels with the backless gown was pretty daring! Gotta give him that.

    Man… I keep forgetting I live in California… I could be arrested for this.

    Colonel Haiku (61b436)

  23. @harkin:That movie ended for me when they killed off the best character (Fred Fenster) half way through.

    The script gave del Toro nothing to work with, as he said “the purpose of the character was to die”. So everything you saw that you liked, he created himself. The director decided to humor him, fortunately.

    Frederick (64d4e1)

  24. You get to play the gay card once. And there will be more.

    Kevin M (752a26)

  25. I am hoping that someone will one day make a movie based on “American Tabloid”… another excellent Ellroy book.

    And time it’s release for around November 22nd.

    Colonel Haiku (61b436)

  26. Yes it’s the best of the Elroy adaptation, black Dahlia is was kind of muddled, so was dark blue and the one with Keanu reeves

    narciso (9b1eec)

  27. At a minimum, it is a potentially career-ending admission.

    IN 1983, Congressmen Gary Studds and Dan Crane were separately censured by the House for sex with 17-year-old pages. In Crane’s case it was a 17yo girl, and in Studds case it was a 17yo boy. The age of consent in D.C. is 16.

    Crane was defeated for re-election.

    Studds received two standing ovations from supporters in his home district at his first town meeting following his congressional censure, and was re-elected to 6 more terms

    Kevin M (752a26)

  28. “”LA Confidential” (that’s one movie that’s way better than the book)”

    Well, it smashes together 2 or three books in the LA Quartet. Read all 4 and you’ll see that maybe you’re wrong.

    Kevin M (752a26)

  29. To tell the truth, I liked him a lot in both “LA Confidential” … and “The Usual Suspects”

    Yeah, and I like Chinatown a lot too, but still think Polanski is a sh1theel.

    Kevin M (752a26)

  30. I’ve read all four, Kevin. I’ve read everything by Ellroy up to and including “Blood’s A Rover”, hoping that he’ll finally write something as good as “Brown’s Requiem” and then I gave up. There are much better writers out there for me to strain my old eyes with.

    nk (dbc370)

  31. The politics of sexuality will try to legitimize pedophilia.

    Dejectedhead (6f26f8)

  32. 31.The politics of sexuality will try to legitimize pedophilia.

    It’s already in the pipeline, Dejectedhead. Thinking gay marriage will exist without pedophilia especially when they are allowed by law to adopt is like believing the priesthood could be infused with fags and still obey the Word of God.

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  33. Interestingly, the way I noticed this story was the howl of outrage coming up from the gay community: *how dare you use coming out as a way to try to evade responsibility for being a predator of children?* seems to be the very angry consensus response.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  34. Good on them, then.

    Colonel Haiku (61b436)

  35. New York law is wierd:

    * the highest level of criminal sexual act is defined as being against a child less than eleven years old or, if the actor is over eighteen who is less than thirteen years old. These ages are *lower* than would be the case in, say, California.

    But the point is tht under NY law, this act wouldn’t be treated as a sexual attack on a *child*, and so the admission wouldn’t go as poorly for Spacey as it might elsewhere.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  36. The script gave del Toro nothing to work with, as he said “the purpose of the character was to die”. So everything you saw that you liked, he created himself.

    Absolutely right, I read an article about that.
    IIRC he made him into a half Jamaican/half German who grew up in Harlem. So he took ‘nothing’ and made it more interesting (IMO) than the main plot.

    Way back when on a film board I used to frequent there was a request for something like ‘top ten characters who have great small roles in films’ I listed Fred Fenster along with Albert Finney’s Fouchet’ from The Duellists, David Patrick Kelly as ‘Grey man in hospital’ from Heavy, among others

    harkin (d06bb0)

  37. when the other hollywood trash decide they really genuinely hate you it looks like this:

    Mel Gibson loses cameo role in The Hangover sequel

    Mel Gibson, the scandal-plagued actor, has lost out on a cameo part in the film sequel to hit comedy The Hangover after objections from the cast and crew, the film’s director has said.

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  38. Poor Patterico. Here he was, trying to make some sort of point about Big Media, and what he mainly got was a bunch of homophobes crawling out of the woodwork.

    Q! (86710c)

  39. It’s safer to hide on this thread, Q.

    That scary indictment thread is scary.

    Ben burn (40fcda)

  40. not really understanding why the kid wanted to hang out in drunk-ass Kevin’s bedroom until everybody left at “well past midnight”

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  41. Q! wrote: a bunch of homophobes crawling out of the woodwork.

    Told you!

    nk (dbc370)

  42. 41… yes you did. Who knew it’d be Quentin Crisp…

    Colonel Haiku (61b436)

  43. 15. nk (dbc370) — 10/30/2017 @ 9:37 am

    The Gay Mafia’s bugbear is the undeniable connection between homosexuality and child molestation.

