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The Daily Utah Chronicle

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The Daily Utah Chronicle

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Golden Globes 2018: Bravery or Blithering Stupidity?

Entertainer+Oprah+Winfrey+%28L%29+and+producer+Harvey+Weinstein+laugh+before+receiving+W.E.B.+Du+Bois+Medals+at+the+Hutchins+Center+Honors+at+Harvard+University+in+Cambridge%2C+Massachusetts+September+30%2C+2014.+
REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Entertainer Oprah Winfrey (L) and producer Harvey Weinstein laugh before receiving W.E.B. Du Bois Medals at the Hutchins Center Honors at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts September 30, 2014.

Sexual harassment and assault are unequivocally awful crimes and deserve the full severity of the law as punishment. Those who take advantage of young women and men (specifically boys, as the Daily Beast reported) for their own self-interest and delusions of grandeur are nothing more than mere scum. Those living in the progressively ‘woke’ land of Hollywood should understand these principles best, donning #TimesUp pins at the 75th annual Golden Globes.

Yet, as the beloved Oprah Winfrey took the stage to deliver the night’s most absurdly asinine speech, routine Hollywood elitism was on full display.

Let us begin with the iconic red carpet scene, which this year featured hundreds of A-list stars dressed in clothing worth more than the average American’s wardrobe. Connie Britton decided to bravely arrive wearing the #TimesUp pin and an ordinary sweatshirt that read “Poverty is sexist.” The cost of Britton’s attire? Only $380, or worth an estimated $8,360 in matching funds if given as a donation to Food for the Hungry.

Justin Timberlake arrived wearing a similar all-black outfit, presumably keeping mum about his role in the new film titled “Wonder Wheel” by Woody Allen — yet another director who stands accused of sexual assault. These scenes of lavish spending and hypocrisy kept recurring throughout the night as James Franco strolled across the carpet hiding his disgraceful past behind his affectionate smile. Who was missing from the affair?

Try Rose McGowan and Asia Argento, who were jointly responsible for exposing Harvey Weinstein and adding the substantive fuel to the #MeToo movement. Unlike the social justice advocates that were prominently displayed throughout the night, McGowan and Argento were uninvited and relegated to Twitter, where they consoled one another and the victims of rape and abuse across America. The inattention paid to these two brave individuals is characteristic of the Hollywood machine, which has happily allowed thousands of bright-eyed stars to be viciously taken advantage of by cruel elites.

Often, these discussions become so serious that one loses a sense for how ludicrous the situation was, especially if they have not experienced sexual assault. Imagine if Penn State orchestrated a celebration after former coach Jerry Sandusky was ousted from the program. Despite knowing about Sandusky’s actions, administrators would be given lifetime achievement awards (such as hypocrites Winfrey and Meryl Streep)—keep in mind, Sandusky’s accusers would not be asked to appear. Would our society have any sympathy for these antics?

Thankfully, those sensitive souls surviving in Hollywood did not have to undergo protests and “mistreatment” for their “bravery.”

Cue Winfrey and the recital of a speech so shockingly inadequate that those on the progressive left could not help but applaud as they drank expensive champagne and fretted with their designer poverty sweatshirts. Seen as the theoretical launching point for her White House run, one cannot help but compare her fiery speech to former President Barack Obama’s in 2004.

Winfrey shamed sexual harassment in front of Hollywood progressives, failing to mention her close companionship to Harvey Weinstein. Obama spoke about change, and — at the least — the desire to restructure the broken parts of society.

During Winfrey’s speech, the camera suddenly cutaway to Meryl Streep, who stood before the same crowd in 2012 and lauded Harvey Weinstein as “God.” Remember, there was nothing hidden about Weinstein’s past in Hollywood. According to a plethora of sources, everyone knew. Yet, there was billionaire Oprah Winfrey, preaching about bravery when she sat in silence as a friend of an abuser for decades.

Hollywood somehow reclaimed its false position as the shepherd of moral authority, dictating to the masses about the virtuous qualities of those who speak about and actually practice #TimesUp principles. What do Americans term those who assume their soapboxes, decry sexual abuse while dining on roasted sea bass with champagne and routinely take advantage of others? Politicians — or, more aptly, Bill Clinton.

Even host Seth Meyer’s joke about Harvey Weinstein was booed by the crowd, while another punchline about Kevin Spacey fell completely flat. Hopefully, Michelle Williams laughed at the latter joke, who chose to bring the founder of the #MeToo movement, but never once reported Spacey for inappropriately touching a boy on the set of “All the Money in the World.”

Perhaps I have not provided enough examples to convince you that the Golden Globes were an inexplicable nightmare of hypocrisy. Granted, many have spent the past few days speaking about the courage and bravery of Hollywood, so waking up to reality might be tough. Instead of focusing on one night, why not consider the decades that rolled by as Hollywood’s sex abuse continued unabated prior to the October of 2017.

Both the men and women of Hollywood alike are to blame for their ridiculous tolerance for predators. Director Woody Allen won the lifetime achievement at the Golden Globes four years ago. Roman Polanski, a disgraced child rapist, received a standing ovation at the Academy Awards in 2002. Natalie Portman dined with Kevin Spacey and Michelle Williams did not use her clout to publicize his known abuse of a younger boy on set. Even Oprah Winfrey ignored Juanita Broaddrick’s claims that former President Bill Clinton raped her during his 1978 campaign for Arkansas governor.

Assigning guilt to every man who is simply accused of sexual assault is misguided and counter-intuitive — evidence in all cases needs to be carefully evaluated before reaching a judgment. However, for passive Hollywood bystanders to stand up and suddenly decry the same system they perpetuated for years is ludicrous. How about some humility? Perhaps Meryl Streep and Oprah Winfrey should apologize for remaining quiet while reaping millions of dollars and grooming their global audiences. That is the same power that has the capacity to stop a monstrous sexual assaulter dead in their tracks and say #TimesUp. Waiting for a younger generation to expose those secrets is not bravery. So maybe we can stop saying “Oprah for President,” and invite Rose McGowan to the celebratory evening that she helped initiate.

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@TheChrony

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