"I'll admit I may have seen better days,
but I'm still not to be had for the price of a cocktail,
"(Margo Channing)
Kevin Spacey How Dare You
Kevin Spacey..how dare you
How dare you attempt to hide the drunken molestation of a child
behind officially outing yourself out as a gay man!
How dare you!
Don't waste a good strong feeling of anger on such a piece of moral absence as that man. "If I can blame it on whatever or whoever but me, I am good and safe" He is good alright, a good piece of humanity wasted, and I hope and I believe where it matters this is not going to go his way, because under any other name he is nothing more than a coward without a pinch of self respect or moral responsibility. He did it, sober or drunk and to pretend he does not remember and that he is coming out because of this, makes him to me twice as despicable and twice as repugnant.
He has an example he may have thought of....catholic priests. Being gay, being drunk, being stoned....all things that have been used to excuse this behavior..or rationalize it. all the same, wrong.
There is no excuse for hurting a child. He may be gay but first and foremost he is a pedifile. A pedifile is a category all its own and should not be linked with being gay.
I am so tired of people saying "I'M SORRY!" Sorry doesn't fix anything. He did what he did. Sorry doesn't make any of his behavior go away. If you molest a child, that makes you a pedophile, it does not make you gay. Please, end the madness!!
Once one person comes out and accuses, others follow. Kevin Spacey’s days in the entertainment business are numbered. Pedophiles are not tolerated - anywhere. To point in another direction makes him all the more despicable.
And how dare he pretend he doesn't remember! Mind you, he may well not remember, but that's only because there have probably been so bloody many of them.
Well said everyone. Sorry is not good enough! It seems that the word sorry is bandied around all the time. Is he sorry for his actions or just sorry he got caught. There's a difference Kevin. However sorry in this case doesn't wash.
Spacey was an egotistical fool to comment without seeking guidance beforehand. His glittering career may now be forever tarnished. Even when we have been blind drunk we must face the consequences of our actions.
Ever since the reaction to his 'apology' and his accompanying 'announcement' was made he must be holding his head in his hands - "How could it all have gone SO wrong!" Following his recent year-plus, triumphant term at the Old Vic where he exceeded everyone's hopes and expectations, it's hard to imagine anyone falling so far at a stroke - but looks life his life and career are, if not on very shaky ground from now on, then it's all collapsed like a........well, you know.
It may come as no surprise to you that I have a differing view (and, no, I don't have any allegiances to Spacey - I couldn't even name you one of his films but then I don't watch many). I am prepared to stick my neck out - should you give me the go ahead. Otherwise please tell me now where to stick my take of what has happened before I waste my time.
I, too, distance myself from the mob since I saw a different story unfolding, and believed anyone who knew of Kevin Spacey, knew he's gay. He kept his personal life private, which is something I wish others in Hollywood would do.
Woody Allen's career wasn't ruined. Some people still think genius is off limits when it comes to pedophilia. Did Allen get a break because he "put a ring on it" despite the IT being his adopted daughter? Such double standards.
Ok as usual you be devils advocate ! Go ahead. You will never know ( being a woman and presumably straight) just how gay men feel about being lumped together with men who are attracted to children. The well travelled path through church abuse cases, children's homes and other historical institutions have tainted gay men with the stereotype of being predatory especially where young men and boys are concerned. Now I am not saying that this isn't the case but it's not the norm. And I am disgusted by Spacey lack of thought in his reply to the allegation.
As for mob rule . Don't be a fool Ursula If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a fucking duck
I agree with all you have said, and am very sorry for the gay community having to face such idiocy. Although honestly, when I read the first exchanges, one of the first questions that came to my mind was, "Wait, Kevin Spacey is gay (because he was coming on to a MALE, not the child part)"? And then the second part answered that for me. Maybe he thought that would be the question in a lot of peoples' minds, simply because of the sex of the victim, and that there were two issues to be addressed. I absolutely know the difference between being gay and being a pedophile, and am in no way excusing him for appearing to link the two. You said "lack of thought", and I agree - it was extremely clumsy :(
Anyone who thinks that just because someone is gay they are a menace to children needs to be reminded of why the novel 'Lolita' resonates so strongly. Gay men don't 'seduce' children, straight men don't 'seduce' children. Paedophiles do.