    This has permeated throughout the culture so that people who write studies try to avoid the conclusion that being abused by pedophilia can cause homosexuality.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535560/ (Published online Sept 14, 2012)

    Does Maltreatment in Childhood Affect Sexual Orientation in Adulthood?

    Epidemiological studies find a positive association between childhood maltreatment and same-sex sexuality in adulthood, with lesbians and gay men reporting 1.6 to 4 times greater prevalence of sexual and physical abuse than heterosexuals (Corliss, Cochran, & Mays, 2002; Hughes, Haas, Razzano, Cassidy, & Matthews, 2000; Roberts, Austin, Corliss, Vandermorris, & Koenen, 2010; Saewyc et al., 2006). Four explanations have been proposed for this association. The first is that nascent same-sex sexuality causes childhood maltreatment, through two pathways: (1) adolescents who reveal their same-sex sexual orientation are targeted for maltreatment (D’Augelli & Grossman, 2001; Saewyc et al., 2006); and (2) adolescents exploring same-sex attractions may put themselves in risky situations, increasing likelihood of maltreatment (Corliss et al., 2002; Holmes & Slap, 1998). A second explanation proposes that sexual orientation minorities disproportionately exhibit gender-nonconforming behaviors in childhood (Rieger, Linsenmeier, Gygax, & Bailey, 2008; Roberts, Rosario, Corliss, Koenen, & Austin, 2012) and are targeted for maltreatment (Alanko et al., 2010).

    A third explanation is that reported differences are attributable to differential recall of maltreatment by sexual orientation, due either to self-reflection during the coming out process or to differential willingness to endorse stigmatizing experiences (Corliss et al., 2002). A fourth explanation is that maltreatment increases likelihood of same-sex sexuality. Four pathways have been hypothesized: (1) maltreatment may cause loss of self-worth and create a stigmatized identity in victims; therefore, maltreated persons with same-sex preferences may be more willing to adopt another stigmatized identity, namely minority sexual orientation (Saewyc et al., 2006);(2) sexual abuse, perpetrated primarily by men, causes boys to believe they are homosexual (Gartner, 1999); (3) sexual abuse of girls by male perpetrators causes victims to be aversive to sexual relationships with men (Marvasti & Dripchak, 2004); and (4) sexual abuse of boys by men “teaches” homosexuality (Cameron & Cameron, 1995, 1996) (see also LeVay, 1996).

    Interpretation of the association between exposure to maltreatment and sexual orientation is politically sensitive…

    So the choices given are:

    1. Pedophiles who abuse boys have a kind of gaydar.

    2. Nascent homosexuals take more risks.

    3. There is no connection – it’s just bad recall

    And finally.

    4. that maltreatment increases likelihood of same-sex sexuality.

    This answer (number 4) is itself divided into 4 categories:

    (1) Male homosexuality is only indirectly caused by sexual abuse because loss of self worth causes boys to adopt a stigmatized identity. (in this version it is voluntary)

    (2) Abused boys come to believe that they are homosexuals. (but the abuse itself doesn’t actually cause it)

    (3) Re: lesbians. Abuse of girls causes them to avoid contact with men (this one ight actually be true)

    (4) sexual abuse of boys by men “teaches” homosexuality (robably not quite right either, if you mean it in an intellectual sense.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  44. I have the real explanation, Sammy. Children are malleable, sex is fun; and homosexuals teach them to like it, to be the kind of sex they’re familiar with, and to adopt it as their own sexuality. A combination of Pavlovian and Skinnerian conditioning.

    nk (dbc370)

  45. Q!tip must panic at Home Depot

    mg (31009b)

  46. 41.Q! wrote: a bunch of homophobes crawling out of the woodwork.

    Nice to know PP has it’s own Baba Wawa:

    ““Are you saying they are pedophiles and that they are still in this business?” Walters asks incredulously, to which Feldman replies, “Yes.”

    “They don’t want me here right now. They want me dead,” he added.

    After Feldman advised parents who want their kids to enter show business not to go into it blindly, Walters cuts him off, saying, “You’re damaging an entire industry!”

    “I’m sorry,” Feldman replied.

    http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/10/14/flashback-video-barbara-walters-scolds-corey-feldman-calling-hollywood-abuse/

    harkin (70fe68)

  47. Hollywood has both pervs and enablers…..and it sometimes depends and having to decide which is worse, sexually abusing children or being conservative.

