SURVIVOR: HEROES VS HEALERS VS HUSTLERS – 10/18/17

My Two Cents

(Before I get to the real M2C, I want to state this first. I started writing the essay, and after spending some time on it, I had to stop and admit, “this piece is getting way too heavy for a Survivor recap blogger.” Seriously, I was getting into victim blaming, and rape culture, and just a lot of other things that were way too far down the rabbit hole. I had to stop and reconsider what I was doing. So, after some careful deliberation – some of it sober, mind you – I think I need to scale back this week’s M2C column. I’m still going to discuss Harvey, but not to the degree that I originally intended. There’s no “good side” to this controversy, and everything that crosses my mind pens me in a corner that most won’t agree with. Now, I know that shouldn’t dissuade me from stating my opinions, but I don’t want to state highly objectionable opinions just for a laugh, or more page clicks. This situation is tragic, and I don’t think cracking wise – or stating some of my opinions – will do any good. Let’s just focus on the things we can joke/hate on. Wish me luck.)

Okay, it’s time to discuss the elephant in the room. The big, fat, pale, unshaven, piece of s**t…and that’s Harvey. What a big piece of turd this guy is. And what’s truly amazing is how fast the response (and fallout) has been. In the past, the repercussions of a story like this would have taken weeks to come out. But holy crap, it was almost instantaneous how fast the allegations came out, his explanation was presented, and then the avalanche of accusers came out of the woodwork.

But, like always, I wanna discuss a different side of this controversy. And I hope to God I don’t lose the other half of my readers… But before I begin, I wanna make one thing perfectly clear:

Harvey Weinstein is a big piece of s**t. He’s a criminal, deserves to go to jail, get divorced, lose custody of his kids, and lose millions of dollars in court costs, civil cases, and penalties.

Ok?

Now, that being said, let’s look at another side to this story. Aside from Harvey being guilty as f**k, what about all the assistants/handlers/enablers – the “honeypots” I think they’re being called – who were complicit in his piggish behavior? I know he didn’t do all this alone – well, SOME things he was able to do by himself (typically involving a potted plant) but you get where I’m coming from.

He’s had a ton of people around him who knew he was this guy, and didn’t say anything. So, what should happen to them? I would welcome the bloodletting that people keep talking about in Hollywood, because those enablers also need to realize you can’t protect these f**kers and get away with it.

Part of the problem is that people in Hollywood, and honestly, it’s anyone who’s rich, have a cadre of enablers protecting them from the realities of life. Doctors, attorneys, assistants, therapists, trainers, personal chefs, and a host of other people who represent a “buffer” between them and the rest of the world. And they know it. They welcome this role, thinking it gives them some “insight” into the world of the super-rich/powerful/famous.

And this doesn’t only happen in Hollywood. These f**kers exist in politics, sports, celebrities, television, music, and other industries where the wealthy are lauded. It’s a world where many of us would love to play, but we’ll never get there. Ever wonder how the Kardashians became famous? By being rich. They have no other attributes.

And yes, I recognize there are nice multi-millionaires too, but, unfortunately, there are a bunch of them that love the buffers, because it insulates them from the realities of law, common decency, and common sense.

As the saying goes, “You can take the guy outta the ghetto, but you can’t take the ghetto outta the guy,” but is this solely a racial statement? Not at all. You can take a poor white dude and give him millions and still watch him act like a poor white dude…with millions.

The same can be said that “a sexual predator will be a sexual predator if he lives in a mansion in Hollywood, or an apartment in North Hollywood.” Everything that happened was just Harvey’s true colors coming out, and his fortune (and position) made it a lot easier for him to bring it to the surface. Let’s hope justice is sweet and quick with that piece of s**t.

Okay, and now, the other angle I wanted to discuss was heading down a dark tunnel. I’ve decided to edit myself and remove most of what I wrote, but I don’t mind mentioning the angle I was taking. And that is, a lot of Harvey’s victims have come out with their stories of what happened to them, and in my opinion, most were given enough information to say, “Dude, you’re a pig, I’m outta here.”

But…considering his stature, and considering what they thought they could get out of him (career-wise) if they don’t “make a fuss,” many – if not all – of his victims had plenty of opportunities to report him, accuse him, walk away from him, slap him, stab him, or a variety of other responses. But they didn’t.

I’m sure many of you would admit that if you were in the same position as most of his victims, you would have said, “this fat white dude wants me to rub his balls? Uh, sorry, no, I’m outta here.” And it would have been over with. But no, some of his victims got jobs, roles, contracts, and even Oscars, so I’m a little short on the sympathy for the abuse that some of his victims endured. Asia Argento claims rape and then has a “consensual 5-year sexual relationship” with him? GTFOH… Sorry, no. No sympathy for her here…

And once again, I must reiterate:

Harvey Weinstein is a big piece of s**t.

Okay, that’s the edited version. Gonna leave it at that. I hope some of you agree with what I’m saying. I know, there are so many different types of abuse that happens in Hollywood, and sexual abuse is one of the worse. But I’m disgusted by this story for so many reasons, and that’s why I’m happy Hollywood is getting the comeuppance it deserves. As I’ve mentioned, numerous times, I’ve lived in this world for decades, and I’ve seen the abuse of power, the a**holes actors, the Napoleon-complex producers, and the demeaning behavior that many people in Hollywood think is acceptable/laughable/commendable.

I could tell you a few stories of what I endured, but I stood up to these f**kers, and none of what happened to me was sexual in nature, so no one wants to hear it.

But Vic Morrow and two child actors get decapitated because Jon Landis wants to “get the shot” and no one goes to jail? That’s f**king murder. And somehow, because they have the right lawyers, and enough money, they get off. And that’s not right.

And let’s not even talk about O.J…

And finally, what would everyone have said if these victims of Harvey had been mostly black actresses? I know Lupita Nyong’o came out with her story today, but would there have been as much hubbub as there’s been if he had done this to Halle Berry, and Beyonce, and Angela, and Viola, and Jada? Actually, we know Jada wouldn’t have been interested…

I don’t know… What do you think?

Gonna go beat the s**t outta my fat, Jewish, unshaven friend just for the hell of it…
Fish

Email: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com
Twitter: @BF_TheFish
AIM: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com or Bryan Fischer