I thoroughly agree. He is a disgrace - and it's not like the whole world didn't know he was gay anyway. Remember that ridiculous middle of the night incident in Battersea Park when he claimed to be walking the dog or some such nonsense? Shame on him for putting Gay men in the same category os paedophiles. I sincerely hope that people will show their disapproval of his comments where it hurts most - at the box office!
I thought both paragraphs of Spacey's statement well worded, intelligent, dignified, concise. There wasn't even a trace of bullshit.
To you and most of your readers so outraged:
Let's start with the definition of "paedophile" - "someone who is sexually attracted to children". Let's be daring, less precious and more honest: Does a fourteen year old qualify as a "child"? Let's also take into account that Spacey himself was not an old lech but twenty six at the time. Narrows the age gap a little, don't you think?
What actually happened? Not a lot. Some bored - in his own words - teen hangs around at some party (Spacey's). Declines Spacey's advances. Spacey backs off. Rapp leaves. The end.
Fast forward thirty one years. Jumping on the Weinstein band wagon (a different kettle of fish) Rapp has now a convenient way of airing one of his frustrations; in his own words, something to the effect that when Spacey started making it big in the late nineties, early 2000s, it made him "angry". Right. Still took Rapp another seventeen years to try and pull the rug from someone whom he appears to envie professionally.
Some gays' outrage at Spacey "conflating" that incident with "coming out": What's the guy to do? If he hadn't come out now, the headlines would be screaming "why don't you come out" (considering that he tried to seduce a male and apart from the fact that his orientation (!) was well known in his circles, it hardly takes Watson to any Sherlock to put male and male together and come up with gay). So, Spacey tried to preempt by saying he needs to reflect on "aspects" of his life and, consequently, "comes out" officially (same statement, paragraph two).
So why are so many gays, considering how often straights are told how difficult the coming out bit is, not more understanding that it takes some longer than others? So unforgiving of each other? Why, seemingly, don't gays give each other space among yourselves? Instead you jump on each other.
It's a witch hunt, bred and kindled by many and less savoury cultural aspects in American society. And before anyone jumps on ME, it's what you'll find many an educated American will tell you.
Lastly, and I don't know how much foreign (non English) press you and your readers pursue, the hysteria over Spacey is peculiarly confined to the States, the UK and, possibly, Australia.
Looking forward to any thoughts on my offering, Ursula
Russell Crowe was called out for hitting on a young thing by the young thing. Nothing was said. Fourteen year old girls are considered old enough for marriage. Let's drag out Jerry Lee Lewis and his cousin again.
Spacey hit on a teen aged boy. Why persecute him because he's gay? I never assumed all gay men were considered pedophiles. I'm confused by what's happening to him. Everyone makes mistakes. Should their lives be ruined and their livelihoods be yanked because of something that didn't happen?
John, we're reading different news feeds. Some are outraged because he didn't come out they way they thought he should. And he wouldn't have hit on a teenage boy if he were heterosexual. Some hate him for "pretending." Old ass men who've hit on young actresses never get this much heat. And nothing happened! Spacey took the no and walked away. Perhaps you know more about the incident than we do here in the states.
Ok. Deep breath John " Let's start with the definition of "paedophile" - "someone who is sexually attracted to children". Let's be daring, less precious and more honest: Does a fourteen year old qualify as a "child"? Let's also take into account that Spacey himself was not an old lech but twenty six at the time. Narrows the age gap a little, don't you think? " NARROWS THE GAP. ? oh dear lord...if the boy was a girl of fourteen ( and girls are intellectually more grown up than boys) and that girl was laid upon by a 26 year old man WOULD YOU FIND THAT ACCEOTABLE or even remotely fair game?
Re YOUR what actually happened comment What would have happened if the boy said nothing in fear or shyness? Is an advance by Spacey acceptable? Bloody hell ursula! That's outrageous!
The publicity/Weinstein comment. Well yes, you have a point BUT the reason for not saying something could be a reflection of Weinsteins's power in Hollywood. We shall never know
Your coming out comment doesn't make sense. It has NOTHING to do with the predatory behaviour of a drunk 26 year old
The " gays" as you term us are more angry that he now is linking his predatory behaviour with being gay...it has nothing at all to do with sexuality.