    “Over a couple of days, Creepy Dad was confronted by each of us – offering no denial of the incidents, and in my case, coming off a tad coached. None of us was sure where it would go next, but a hint came when his wife, Mrs. Creepy, stepped in. Her message: showing “love” to children was not creepy, shame on anyone who thinks otherwise, and nothing was going to change in their household. According to her, we were the weird ones. A few days later, Mr. and Mrs. Creepy, in a seeming act of defiance, astonishingly hosted a “sleepover party” for six year-olds. It ignited a s**t storm, the likes of which I’ve never experienced before – with word of our intervention spreading like wildfire. The only thing that travels faster than the speed of light is gossip through the Hollywood grapevine. Parents were frantic over Creepy Dad’s behavior. In the midst of the commotion, another Hollywood wife we didn’t really know came forward to tell us that Mr. and Mrs. Creepy were actually confronted several years earlier, by different parents, over disturbing behavior concerning children. Apparently, this wasn’t their first time at the rodeo.

    At its peak, nearly everyone that approached us within this microcosm of Tinseltown expressed the opinion that the behavior was deeply inappropriate at best, and something far more nefarious at worst. Everyone involved, including my wife and I, wanted the controversy to end. But when it wouldn’t…we started to sense something was afoot.

    In the real world, the outrage would have continued unabated until either The Creepies publicly repented and slithered quietly away, or were run out of Dodge by the angry villagers. But Mr. and Mrs. Creepy knew something my wife and I didn’t understand at the time – in Hollywood, there’s something more toxic than spooning in bed with other people’s kids.

    A friend of The Creepies, another Hollywood wife, approached my better half as a sort of ambassador – attempting to explain away her friend’s conduct. When her flawed argument was rejected, Mrs. Ambassador let it slip.

    “Well, [Mrs. Creepy] did say you guys were conservatives.”

    http://www.breitbart.com/tinseltown/

    harkin (70fe68)

  48. Harkin, you should expect the usual suspects to immediately shout homophobe! as soon as someone tries to talk about sexual perversions. Just like they’ll shout racist! the minute one mentions a black. They’re one trick ponies incapable of dialogue because their minds are so closed by leftist PC propaganda and their own fear of being called names. They live with the belief that the first person to call the other a name wins the argument.

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  49. Quite a read, harkin. These people – and I mean it – do NOT embarrass easy.

    Colonel Haiku (61b436)

  50. The one thing that brought down house of cards, not it’s increasingly ridiculous plotting

    narciso (d1f714)

  51. Kevin Sandusky

    mg (31009b)

  52. His preferences have been known in Tinseltown for years. Drunk and partying, he hit on a co-worker at a watering hole after a business soiree back in the 90’s– but he sure as hell wasn’t 14.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  53. ASPCA… is he Zelig or Forrest Gump? You be the judge.

    Colonel Haiku (61b436)

  54. The ‘spin’ over 41 acting like a dirty old man hasn’t been rattling the rafters– he was out on the mound sans/raincoat w/43 opening Game 5.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  55. George H.W. Bush Apologizes After Women Accuse Him of Grabbing Them

    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/us/politics/george-bush-women.html

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  56. Hillary should have came out and declared her love for the ladies…

    mg (31009b)

  57. OTOH, so why stay quiet over this for 30 years?

    Would either of their careers flourished or foundered if this was reveal before now? Not to excuse Spacey’s behavior at all [revealing he recalls being drunk but not the advance, eh?), but there comes a point where it’s fair to consider how many of these ‘confessionals’ in 2017 can be pegged as genuine outrage over sexual harassment or just a shot at opportunism for attention and publicity in an era where ‘tell all’ and ‘voyeurism’ are deemed just another entertainment venue.

    An anecdote: 50 years ago my own mother, now 86, was at a business soiree in London when a well known British film actor, aged today but still working in top films, asked her to dance – and as she tells the story, in the middle of the dance floor he unzipped the back of her dress. He was drunk, of course, but she stopped dead, stared straight at him told him to knock it off and zip it back up- he did and they parted with two words: ’Friends?’ ‘Friends.’ Every time she sees him in a movie on TV, it inevitably comes up– but should she call him out on it today for something that occurred in 1968 or just accept that the man was a pig in the ’60s and a slab of fatty, rancid bacon in 2017.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  58. 49 – “They’re one trick ponies incapable of dialogue because their minds are so closed by leftist PC propaganda and their own fear of being called names.

    The ‘names as violence’ thing is a dodge. I think it’s even worse.

    They are incable of argument because there is no rational argument they can make. Instead, they declare all disagreement ‘hate speech’, claim the 1st amendment does not protect it, and disrupt, riot, vandalize, burn etc. when anyone dares to (horror of horrors) disagree and attempt to speak up.

    Then the less honorable and intelligent administrators (who enabled them previously and ignored the inevitable results) cower and kowtow to their every demand to prohibit people from hearing the words of Ben Shapiro, Ayan Hirsi Ali, Charles Murray, Ann Coulter, Milo etc. and instead of throwing the disrupters and rioters in jail where they belong, they charge the speakers tens of thousands of $$$ in security fees in hopes they’ll just go away.

