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It was a heartbreaking blow to have Netflix’s “House of Cards” canceled in light of Kevin Spacey’s sexual harassment allegations. Even production for its sixth season was placed on an indefinite halt because of it. (more…)
Anthony Rapp spoke out, feeling empowered following the allegations made against Harvey Weinstein. Rapp’s claims against Kevin Spacey may have unleashed the gay parallel. Now young men are queuing up, to make disclosure of encounters of predatory behaviour and grooming.
It seems the qualifying criteria of being a man under 30 could mean many may have been approached who have yet to come forward, though there is already a steady stream of allegation across 2 continents.
Will this torrent stop at just Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey or are there other actors and perhaps even female actors who are not sleeping too well at the moment waiting to be contacted by the press to rebut an allegation of predatory or abusive behaviour against them.
In the UK, we have seen the fall from grace of many a celebrity following the Jimmy Saville allegations and subsequently operation Yew Tree. Is there a need for a similar in-depth investigation into the glitzy underbelly of the American movie world to protect child actors, to protect women, and to protect men?
The boundaries of decency and morally appropriate behaviour seem to have been crossed. In a world where there is a blurring of the boundaries between fantasy, and reality and life plays out like a “soap opera” is it time for the law to take definitive action and draw the line?
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“Gay Men are Paedophiles” has long been the right-wing attack on LGBT people. When Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed in America, prominent right-wing leader Bryan Fischer said it would increase cases of paedophilia stating, “we’ve talked about the fact that homosexuals commit sex crimes against children at about 10 times the rate of the heterosexual population…there’s this proclivity toward the abuse of children.”
The fact is that there has been zero scientific evidence that would back up such a claim doesn’t seem to bother him and his audience lapped it up.
But how could people believe that? Primarily, in the UK and US, this way of thinking has come from mishandling of LGBT groups around pro-paedophile groups namely, PIE (Paedophile Information Exchange) and NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association). In the UK, PIE was formed in 1974 by a gay man who was, at the time, in a relationship with a 15-year-old boy. The group, which advocated for the removal of the age of consent, received support from the National Council for Civil Liberties (now known as Liberty) and thus the connection to paedophilia and homosexuality was born. Similarly, with NAMBLA, they were part of the International Gay and Lesbian Association (ILGA) which would, in 1993, achieve UN consultation status (the group lost their status in 1994 due to the NAMBLA association and quickly dis-associated with them). Again, this appeared to align paedophiles and homosexuals. Add in decades of reports of sexual misconduct towards boys of men in power such as Priests and you can easily see the picture that was being painted over decades. That is why LGBT groups have battled for years to avoid even the slightest air of support of this sexual misconduct.
Then why are we mad at Kevin Spacey? What he has essentially done here is used the accusation of ‘sexual advances’ with a minor to announce he’s a gay man. This opens up the old wound that has been deeply damaging to the community. If allegations against Spacey and, let’s face it, any gay male celebrity are proven to be true, (we must state that these are just allegations, Kevin Spacey denies any recollection of misconduct), then it gives anti-LGBT groups ammunition and opens generations of us to violence, accusations and mistrust. By using his statement to link homosexuality and sexual misconduct with minors, Kevin Spacey has swung open the door to the past, ripped open the healing wounds of the 70s, 80s and 90s and exposed LGBT people to false equivalence.
You may be sat reading this thinking it’s an over-reaction but you’re wrong. I implore you to search Kevin Spacey’s name and the word “faggot” or “homo” on Twitter and see for yourself people coming up with their own conclusions about gay men as a whole. Minority groups don’t have the privilege of common sense dissociation. When a straight Hollywood exec is accused of rape, nobody questions if all straight men are rapists but if a gay man is found to be a paedophile then, for some, ALL gay men are paedophiles.