You, as always, delight in giving a pseudo intelligent argument just for the sake of it. The comments here, are, as far as I can see, not hysterical. Some are disappointed, some angry, some perhaps are a reflection from media coverage rather than their own reviews of Spacey' full statement, but most, I get the sense, are miffed by his connecting INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR with SEXUALITY
Some of your above comments I honestly find insulting
As a retired Neuropsychologist I have never been able to stop wondering how someone would react if this whole incident would have happened to their own child, who would have to live with it for the rest of his or her life, and what would have been the hidden or unspoken consequences of it to that child who lived with this for 30 years .
You never disappoint when it comes to what I expect from you, John. So, yes, the first thing you come up with is the predictable boy/girl comparison. You say "girls are intellectually more grown up than boys". What's that got to do with the price of flesh? By your argument one might say that boys - by their mid teens - are more likely to be sexually more adventurous, nay eager, than girls. What with holding the baby and all that. You ask whether I would find the girl/man scenario acceptable. Acceptable? Perspective, John, perspective. Make no mistake, girls, little minxes that they are, sometimes do make passes at men in their twenties. Most men will not take advantage or if they do try it on and are put into their place (as Spacey was) will take no for an answer. I am sorry if you don't believe that, John. It's just how it is. Just as you, rightly, argue that being gay doesn't mean a predilection to force yourselves on underage youngsters, neither do most heterosexual men cross the border into the land of coercion. It's a myth, fed on by some late in the day piety and the insatiable SEXUAL appetite of the masses, amiably supported by the media.
Spacey did NOT link his behaviour (predatory?) to being gay. Read part of my original comment again. He had no choice but to come out as gay at the same time as issuing his heartfelt apology. NO CHOICE whatsoever. Anyway, all those now after his hind would trash him one way or another. Any excuse will do.
And, I have no time for anyone, male/female, of any age, airing their linen, pointing fingers, years, decades down the line. Deal with it as and when. And please no one play, as you just did, the "fear/shyness" card with me. Of course, I will concede, that some parents don't tell their kids the facts, what to watch out for, etc, very early on. They don't instill in their children the trust to come to them when something happens. And, in this case, nothing actually happened. NOTHING. Still, Rapp now has the limelight. On the weakness of his conduct in this context, I'd never cast him in anything. Not even in the twilight zone of a sofa.
You talk about "predatory drunk 26 years old". Oh, John, you so make me laugh. Yes, drunk. It happens - even at fourteen. Predatory? What was predatory? If anything it was an error of judgment. For all you know, Rapp might have been in rapture over the overture and consented. What then? Still outraged? Ah, you will now say, but a boy of fourteen can't consent. In some countries (mainland Europe) they can. It might not be exactly what their parents had hoped for (look at Macron - current French president) but it happens. Except NOTHING did happen. So, and I am now repeating myself, for Rapp to bring this up thirty odd years down the line just stinks of self serving opportunism.
Thanks for the compliment, John, my "as always giving a pseudo intelligent argument just for the sake of it". I don't take offence at your pretty offensive summoning up of me. You may give me credit that I took the time to read your post, to read the comments, to actually do a bit of research on this particular story before I piped up. Never mind.
And your final word you find some of my comments "insulting". Which, as is your wont, you will not expand on. Insulting to whom? You might as well say that my cake contains raisins and you don't like raisins. Fair enough. Doesn't mean I am bad baker.
Ursula, re. ', I have no time for anyone, male/female, of any age, airing their linen, pointing fingers, years, decades down the line. Deal with it as and when' - sometimes it takes years or even decades before people can deal with things that have happened to them in the past; to expect otherwise is naïve in the extreme.
It makes me a gay man so angry when people "come out " when they are force to or their careers are at the end of its shelf life. What a wonderful example they could be to the younger generation if they could just accept who they are. As to this guy, just one of the failures in life. Just blame someone or something else.
Just a few thoughts: using the term "predatory" to describe Spacey's behavior indicates a repeated pattern of abuse and, so far, the facts simply do not support that. While this is indeed a sad and reprehensible act, it occurred when both parties were decades younger. To link this to the rampant and persistent harassment of men and women by those in power in the film industry, nay EVERY industry, for decades, even centuries is to weaken and cheapen that discussion. The disgust of the homosexual community for Spacey's explanation is understandable but should not be conflated with the greater argument of endemic sexual harassment. Spacey was not in a position of power over the young man and, as far as I can read, accepted no as no. He has not, yet anyway, been accused of serial sexual misconduct over the past few decades by the staff or coworkers he has teamed with. Unlike the current POTUS as well as many in congress, Hollywood and corporate America, Spacey just does not seem to have a history of abusive behavior.