    But, the main thing is they have no argument – they only have noise, disobedience and violence…….while calling everyone who points out their idiocy a fascist. It’s why you have nitwits in Mao caps and Che’ shirts declaring a statue Of Thomas Jefferson must not be allowed to stand.

    harkin (d06bb0)

  59. Not to excuse Spacey’s behavior at all [revealing he recalls being drunk but not the advance, eh?]

    the star trek guy told his buzzfeed friends that Mr. Spacey was drunk so he’s not necessarily recalling being drunk just accepting the likelihood of it

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  60. All of these revelations have opened the Pandora’s box; sexuality is much more complex and complicated and potentially evil than the current shallow political slogans would have us believe.

    Patricia (5fc097)

  61. @61. T’was the booze talking; vodka shields up, eh Mr. Feet? 😉

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  62. i don’t think we have any idea what happened 31 years ago Mr. DCSCA

    but there’s a very robust likelihood that all the people involved are nasty neurotic individuals possessed of poor character

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  63. Greetings:

    Me, I’m thinking that that was back during the AIDS epidemic so he probably only wanted “safe” NAMBLA sex.

    11B40 (6abb5c)

  64. 59…Oh for crying out loud… How many times are we going to read about your socialite mum and Rowan Atkinson, ASPCA?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  65. @66 =Haiku! Gesundheit!

    =yawn= Atkinson was 13 years old in 1968; more Spacey’s range, unless you’re fielding balls in that field, too. Big game tomorrow, Colon-elle, plenty of pitchin’ and catchin’ in LA– but you’ll be playin’ the field ’round Hershey Park, won’tcha.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  66. “Coming-out stories should not be used to deflect from allegations of sexual assault,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD. “This is not a coming-out story about Kevin Spacey, but a story of survivorship by Anthony Rapp and all those who bravely speak out against unwanted sexual advances. The media and public should not gloss over that.”

    You have to wonder if this response from GLAAD, which sounds thoughtful on the surface, isn’t just damage control and an attempt to discourage the association of the word GAY to the reports of Spandusky preying on a 14 year-old.

    harkin (d06bb0)

  67. @68 You have to wonder if this response from GLAAD . . .

    OMG!!!! That’s precisely what you have to wonder at! It’s so doggone obvious, now that you point it out!

    Q! (86710c)

  68. Blake Edwards was far too timid in his masterpiece S.O.B..

    Kevin M (752a26)

  69. George H.W. Bush Apologizes After Women Accuse Him of Grabbing Them

    I guess he’s not dead yet.

    Kevin M (752a26)

  70. OMG!!!! That’s precisely what you have to wonder at! It’s so doggone obvious, now that you point it out!

    Actually, that’s perfectly valid thing to wonder. Especially when you have articles like this, which blast Spacey for allegedly perpetuating the “vicious lie about gay men”.

    My first reaction wasn’t that all gay men prey on adolescent boys, but the author of that piece — and several others like him — was certainly defensive about such a thought.

    Chuck Bartowski (211c17)

  71. Chuck Bartowski – for years I’ve had people tell me that gay men are predators who abuse adolescent boys. I’ve never done such a thing, I would never *consider* doing such a thing, and neither would any of the people I love, gay or straight — but yet people say that about me, without knowing me, anyway.

    I’m not defensive; I’m *angry* at the vicious slander I am subjected to. I would expect that the author of that article is as well.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  72. @70. Underrated, too. Scathing flick.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  73. How often do they condemn a peter bean, or a Bryan singer, or do they cry homophobia. Just like the Rotterdam criers islamophobia.

    narciso (d1f714)

  74. Apparently Spacey’s gay card thing pissed off a lot of gays. The special Emmy he was going to get won’t happen and Netflix is backing away from House of Cards (it was all previously scheduled, of course).

    Kevin M (752a26)

  75. Even the regular Mafia disowns (among other things IYKWIMAITYD) members who make the Family look bad. Especially if they go out there and say they belong to the Family. It’s part of omerta.

    nk (dbc370)

  76. @77. nk- seems the public is growing increasingly numb– almost indifferent– to reports of mass shootings, varying degrees of corruption and sordid stories of pedophilia among the clergy, high profile politicians and entertainment types nowadays in these ‘you-wanna-be-famous-make-a-sex-tape’times we live in. The most pleasant ‘escape thread’ in ages has been the sports posts.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  77. 72 – thanks Chuck.

    73 – aphrael – before I was 16, I’d been made aware of four different friends/acquaintances, all underaged males, who were sexually abused. All were abused by gay men (two were relatives of the boys), none by straight. Real life teaches you lessons.

    Noting this does not mean that I believe all or most gay men abuse boys but it also does not discourage me from considering that a higher percentage of gay men probably have a proclivity to do so, if you consider that slander I can live with it.

