Hollywood eats its own

There's a petition going around Tinseltown to remove Matt Damon from the majority female cast of "Ocean's 8," a chick flick that empowers women.

So far there are 17,000 signatures calling for Damon's removal--it's like the Hollywood snake eating its own tail and it's delicious.

The movie reboot stars Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway and even more and more women. It was "supposed to be an empowering film for women," the petition states, and goes on to say that Damon "not only ignored but enabled his friend Harvey Weinstein's inappropriate behavior."

Which is actually a considerably weak statement, because if the allegations are found to be true, Weinstein's behavior is criminal.

The petition alleges that Damon tried to squash a New York Times report in 2004 detailing instances whereby Weinstein used his status as a studio executive to harass and assault women. Damon, of course, denied trying to kill the story and said he didn't even know about the allegations against the Hollywood mogul mongrel who helped launch his career.

Damon also was slammed last week for telling ABC News that there was a "spectrum of behavior" and that not all inappropriate sexual behavior was the same thing. He said that there's a "difference between, you know, patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation, right?"

Well, as much as I hate to admit it, Damon is correct. We are lately tending to paint all sexual misbehavior with the same brush. Yes, there is a difference between patting a butt and rape, and both should be punished, but not with the same punishment. 

Patting should be punished with job loss; rape with life loss.

The petition reads: "Damon's inclusion (in the movie) would trivialize the serious nature of the charges against sexual abusers like Weinstein--a show of massive disrespect for the brave women speaking out."

Damon's buddy, Ben Affleck, and Affleck's brother Casey, have also been accused publicly of sexual misconduct, according to the AFP.

It's beginning to look like there will be no men left in Hollywood and politics once the smoke clears.



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