Actually, in the entertainment industry it has been very well known that he cruises the young men. Nothing wrong with cruisin', but it is more about an abuse of power a la Harvey. If you can access the site Jezebel, lots of links to its long gone sister sites "Gawker" and "Defamer" covered the industry brilliantly along with other well known sites. For most of us, his appetite wasn't news, that it went down to a 14 year old young man, yeah, that is.
Can I just ask, with no agenda, how do these high profile accusations come to light ? Through Police, Laywers ? newspapers ? I have not read anything about it but it's on the radio news I listen to.
RAMEN, JOHN!
ReplyDeleteway to paint every gay man paedophile, as if that hadn't been done already!
ReplyDeleteCreepy as fu*k. And fu*king inexcusable action.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you John! He's been a phony for years.
ReplyDeleteAgreed!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so angry at him
DeleteDon't waste a good strong feeling of anger on such a piece of moral absence as that man. "If I can blame it on whatever or whoever but me, I am good and safe" He is good alright, a good piece of humanity wasted, and I hope and I believe where it matters this is not going to go his way, because under any other name he is nothing more than a coward without a pinch of self respect or moral responsibility. He did it, sober or drunk and to pretend he does not remember and that he is coming out because of this, makes him to me twice as despicable and twice as repugnant.
DeleteAllegra
Me too.
ReplyDeleteReprehensible doesn't even cover his statement.
ReplyDeleteYes , I could go on but I'm watching The Walking Dead and can't be arsed
DeleteHe has an example he may have thought of....catholic priests. Being gay, being drunk, being stoned....all things that have been used to excuse this behavior..or rationalize it. all the same, wrong.
ReplyDeleteright on! i love the characters he plays but have to remind myself that this is not who he is as a person. disgusting.
ReplyDeleteHe is what he is , but don't hide yourself behind being gay
ReplyDeleteIndeed, what a creep.
ReplyDeleteNot perhaps a creep just totally misguided and stupid
DeleteDo you think so? I think he is a very clever bloke who knows exactly what he is about.
DeleteThere is no excuse for hurting a child.
ReplyDeleteHe may be gay but first and foremost he is a pedifile. A pedifile is a category all its own and should not be linked with being gay.
He is catching HELL over here. What an ass !
ReplyDeleteI am so angry !
cheers, parsnip
He took how many years to come out and now his doing so is a slap in all of our faces.
ReplyDeleteGay men don't molest boys; pedophiles molest boys, Kevin.
Bob you said it right!
DeleteBeing gay has nothing to do with being a pedophile. You are not welcome under our umbrella, Kevin.
ReplyDeleteI know. He really fuck up with his 'sorry, oh, I'm gay, btw' response to Rapp's allegations.
ReplyDelete*fucked up* I should have written.
ReplyDeleteI think I said to Bob...He always gave me the willies. He always gave off a creepy vibe.....
ReplyDeleteI am so tired of people saying
ReplyDelete"I'M SORRY!"
Sorry doesn't fix anything.
He did what he did. Sorry doesn't
make any of his behavior go away.
If you molest a child, that makes
you a pedophile, it does not
make you gay. Please, end the madness!!
Everybody seems to have the same reaction to his vile actions. Whatever he thought he was doing with this 'revelation' has gone down in flames.
ReplyDeleteOnce one person comes out and accuses, others follow. Kevin Spacey’s days in the entertainment business are numbered. Pedophiles are not tolerated - anywhere. To point in another direction makes him all the more despicable.
ReplyDeleteEchoing the outrage.
ReplyDeleteWell said, John!
ReplyDeleteAnd how dare he pretend he doesn't remember! Mind you, he may well not remember, but that's only because there have probably been so bloody many of them.
Prick.
Well said everyone. Sorry is not good enough! It seems that the word sorry is bandied around all the time. Is he sorry for his actions or just sorry he got caught. There's a difference Kevin. However sorry in this case doesn't wash.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSpacey was an egotistical fool to comment without seeking guidance beforehand. His glittering career may now be forever tarnished. Even when we have been blind drunk we must face the consequences of our actions.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know who or what he is/was.
ReplyDeleteI know. devastated. thought he was one of the good guys. bastard. he had a feckin terrible childhood, but still.