    As to your anger. Do you think young black men are justifiably angry at the available taxi drivers who pass them by, or do you think they should direct their anger at the young black men who have exited the cabs without paying in the drivers’ past? I feel this analogy is apt.

    ********
    “@iowahawkblog

    Hogan’s Heroes provides a more accurate portrayal of Nazis than House of Cards does for DC politicos”

    heh

    harkin (d06bb0)

  78. Harkin, at 79: both angers are justified: anger at the people who are judging them not as individuals but based on characteristics outside their control, AND anger at the people who are providing that first group a basis on which to do so.

    That said, I find your analogy interesting because the article Chuck posted in #72 is the direct equivalent of being angry at the young black men who have exited the cabs without paying in the past.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  79. I’m not defensive; I’m *angry* at the vicious slander I am subjected to. I would expect that the author of that article is as well.

    If your first reaction to Spacey’s statement is that he’s perpetuating a lie about gay men, I’d say that’s defensive. It really did happen in Spacey’s case. That doesn’t mean that all — or even most — gay men prey on adolescent boys, but it does happen sometimes (just as some straight men prey on adolescent girls). Anybody who says all gay men do this is a liar, and anybody who says no gay men do it is one too.

    Chuck Bartowski (211c17)

  80. That doesn’t mean that all — or even most — gay men prey on adolescent boys, but it does happen sometimes (just as some straight men prey on adolescent girls).

    Then it would be fair to say that most if not all adolescent boys sexually preyed upon by men are preyed upon by gay men (just as straight men prey on adolescent girls).

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  81. That said, I find your analogy interesting because the article Chuck posted in #72 is the direct equivalent of being angry at the young black men who have exited the cabs without paying in the past.

    I partially disagree. He’s doesnt seem angry at Spacey for preying on a teen, rather for using his gayness to garner sympathy, which he claims perpetuates a false belief that many gays are boy predators.

    To be a true equivalent he would have to have said “hey gay men, quit preying on boys, you’re giving all gay men a bad image”.

    harkin (d06bb0)

  82. At a minimum, it is a potentially career-ending admission.

    No, it’s not. There’s a writer/director by the name of Victor Salva. In 1988, he pleaded guilty to five counts of child molestation, his victim being a 12-year-old boy and spent a year in state prison. He’s written and directed 7 films since then. If going to jail for molesting a 12-year-old didn’t stop his career, I don’t see how Spacey’s career is in jeopardy. Knowing Hollywood, this might be a plus on his CV.

    We’re seeing just a small part of the filthy cesspool of the entertainment industry.

    They’re ending House of Cards. I read someone that they are considering canceling another Spacey project; do not remember where I saw that or what the project was.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  83. Then it would be fair to say that most if not all adolescent boys sexually preyed upon by men are preyed upon by gay men

    It might be, but I’m not sure. While it’s true that there are straight men who molest pre-adolescent boys, the sexual response in the victims is different between pre-adolescents and adolescents. So, the reason for the molestation is likely different.

    It’s not an unreasonable position to take, but I think there are fair arguments on both sides of that.

    Chuck Bartowski (211c17)

  84. hey’re ending House of Cards. I read someone that they are considering canceling another Spacey project; do not remember where I saw that or what the project was.

    In the short run, this is damaging for Spacey, but in a couple of years, his name will be completely rehabilitated. This is Hollywood: the only unforgivable sin is being conservative.

    Chuck Bartowski (211c17)

  85. You figure the same goes for Weinstein then?

    I don’t know.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  86. Have they canceled the show, it got too ridiculous the last two seasons.

    narciso (d1f714)

  87. While it’s true that there are straight men who molest pre-adolescent boys, the sexual response in the victims is different between pre-adolescents and adolescents.

    Say what? The very definition of gay is same sex. Straight men molest adolescent girls not boys and there is plenty of that going around too.

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  88. There’s always dinner theater like Bob Crane.

    Pinandpuller (7c17d6)

  89. 58, yeah but I wonder if 2016 version of nk will be proven right e.g. the real reason a certain person got sent to military school. Would he be forgiven and even accepted if he was the plugger?

    urbanleftbehind (35f328)

  90. “I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior……”

    Nice use of the word ‘drunken’ in lieu of ‘predatory’ or ‘disgusting’. Blame the bottle!

    *****

    Netflix spokeswoman Karen Barragan told USA TODAY the decision to cancel the series was made “months ago” and was unrelated to the allegations. But the streaming service issued a joint statement with producing partner Media Rights Capital saying they are “deeply troubled” by the report.”

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2017/10/30/kevin-spacey-faces-reputation-damage-over-sexual-harassment-but-not-legal-problems/813235001/

    harkin (d06bb0)

  91. 93, since that case happened in Maricopa County, one should earn their pardon and get on it!

    urbanleftbehind (35f328)

  92. In a slightly different story, the New York Times reported that the California Sate legislature has a considerable amount of sexual harassment.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/29/us/sacramento-sexual-harassment-california.html It focues a lot on one particular case, a now former Assemblyman, Steve Fox.

