The A-list actress who tore into President Donald Trump for his anti-women comments during an Access Hollywood interview now claims she had no idea her sometimes-boss Harvey Weinstein was routinely accused of being a serial sexual harasser.
Streep gave a statement to Huffington Post Sunday night on the Weinstein affair, after celebrities like Rose McGowan — one of Weinstein’s alleged victims — and public figures lambasted the actress and her powerful Hollywood colleagues for staying silent in the face of what appears to be rampant abuse.
The actress and outspoken political activist called Weinsten’s behavior “disgraceful,” but claims that “not everybody knew” that the head of a major Hollywood studio used his influence over young actresses to force them to watch him shower naked in his hotel room, give him massages, and stand by while he masturbated into nearby houseplants.
The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported. The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes.
One thing can be clarified. Not everybody knew. Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally. I didn’t know about these other offenses: I did not know about his financial settlements with actresses and colleagues; I did not know about his having meetings in his hotel room, his bathroom, or other inappropriate, coercive acts. And If everybody knew, I don’t believe that all the investigative reporters in the entertainment and the hard news media would have neglected for decades to write about it.
The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar. Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.
Meryl was, of course, widely feted in the media for “speaking out” against Weinstein, nearly a week after allegations against Weinstein surfaced, and only after being called out. The Guardian trumpeted the star’s “condemnation” of Weinstein. CNN and the BBC both lauded the actress for being brave in the face of overwhelming adversity, “speaking out” against a fellow Hollywood bigwig.
But the “not everybody knew” language is curious, especially coming from someone who was not just a friend of Weinstein’s but a political and artistic collaborator. Streep and Weinstein’s partnership goes back years, and the two, who share a fondness for elitist Democratic candidates, often spoke of joining up on politically-tinged projects.
In 2014, Streep and Weinstein made a joint declaration against the NRA, claiming that they were teaming up to produce a movie that would make the pro-gun organization “wish they weren’t alive.” Weinstein told radio host Howard Stern that the two had been collaborating on politically-charged propaganda for some time.
“I’m going to make a movie with Meryl Streep, and we’re going to take this head-on. And they’re going to wish they weren’t alive after I’m done with them,” he said.
The two were also major donors to both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns and regularly attended high-dollar fundraisers on the east and west coasts. There’s no doubt that the two had a personal relationship as well as a professional one.
Perhaps “not everybody knew” about Weinstein’s dalliances, but it’s almost certain Meryl Streep had at least an inkling that her partner in crime had a penchant for abusing his own power.
It’s also clear from other stories here on the Daily Wire, that A-list stars like Matt Damon and Russell Crowe tried to deep-six stories about Weinstein’s behavior back in 2004. Not that everyone in Hollywood hangs out together all the time, but Damon and Crowe were mobilized because of their studio affiliations — affiliations that Streep definitely shares.
Don’t wait for Meryl Streep to elaborate, though; that explanation will not come soon.