ReplyDeleteEver since the reaction to his 'apology' and his accompanying 'announcement' was made he must be holding his head in his hands - "How could it all have gone SO wrong!" Following his recent year-plus, triumphant term at the Old Vic where he exceeded everyone's hopes and expectations, it's hard to imagine anyone falling so far at a stroke - but looks life his life and career are, if not on very shaky ground from now on, then it's all collapsed like a........well, you know.
ReplyDeleteI see the mob is unleashed.
ReplyDeleteIt may come as no surprise to you that I have a differing view (and, no, I don't have any allegiances to Spacey - I couldn't even name you one of his films but then I don't watch many). I am prepared to stick my neck out - should you give me the go ahead. Otherwise please tell me now where to stick my take of what has happened before I waste my time.
U
I, too, distance myself from the mob since I saw a different story unfolding, and believed anyone who knew of Kevin Spacey, knew he's gay. He kept his personal life private, which is something I wish others in Hollywood would do.
DeleteWoody Allen's career wasn't ruined. Some people still think genius is off limits when it comes to pedophilia. Did Allen get a break because he "put a ring on it" despite the IT being his adopted daughter? Such double standards.
Ok as usual you be devils advocate !
ReplyDeleteGo ahead.
You will never know ( being a woman and presumably straight) just how gay men feel about being lumped together with men who are attracted to children. The well travelled path through church abuse cases, children's homes and other historical institutions have tainted gay men with the stereotype of being predatory especially where young men and boys are concerned.
Now I am not saying that this isn't the case but it's not the norm.
And I am disgusted by Spacey lack of thought in his reply to the allegation.
As for mob rule . Don't be a fool Ursula
If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a fucking duck
To make my rambling more clear
ReplyDeleteSpacey was linking predatory behaviour with sexuality
That is wrong
His predatory behaviour was just that wrong predatory behaviour
How the mighty have fallen!
ReplyDeleteHow many times do we have to explain the difference between being gay and being a paedophile?!? What an asshole!
ReplyDeleteIt's appalling. I have lost all respect for him.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all you have said, and am very sorry for the gay community having to face such idiocy. Although honestly, when I read the first exchanges, one of the first questions that came to my mind was, "Wait, Kevin Spacey is gay (because he was coming on to a MALE, not the child part)"? And then the second part answered that for me. Maybe he thought that would be the question in a lot of peoples' minds, simply because of the sex of the victim, and that there were two issues to be addressed. I absolutely know the difference between being gay and being a pedophile, and am in no way excusing him for appearing to link the two. You said "lack of thought", and I agree - it was extremely clumsy :(
ReplyDeleteAnyone who thinks that just because someone is gay they are a menace to children needs to be reminded of why the novel 'Lolita' resonates so strongly. Gay men don't 'seduce' children, straight men don't 'seduce' children. Paedophiles do.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly agree. He is a disgrace - and it's not like the whole world didn't know he was gay anyway. Remember that ridiculous middle of the night incident in Battersea Park when he claimed to be walking the dog or some such nonsense? Shame on him for putting Gay men in the same category os paedophiles. I sincerely hope that people will show their disapproval of his comments where it hurts most - at the box office!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the go ahead, John.
ReplyDeleteI thought both paragraphs of Spacey's statement well worded, intelligent, dignified, concise. There wasn't even a trace of bullshit.
To you and most of your readers so outraged:
Let's start with the definition of "paedophile" - "someone who is sexually attracted to children". Let's be daring, less precious and more honest: Does a fourteen year old qualify as a "child"? Let's also take into account that Spacey himself was not an old lech but twenty six at the time. Narrows the age gap a little, don't you think?
What actually happened? Not a lot. Some bored - in his own words - teen hangs around at some party (Spacey's). Declines Spacey's advances. Spacey backs off. Rapp leaves. The end.
Fast forward thirty one years. Jumping on the Weinstein band wagon (a different kettle of fish) Rapp has now a convenient way of airing one of his frustrations; in his own words, something to the effect that when Spacey started making it big in the late nineties, early 2000s, it made him "angry". Right. Still took Rapp another seventeen years to try and pull the rug from someone whom he appears to envie professionally.
Some gays' outrage at Spacey "conflating" that incident with "coming out": What's the guy to do? If he hadn't come out now, the headlines would be screaming "why don't you come out" (considering that he tried to seduce a male and apart from the fact that his orientation (!) was well known in his circles, it hardly takes Watson to any Sherlock to put male and male together and come up with gay). So, Spacey tried to preempt by saying he needs to reflect on "aspects" of his life and, consequently, "comes out" officially (same statement, paragraph two).