    It does not mention his political party. Does anyone know? It mentions everybody else’s political party, including three people calling for reform, all Democrats, one of them Nancy Pelosi’s daughter I think…

    This is worse than the Menendez article, since who knew who Menendez was, knew his political affiliation, and it had been mentioned in other articles.

    Sammy Finkelman (20d02d)

  93. Before Kevin Spacey, New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey decided that saying he was a homosexual was a good way to deal with a scandal (In his case it was giving someone a job he was likely not a good candidate for)

    Sammy Finkelman (20d02d)

  94. Steve Fox, Democrat, 36th district (Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita).

    Looks like it was not an isolated incident……

    “A new publicity campaign aims to address sexual harassment in California politics and open up a male-dominated power structure in the Capitol that female leaders say perpetuates “pervasive” abuses.

    More than 140 female legislators, lobbyists, political consultants and other women in the Capitol community released an open letter Tuesday calling out “a state that postures itself as a leader in justice and equality” but where there is nevertheless widespread “dehumanizing behavior by men with power in our workplaces.”

    “Men have groped and touched us without our consent, made inappropriate comments about our bodies and our abilities,” the letter reads. “Men have made promises, or threats, about our jobs in exchange for our compliance, or our silence. They have leveraged their power and positions to treat us however they would like.”

    http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article179394116.html

    harkin (d06bb0)

  95. @89. Yes– six seasons was good run milked from the better British miniseries anyway.

    Spacey’s into theatre production in Britain and behind the camera work so he’ll likely weather through this. Weinstein’s a suit, not talent and if he has a future at his age in the Biz post legalities stateside he’ll likely follow the Polanski path and scoot to Europe to give it a go.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  96. After the third season, it got too ridiculous, his stopped killing bystanders I think.

    narciso (d1f714)

  97. You figure the same goes for Weinstein then?

    Possible, but less likely.

    I look at stars and directors who got into scandals and later came back to their careers; the public has a short memory where recognizable celebrities are concerned. I don’t know of any producers who have gone the same route, mostly because producers’ names are not as well-known by the general public.

    Chuck Bartowski (211c17)

  98. Say what? The very definition of gay is same sex.

    That’s what I was getting at by drawing the distinction between molesters of pre-adolescents and adolescents. The latter is strictly about sex, the former is about something else. Generally speaking, molesters of 6-year-olds do not go after 14-year-olds, and vice versa.

    Chuck Bartowski (211c17)

  99. WTF… Spacey’s bro says their dad was a Nazi who sexually abused young Kevin and Mom knew all about it.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  100. And he looked like Nazi rod Stewart, that’s one step too far.

    narciso (d1f714)

  101. You really have to wonder how the elephant in the room, Bill Clinton (and the way his accusers were attacked, belied and smeared) is being so brazenly ignored in all this.

    After all, the response by the Clintons and their political/media shills set the standard for over two decades on how abused women were treated for daring to expose criminally scumbag behavior by powerful men. Add to that the fact that the woman designated as the ‘most qualified person to be President’ in 2016 was in charge of squashing these ‘bimbo eruptions’.

    “The horrible truth is that the feminist establishment in the U.S., led by Gloria Steinem, did in fact apply a double standard to Bill Clinton’s behavior because he was a Democrat……

    ……The Democratic president and administration supported abortion rights, and therefore it didn’t matter what his personal behavior was.’ – Camille Paglia

    Well, yeah.

    harkin (d06bb0)

  102. The more I am hearing again and again in Hollywood about the strong tones of sexual assault against children. I am reminded more and more about this 2010 story in Der Spiegel about the German Left and their free wheeling views on children, sex, and adult relationships. Its a three part story and the most interesting is the 3rd part in my view since we have a situation where under the guise of a better socialist union, certain “Pedo groups” as the article describes it, started to claim rights and privileges all while marching inline with the LGBTQ community quest for rights in the late 70s and thru into the early 90s in Germany. The ick of this thought by some of the more mainstream Germany (and European) philosophy types that were also working the LGBTQ community caused serious friction inside German politics. The slur that the LGBTQ community has been fighting for years that being LGBTQ means you are also a pedo has been one very difficult for that community thru out the world to challenge and effectively debate.