Decades of bigotry, ignorance and hatred have been battled and now Spacey has handed them an open goal yet for him, it’ll mean nothing. Unless further allegations occur, Spacey will likely be able to lie low in his mansion, wait for it to blow over whilst he counts his millions and protects himself with hired security. But the real damage will be felt out here in the real world, beyond the bubble of celebrity. It’ll be felt by the gay school teacher looking to make a difference, the gay Scout Leader looking to enrich lives, the gay social worker looking to keep our young people safe. All that it takes is for a bigot to question their motives. Bigots do not need concrete evidence, they just need tenuous links, fragments of a conspiracy to build upon. And now… they’ve got it.
Apparently, House Of Cards has been suspended “until further notice”
In a statement, both the streaming service and production company behind the massive hit said they “decided to suspend production… to give us time to review the current situation and to address any concerns of our cast and crew.”
Production on the final season of House of Cards is suspended until further notice.
— Netflix US (@netflix) October 31, 2017
This will give us time to review the current situation with our producing partners at MRC.
— Netflix US (@netflix) October 31, 2017
Execs are on set this week discussing with our cast and crew. More details to come.
— Netflix US (@netflix) October 31, 2017
Yesterday Star Trek Discovery actor, Anthony Rapp made allegations that the actor made “sexual advances” towards him when he a teenager. Reacting to the allegations, Spacey said, that he did not remember the encounter but owed Rapp a sincere apology.
The allegation dates back to 1986 when Spacey allegedly befriended Rapp whilst the teenager was performing along with Ed Harris in the Broadway show, Precious Sons. Rapp revealed to Buzzfeed that he was 14 at the time Spacey was 26.
Spacey responded to the allegations on Twitter, saying, “I’m beyond horrified to hear this story. I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.”
It was also confirmed that season 6, the series that they are currently working on would be the last, but that decision had come months before the allegations levied at Spacey.
Elsewhere, the theatre for which Spacey was the artistic director between 2004 and 2015, The Old Vic, released their own statement saying they were “deeply dismayed” and had set up a confidential email for past employees to make reports of any “inappropriate behaviour”.
The theatre for which Kevin Spacey was the artistic director from 2004 to 2015 has released a statement and is now offering support to anyone who might have been unable to come forward with their own allegations.
Bosses at the theatre said they were “deeply dismayed to hear the allegations levied against Kevin Spacey”.
They went on to affirm their position on “inappropriate behaviour” by saying,
“Inappropriate behaviour by anyone working at The Old Vic is completely unacceptable. We aim to foster a safe and supportive environment without prejudice, harassment or bullying of any sort, at any level, as set out in our joint statement with the theatre industry on 23 October. We want our employees to feel confident, valued and proud to be part of The Old Vic family. Any behaviour we become aware of which contravenes these goals will not be tolerated”.
Is it not clear whether there have been further allegations against Spacey whilst he was the theatre’s artistic director.
A confidential email has been set up for anyone they say might not have felt able to raise complaints in the past. They added, “Any experience shared will be treated in the utmost confidence and with sensitivity. We have appointed external advisors to help us deal with any information received”.
Since the allegations of “sexual advances” was revealed yesterday, Netflix has announced that its flagship programme, House Of Cards for which Spacey is both a star and exec producer, will end after its sixth season, which is currently in production.
Netflix announced yesterday that the sixth season, which is currently in production, will be it’s last, although it had apparently decided this before the “sexual advances” allegations against its star, Kevin Spacey.
The show, which has been one of the main boosters for Netflix’s epic rise to the top of the on-demand streaming platforms, trended on Twitter with hundreds of thousands of mentions after the reports hit the headlines.
The sixth season, which stars both Spacey and Robin Wright, is due to air in 2018.
A statement from the makers of House Of Cards for Netflix, Media Rights Capital, said that the team were “deeply troubled” about the allegations made against Spacey, by Star Trek: Discovery actor, Anthony Rapp.
The statement said,
“In response to last night’s revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported. As previously scheduled, Kevin Spacey is not working on set at this time”.