So why are so many gays, considering how often straights are told how difficult the coming out bit is, not more understanding that it takes some longer than others? So unforgiving of each other? Why, seemingly, don't gays give each other space among yourselves? Instead you jump on each other.
It's a witch hunt, bred and kindled by many and less savoury cultural aspects in American society. And before anyone jumps on ME, it's what you'll find many an educated American will tell you.
Lastly, and I don't know how much foreign (non English) press you and your readers pursue, the hysteria over Spacey is peculiarly confined to the States, the UK and, possibly, Australia.
Looking forward to any thoughts on my offering,
Ursula
Ursula, you have got to be fucking kidding me.
DeleteTwo thumbs up here.
DeleteRussell Crowe was called out for hitting on a young thing by the young thing. Nothing was said. Fourteen year old girls are considered old enough for marriage. Let's drag out Jerry Lee Lewis and his cousin again.
Spacey hit on a teen aged boy. Why persecute him because he's gay? I never assumed all gay men were considered pedophiles. I'm confused by what's happening to him. Everyone makes mistakes. Should their lives be ruined and their livelihoods be yanked because of something that didn't happen?
He's not persecuted cos he is gay, he's been criticised for hitting on a teenage boy!
DeleteJohn, we're reading different news feeds. Some are outraged because he didn't come out they way they thought he should. And he wouldn't have hit on a teenage boy if he were heterosexual. Some hate him for "pretending." Old ass men who've hit on young actresses never get this much heat. And nothing happened! Spacey took the no and walked away. Perhaps you know more about the incident than we do here in the states.
DeleteOk. Deep breath John
ReplyDelete" Let's start with the definition of "paedophile" - "someone who is sexually attracted to children". Let's be daring, less precious and more honest: Does a fourteen year old qualify as a "child"? Let's also take into account that Spacey himself was not an old lech but twenty six at the time. Narrows the age gap a little, don't you think? "
NARROWS THE GAP. ? oh dear lord...if the boy was a girl of fourteen ( and girls are intellectually more grown up than boys) and that girl was laid upon by a 26 year old man WOULD YOU FIND THAT ACCEOTABLE or even remotely fair game?
Re YOUR what actually happened comment
What would have happened if the boy said nothing in fear or shyness?
Is an advance by Spacey acceptable? Bloody hell ursula! That's outrageous!
The publicity/Weinstein comment. Well yes, you have a point BUT the reason for not saying something could be a reflection of Weinsteins's power in Hollywood. We shall never know
Your coming out comment doesn't make sense. It has NOTHING to do with the predatory behaviour of a drunk 26 year old
The " gays" as you term us are more angry that he now is linking his predatory behaviour with being gay...it has nothing at all to do with sexuality.
You, as always, delight in giving a pseudo intelligent argument just for the sake of it. The comments here, are, as far as I can see, not hysterical. Some are disappointed, some angry, some perhaps are a reflection from media coverage rather than their own reviews of Spacey' full statement, but most, I get the sense, are miffed by his connecting INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR with SEXUALITY
Some of your above comments I honestly find insulting
As a retired Neuropsychologist I have never been able to stop wondering how someone would react if this whole incident would have happened to their own child, who would have to live with it for the rest of his or her life, and what would have been the hidden or unspoken consequences of it to that child who lived with this for 30 years .
DeleteYou never disappoint when it comes to what I expect from you, John. So, yes, the first thing you come up with is the predictable boy/girl comparison. You say "girls are intellectually more grown up than boys". What's that got to do with the price of flesh? By your argument one might say that boys - by their mid teens - are more likely to be sexually more adventurous, nay eager, than girls. What with holding the baby and all that. You ask whether I would find the girl/man scenario acceptable. Acceptable? Perspective, John, perspective. Make no mistake, girls, little minxes that they are, sometimes do make passes at men in their twenties. Most men will not take advantage or if they do try it on and are put into their place (as Spacey was) will take no for an answer. I am sorry if you don't believe that, John. It's just how it is. Just as you, rightly, argue that being gay doesn't mean a predilection to force yourselves on underage youngsters, neither do most heterosexual men cross the border into the land of coercion. It's a myth, fed on by some late in the day piety and the insatiable SEXUAL appetite of the masses, amiably supported by the media.