    I think that is the hardest thing and most damaging for those more mainstream and non-radical LGBTQ political active folks, is how Spacey and the Media immediately brought that slur of being a pedo is being equal to being LGBTQ. This Kevin Spacey thing, when added to what happened to Milo and George Takei earlier this year, only seems to open the door to further revulsion and rejection of what they consider to be equal rights in society. That is what make the whole statement by Spacey wrong and he should be rightfully called on it. I also think that honestly the LGBTQ community needs to face the problems within their own community and set it right before continuing down the path of rights. Do a Goldwater/Buckley like purge of JBS types in the conservative moment, the LGBTQ community needs to do an honest purge of the pedo fans within the LGBTQ community. I also think that both the conservative and the leftists need to do the same purge of anyone from Dennis Hastert to the Weinstein/Polanski/Clinton/Weiner types from the body politic. As it seems to have come out multiple times, there have been many who knew the “secret” and chose to keep quiet. This stuff needs to stop and the moral/ethical standard needs to be public denouncement and purging from the club rolls.

    Charles (24e862)

  103. Before Kevin Spacey, New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey decided that saying he was a homosexual was a good way to deal with a scandal

    exactly how Mr. Spacey could’ve acknowledged Mr. Rapp and offered his apology without also coming out’s another headscratcher

    this creepy Anthony Rapp person outed our creepy friend Mr. Spacey and Mr. Spacey rolled with it, and if he’d tried to deny or bracket his own sexuality how would that have played you think

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  104. 109, good Lord, that reminded me of an urban legend circulating in the mid-8]s that Stewart had to have some “c___” pumped out of his stomach. It ranked up there with Richard Gere/Gerbils.

    urbanleftbehind (35f328)

  105. The thing that really disturbs me about the media treatment of this is the thought that maybe they actually think that this IS the most interesting and important part of the story.

    C. S. P. Schofield (99bd37)

  106. “Wake up Maggie, I think I got somethin’ ta spew on you”?

    Colonel Haiku (61b436)

  107. 111. Charles (24e862) — 10/31/2017 @ 12:52 am

    The slur that the LGBTQ community has been fighting for years that being LGBTQ means you are also a pedo

    What you’ve got here really is people asserting the converse: If someone is a pedophile, they are (merely) LGBTQ (at least so long as they don’t drop below the age of puberty and target only other males) Now that’s what Kevin Spacey was saying.

    The claim is made that this is a slur. It is not a slur – it’s the position of some advocates. people who want LGBTQ to become LBGTQP. Us, too, they say.

    While those who don’t want LGBTQ to become LBGTQP outnumber those who do, they are still a significant minority. They are not repudiated. Mostly their existence is denied.

    The link @83 says that Kevin Spacey was himself a victim of pedophilia (by his father!), which would make it another case of someone made into a homosexual by sexual abuse, in what I call the vampire theory of homosexuality (in vampire mythology, being bit by a vampire makes you into a vampire yourself.)

    Sammy Finkelman (20d02d)

  108. It’s always easier to proposition the young because they are more likely to be naive and insecure. Ditto re authority figures preying on the people they employ. To me, that’s the connection between Spacey and Weinstein. They both targeted the vulnerable.

    DRJ (15874d)

  109. Both gay and straight can target the vulnerable, but I suspect straight people have a bigger pool of targets.

    DRJ (15874d)

  110. Interestingly, one doesn’t hear as often about lesbians assaulting minor girls. Wonder why? Do lesbians just not share that propensity with their male counters or are gay men more disposed toward pedophilia than lesbians or do the girls just not complain about it like the boys do?

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  111. It’s the opposite. DRJ. Crimes require opportunity. Homosexual pedophiles have a bigger pool of targets because of greater propinquity and therefore greater opportunity. Sandusky, for example, would not have been going into girls’ showers and locker rooms. Not for long, anyway. Or even been alone with girls without eyebrows being raised.

    nk (dbc370)

  112. Women commit fewer crimes than men across the board, Hoagie. And even fewer crimes against the person of another.

    nk (dbc370)

  113. Here’s another reason Americans distrust Big Media. Why on earth would a reputable candidate put out such a racist and irresponsible ad, and why with all the “standards” stations talk about would any reputable station allow this ad to be run on its air waves?

    https://youtu.be/bYb2ZiQzL4M

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  114. Let them hate provided they also fear, Hoagie.

    nk (dbc370)

  115. I was surprised that Kevin Spacey could sing and dance as well as he did in his Bobby Darin bio-pic “Beyond the Sea.”

    But how can anyone who watched him in “House of Cards” be very surprised that this actor has a very dark side? What made his portrayal of Francis Underwood so striking was the character’s continuous evil joy in getting away with being a monster: especially in the first two seasons (after which the show went downhill fast), he’d break the fourth wall, turn to the camera, and celebrate being that monster. The character he played originated in a trio of British novels written by a former Tory cabinet minister, which gave the resulting British miniseries and then its must more successful American version, with Spacey, an entertaining air of political authenticity to go along with its fictional villainy. But as written in the novels, Francis Urquhart (renamed “Underwood” for American audiences) wasn’t remotely so self-aware, and certainly didn’t share with the audience his glee at getting away with his misdeeds.