The decision to end the show happened months earlier, according to the Guardian.
Many, implored Netflix to continue making House of Cards, without Spacey, just focusing on Robin Wright’s character, Claire Underwood, other demanded that the programme-makers immediately halt production.
Would I watch a house of cards with just Claire Underwood?
Yes I’d actually prefer it pic.twitter.com/enTQOM6lYQ
— zach (@ZachMorganBrown) October 30, 2017
Lol we can’t even get a woman president on goddamn “House of Cards” https://t.co/qIWDRqfL8Y
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) October 30, 2017
I will never forgive Spacey, not only for the sexual assault, but also for getting House Of Cards cancelled.
— Quark Sutton (@Kwekz_) October 31, 2017
Hey @Netflix…continuing to film the ‘last’ season of House of Cards doesn’t cut it. HALT PRODUCTION immediately and abort it now!
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) October 31, 2017
House Of Cards actor Kevin Spacey has come out following allegations from Star Trek Discovery actor, Anthony Rapp that the actor made “sexual advances” towards him when he a teenager. Reacting to the allegations, Spacey said, that he did not remember the encounter but owed Rapp a sincere apology.
The allegation dates back to 1986 when Spacey allegedly befriended Rapp whilst the teenager was performing along with Ed Harris in the Broadway show, Precious Sons. Rapp revealed to Buzzfeed that he was 14 at the time Spacey was 26.
Rapp who is now 46, told Buzzfeed that he joined Spacey for a party at his Manhattan apartment saying that he was the only non-adult at the party and soon got bored. After a while, Rapp said that he wandered into the bedroom, watched TV until well past midnight. He then alleges that Spacey was standing at the bedroom door and that everyone else had left the party.
Rapp said, that Spacey picked him up “like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold”. He continues, “But I don’t, like, squirm away initially, because I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then he lays down on top of me.”
Spacey, who has 4.92 million followers on Twitter, responded to the report on Twitter saying,
I’m beyond horrified to hear this story, I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.
“This story has encouraged me to address other things about my life. I know that there are other stories out there about me and that some have been fueled by the fact that I have been so protective of my privacy,
“As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life and I choose now to live as a gay man,
“I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behavior.”
— Kevin Spacey (@KevinSpacey) October 30, 2017
Taking to Twitter, Rapp said,
“I came forward with my story, standing on the shoulders of the many courageous women and men who have been speaking out to shine a light and hopefully make a difference, as they have done for me.
“Everything I wanted to say about my experience is in that article, and I have no further comment about it at this time”.
I came forward with my story, standing on the shoulders of the many courageous women and men who have been speaking out 1/3
— Anthony Rapp (@albinokid) October 30, 2017
Both Rapp and Spacey now star in Netflix shows, Star Trek: Discovery and House Of Cards, respectively. It is unclear what, if any actions Netflix will take on either of their shows.
**spoiler alert** if you’ve not watched the first or second or fourth season do not read beyond here.
So it seems as though Frank Underwood might be letting his sexuality flourish in season 5 of House Of Cards. The brand new trailer has been launched and there’s a very, brief moment of same-sex activity. Blink and you’ll miss it though.
His previous man-friend, his bodyguard Edward Meachum, died in series four, but now it seems there’s another man on the horizon for Frank Underwood.
Watch the trailer below
The new series is out later this month.
As a Valentine’s present from Netflix, House Of Cards returns to our small screens from tonight (14th Feb 2014).
• Second Season Available for streaming from 14th Feb 2014
• Stars Kevin Spacey, Kate Mara and Robin Wright
• 3rd Series Has Been Confirmed
House Of Cards is a Netflix Original Series, which follows the inner circles of political powers. Based on the BBC series of the same name.
Kevin Spacey plays Frank Underwood a Democrat who after being passed over for the appointment of Secretary of State, decides to seek retribution.
The makers of the show have confirmed a third series.