DeleteSpacey did NOT link his behaviour (predatory?) to being gay. Read part of my original comment again. He had no choice but to come out as gay at the same time as issuing his heartfelt apology. NO CHOICE whatsoever. Anyway, all those now after his hind would trash him one way or another. Any excuse will do.
And, I have no time for anyone, male/female, of any age, airing their linen, pointing fingers, years, decades down the line. Deal with it as and when. And please no one play, as you just did, the "fear/shyness" card with me. Of course, I will concede, that some parents don't tell their kids the facts, what to watch out for, etc, very early on. They don't instill in their children the trust to come to them when something happens. And, in this case, nothing actually happened. NOTHING. Still, Rapp now has the limelight. On the weakness of his conduct in this context, I'd never cast him in anything. Not even in the twilight zone of a sofa.
You talk about "predatory drunk 26 years old". Oh, John, you so make me laugh. Yes, drunk. It happens - even at fourteen. Predatory? What was predatory? If anything it was an error of judgment. For all you know, Rapp might have been in rapture over the overture and consented. What then? Still outraged? Ah, you will now say, but a boy of fourteen can't consent. In some countries (mainland Europe) they can. It might not be exactly what their parents had hoped for (look at Macron - current French president) but it happens. Except NOTHING did happen. So, and I am now repeating myself, for Rapp to bring this up thirty odd years down the line just stinks of self serving opportunism.
Thanks for the compliment, John, my "as always giving a pseudo intelligent argument just for the sake of it". I don't take offence at your pretty offensive summoning up of me. You may give me credit that I took the time to read your post, to read the comments, to actually do a bit of research on this particular story before I piped up. Never mind.
And your final word you find some of my comments "insulting". Which, as is your wont, you will not expand on. Insulting to whom? You might as well say that my cake contains raisins and you don't like raisins. Fair enough. Doesn't mean I am bad baker.
U
I don't give a flying fuck if I disappoint you, not a flying fuck!
DeleteAnd as for being insulted...... Some of your comments beggar belief they really do.
Ursula, re. ', I have no time for anyone, male/female, of any age, airing their linen, pointing fingers, years, decades down the line. Deal with it as and when' - sometimes it takes years or even decades before people can deal with things that have happened to them in the past; to expect otherwise is naïve in the extreme.
DeleteAmen! As someone on Twitter said, he's throwing the LGBTQ community under the bus.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me a gay man so angry when people "come out " when they are force to or their careers are at the end of its shelf life. What a wonderful example they could be to the younger generation if they could just accept who they are. As to this guy, just one of the failures in life. Just blame someone or something else.
ReplyDeleteIt's a classic case of misdirection, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI'm really disappointed.
Just a few thoughts: using the term "predatory" to describe Spacey's behavior indicates a repeated pattern of abuse and, so far, the facts simply do not support that. While this is indeed a sad and reprehensible act, it occurred when both parties were decades younger. To link this to the rampant and persistent harassment of men and women by those in power in the film industry, nay EVERY industry, for decades, even centuries is to weaken and cheapen that discussion. The disgust of the homosexual community for Spacey's explanation is understandable but should not be conflated with the greater argument of endemic sexual harassment. Spacey was not in a position of power over the young man and, as far as I can read, accepted no as no. He has not, yet anyway, been accused of serial sexual misconduct over the past few decades by the staff or coworkers he has teamed with. Unlike the current POTUS as well as many in congress, Hollywood and corporate America, Spacey just does not seem to have a history of abusive behavior.
ReplyDeletePredatory is still a suitable word I think, it doesn't mean habitual to me
DeleteA 26 year old is always in a position of power of a 14 year old unless he has learning difficulties
DeleteActually, in the entertainment industry it has been very well known that he cruises the young men. Nothing wrong with cruisin', but it is more about an abuse of power a la Harvey.
DeleteIf you can access the site Jezebel, lots of links to its long gone sister sites "Gawker" and "Defamer" covered the industry brilliantly along with other well known sites. For most of us, his appetite wasn't news, that it went down to a 14 year old young man, yeah, that is.
Can I just ask, with no agenda, how do these high profile accusations come to light ? Through Police, Laywers ? newspapers ? I have not read anything about it but it's on the radio news I listen to.
ReplyDeleteAGREED . . .
ReplyDeleteHow Dare You!