    Character roles are just roles, and it would be childish and wrong to attribute to Kevin Spacey the actor all of the attributes of his most famous characters. But Kevin Spacey the actor showed in “Beyond the Sea” that yes, he really can sing and dance, credibly enough that his vocals weren’t dubbed and no stunt-doubles were used on the dance floor. So is Kevin Spacey the actor also the kind of wicked psychopath that his character Frank Underwood so delighted in being? That’s not yet proved, but when and if it were, I wouldn’t be too terribly surprised either.

    As for our host’s main point — that the media has focused solely on the “coming out” announcement, rather than the “if I committed that act of sexual predation I owe him an apology” announcement — that’s spot on. I’d say, in fact, that Spacey very deliberately played the “I’m coming out” card with the full knowledge and expectation that it would be treated as a trump card (no political allusion intended) by the mainstream media, and especially its show-biz segment (a subset that damned near swallows the whole). Unless there’s a cascade of other victims, this single incident isn’t likely to much hinder his future career, and in some circles of Hollywood, arguably might enhance it.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  116. Well I’ve followed his early work, from wiseguy on, I guess his portrayal as Darrow, and the teacher In pay it forward, are one of the few instances where he doesn’t play a sociopath.

    narciso (d1f714)

  117. @ DRJ: Weinstein clearly targeted subordinates (some of whom were indeed willing to trade sex for advancement, but others of whom weren’t, by anyone’s telling of the tales). But 30 years ago, Kevin Spacey was a late-20s unknown still waiting for his first big role as a one-time guest-star on “L.A. Law.”

    Beldar (fa637a)

  118. @ aphrael, who wrote (#33):

    Interestingly, the way I noticed this story was the howl of outrage coming up from the gay community: *how dare you use coming out as a way to try to evade responsibility for being a predator of children?* seems to be the very angry consensus response.

    I’m glad to read this, and wish them much success in publicizing the distinction and their resulting offense, which is legitimate.

    Do you think this suggests further hypocrisy, though, in the Hollywood community generally? Does it suggest to you that their claims to be more enlightened about gay/straight issues than the rest of America is exaggerated? Isn’t that exactly what Spacey was relying upon?

    Beldar (fa637a)

  119. 118. DRJ (15874d) — 10/31/2017 @ 8:11 am

    Both gay and straight can target the vulnerable, but I suspect straight people have a bigger pool of targets.

    I suspect not all that much smaller, because sexual abuse can cause homosexuality and it is neither inherited nor determined only from internal forces. Kevin Spacey himself is a case in point. So is Milo Yannopoulos.

    Anita Bryant said that 40 years ago, but she was shut up. But as the saying goes: Truth crushed to earth will rise again. Especially when it is not purely historical.

    Sammy Finkelman (20d02d)

  120. Of course if Kevin Spacey was the only example, you could argue it was genetic, as his brother does, but in most cases it doesn’t start with incest.

    Sammy Finkelman (20d02d)

  121. Indeed.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  122. “I was surprised that Kevin Spacey could sing and dance as well as he did in his Bobby Darin bio-pic “Beyond the Sea.”

    124 – That would be a great title for the film about Roman Polanski’s reaction to being found out about drugging and raping a 13 year old.

    128 – “Kevin Spacey himself is a case in point. So is Milo Yannopoulos. Anita Bryant said that 40 years ago, but she was shut up.”

    Wow – and we thought the howls were bad at the ‘coming out’ part. Wait till they realize he affirmed Anita’s views.

    harkin (d06bb0)

  123. Poll: 71% of Americans Say Political Correctness Has Silenced Discussions Society Needs to Have, 58% Have Political Views They’re Afraid to Share

    https://www.cato.org/blog/poll-71-americans-say-political-correctness-has-silenced-discussions-society-needs-have-58-have

    Including this:

    A majority (63%) of Republicans agree with President Trump that journalists today are an “enemy of the American people.” Conversely, most Americans (64%), as well as 89% of Democrats and 61% of independents, do not view journalists as the enemy.

    These results aren’t surprising given that most Americans believe many major news outlets have a liberal bias, including The New York Times (52%), CNN (50%), and MSNBC (59%). Fox is the one news station in which a majority (56%) believe it has a conservative bias.

    Kevin M (752a26)

  124. Does it suggest to you that their claims to be more enlightened about gay/straight issues than the rest of America is exaggerated? Isn’t that exactly what Spacey was relying upon?
    Beldar (fa637a) — 10/31/2017 @ 9:17 am

    I think the “Hollywood community” (gypsys, tramps and thieves) is as enlightened about anything from homosexuality to climate to who will win an election as a two year old child. With on tenth the growth potential.

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  125. Kevin, Kevin, Kevin…

    ‘There once was a lad in Nantucket…’

    DCSCA (797bc0)


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