If only we could watch them all fall.
We'd call that a blockbuster.
October 29 // October 10, 2017
Sorry, this isn't about power. It's about sex.
You know who was really happy to read the Mark Halperin story?
George H.W. Bush
You know who was really happy to read the George H.W. Bush story?
Robert Scoble.
You know who was really happy to read the Robert Scoble news?
Steve Jurgetsen.
You know who was really happy to read the Steve Jurgetsen story?
Leon Wieseltier
You know who was really happy to read the Leon Wieseltier news?
Terry Richardson.
You know who was really happy to read the Terry Richardson News?
James Toback.
You know who was really happy to read the James Toback story?
David Blaine.
You know who was really happy to read the David Blaine story?
Roy Price.
You know who was really happy to read the Roy Price news?
Harvey Weinstein.
You know who was really happy to read the Harvey Weinstein story?
God knows. One out of three men in Hollywood or Silicon Valley or on Madison Avenue? Five out of nine? We don’t think that’s true; it just feels true. Every one of these men read the new story about yet more aggressive sexual behavior by men toward women in their industries and breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they were one day closer to becoming yesterday's news.
But let's get back to who experienced "relief" over Weinstein's crimes. Off the top of our heads, we’re thinking Anthony Weiner, Bill Cosby, and Bill O’Reilly to name three. And the estate of Roger Ailes. (And maybe add Huma Abedin and Camille Cosby to that list. Why not? Although their reactions to their men and their deeds is decidedly opposite.) Who did we leave out? No doubt scores of other men – well-known or well-placed in their fields - who were thrilled to have their own names drop into a subtitle and leave the headlines. Then again, we have no doubt there are others waiting for the stories to break about their own crimes.
We don’t quite have the energy to call out all the other men who were co-stars in these stories – and we are singling out the men – who covered up or ignored these crimes for reasons we don’t understand. The women were victims; many of them young and powerless. The men who knew they were victims and did nothing to address the crimes were complicit. They didn’t need to do anything as dramatic as a citizen’s arrest. Even something as small as confronting the criminal “mano-a-mano” as tough guys like to say; letting them know they’ve been found out and that things might not go well for them should they continue might have had an impact. Wasn’t it worth trying? Why not? From what we’ve read, Brad Pitt confronted Weinstein about his assaults or attempted assaults on Gwyneth Paltrow. Amazingly, he still seems to have carved out a career for himself. Good for you, Brad.
Then again, there is nothing new here. These kinds of stories are, of course, “Years and Years Ago News,” not just two weeks ago. Doesn't make it right or worth ignoring; we're just saying it's really old news that seems to continue, even in our enlightened age. Who’s up for a little stroll down memory lane? Here we go….back 5, 6, 7 years or more....
You know who was really happy to read the Arnold Schwarzenegger news?
IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
You know who was really happy to read the Dominique Strauss-Kahn news?
Senator John Edwards.
You know who was really happy to read the John Edwards news?
Representative John Ensign.
You know who was really happy to read the John Ensign news?
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
You know who was really happy to read the Silvio Berlusconi news?
Representative Christopher Lee.
You know who was really happy to read the Christopher Lee news?
Representative Mark Souder.
You know who was really happy to read the Mark Souder news?
Representative Eric Massa.
You know who was really happy to read the Eric Massa news?
Governor Mark Sanford.
You know who was really happy to read the Mark Sanford news?
Governor Eliot Spitzer.
You know who was really happy to read the Eliot Spitzer news?
Representative Vito Fossella.
You know who was really happy to read the Vito Fossella news?
Senator Larry Craig.
You know who was really happy to read the Larry Craig news?
Representative Mark Foley.
We’re exhausted. We could do this all night, folks. Truth is, we’re feeling a little nauseous. The list is far from complete but for now, we’re going to wrap it up for Two Weeks Ago News, knowing the next batch of stories are right around the corner.
Sorry, this isn't about power. It's about sex.
You know who was really happy to read the Mark Halperin story?
George H.W. Bush
You know who was really happy to read the George H.W. Bush story?
Robert Scoble.
You know who was really happy to read the Robert Scoble news?
Steve Jurgetsen.
You know who was really happy to read the Steve Jurgetsen story?
Leon Wieseltier
You know who was really happy to read the Leon Wieseltier news?
Terry Richardson.
You know who was really happy to read the Terry Richardson News?
James Toback.
You know who was really happy to read the James Toback story?
David Blaine.
You know who was really happy to read the David Blaine story?
Roy Price.
You know who was really happy to read the Roy Price news?
Harvey Weinstein.
You know who was really happy to read the Harvey Weinstein story?
God knows. One out of three men in Hollywood or Silicon Valley or on Madison Avenue? Five out of nine? We don’t think that’s true; it just feels true. Every one of these men read the new story about yet more aggressive sexual behavior by men toward women in their industries and breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they were one day closer to becoming yesterday's news.
But let's get back to who experienced "relief" over Weinstein's crimes. Off the top of our heads, we’re thinking Anthony Weiner, Bill Cosby, and Bill O’Reilly to name three. And the estate of Roger Ailes. (And maybe add Huma Abedin and Camille Cosby to that list. Why not? Although their reactions to their men and their deeds is decidedly opposite.) Who did we leave out? No doubt scores of other men – well-known or well-placed in their fields - who were thrilled to have their own names drop into a subtitle and leave the headlines. Then again, we have no doubt there are others waiting for the stories to break about their own crimes.
We don’t quite have the energy to call out all the other men who were co-stars in these stories – and we are singling out the men – who covered up or ignored these crimes for reasons we don’t understand. The women were victims; many of them young and powerless. The men who knew they were victims and did nothing to address the crimes were complicit. They didn’t need to do anything as dramatic as a citizen’s arrest. Even something as small as confronting the criminal “mano-a-mano” as tough guys like to say; letting them know they’ve been found out and that things might not go well for them should they continue might have had an impact. Wasn’t it worth trying? Why not? From what we’ve read, Brad Pitt confronted Weinstein about his assaults or attempted assaults on Gwyneth Paltrow. Amazingly, he still seems to have carved out a career for himself. Good for you, Brad.
Then again, there is nothing new here. These kinds of stories are, of course, “Years and Years Ago News,” not just two weeks ago. Doesn't make it right or worth ignoring; we're just saying it's really old news that seems to continue, even in our enlightened age. Who’s up for a little stroll down memory lane? Here we go….back 5, 6, 7 years or more....
You know who was really happy to read the Arnold Schwarzenegger news?
IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
You know who was really happy to read the Dominique Strauss-Kahn news?
Senator John Edwards.
You know who was really happy to read the John Edwards news?
Representative John Ensign.
You know who was really happy to read the John Ensign news?
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
You know who was really happy to read the Silvio Berlusconi news?
Representative Christopher Lee.
You know who was really happy to read the Christopher Lee news?
Representative Mark Souder.
You know who was really happy to read the Mark Souder news?
Representative Eric Massa.
You know who was really happy to read the Eric Massa news?
Governor Mark Sanford.
You know who was really happy to read the Mark Sanford news?
Governor Eliot Spitzer.
You know who was really happy to read the Eliot Spitzer news?
Representative Vito Fossella.
You know who was really happy to read the Vito Fossella news?
Senator Larry Craig.
You know who was really happy to read the Larry Craig news?
Representative Mark Foley.
We’re exhausted. We could do this all night, folks. Truth is, we’re feeling a little nauseous. The list is far from complete but for now, we’re going to wrap it up for Two Weeks Ago News, knowing the next batch of stories are right around the corner.