Vomit. Can't believe you a multiple-accused rapist and sexual harasser - who let's be clear, is still an incredibly powerful and influential filmmaker, unlike his victims - the space and platform to essentially whine about how his life is ruined, all he ever wanted to do was create and it was only a few affairs over the decades, but always consensual! No predatory abuse of power here, folks! He was a total gentleman - it's all these women who were sexually trying to exploit him! Suuure. Disappointed by this softball interview aimed to rehabilitate his image.
So a few things here. First of all, as for giving him the platform - my newsletter is hardly some major platform reaching a vast audience that he couldn't find on his own. If he posted on Medium he probably wouldve reached a bigger one. But when someone who is accused of something like this wants to respond to charges and is willing to submit without conditions to questioning, I dont know any journalist who wouldn't want to see how they would respond to the questions. Whether it's Hitler or Harvey Weinstein... Second you say its a "softball Interview.' What are the questions I didn't ask. I made him respond to every accusation that's been made against him. You might not like his responses. You might think he's lying or being self-pitying; that's your right as a reader and I didn't in here suggest tp you how you should interpret the responses. But all we can do as journalists is ask the questions/ We' cant administer truth serum or waterboard them until they spill everything. I asked about every accusation, Preparing for this I went to a few friends who are serious journalist/social justice warriors and said, give me the toughest questions you can come up with. And I asked all of them? I didn't yell in his face or call him names. If you think that's what a journalist should do, we have different understandings of the role of reporting. But I for the first time since he's been accused confronted him with all the specific allegations with the thought that his responses to them would be illuminating and revealing - for better or worse. Im not sure what you think was left out.
Vomit. Can't believe you a multiple-accused rapist and sexual harasser - who let's be clear, is still an incredibly powerful and influential filmmaker, unlike his victims - the space and platform to essentially whine about how his life is ruined, all he ever wanted to do was create and it was only a few affairs over the decades, but always consensual! No predatory abuse of power here, folks! He was a total gentleman - it's all these women who were sexually trying to exploit him! Suuure. Disappointed by this softball interview aimed to rehabilitate his image.
So a few things here. First of all, as for giving him the platform - my newsletter is hardly some major platform reaching a vast audience that he couldn't find on his own. If he posted on Medium he probably wouldve reached a bigger one. But when someone who is accused of something like this wants to respond to charges and is willing to submit without conditions to questioning, I dont know any journalist who wouldn't want to see how they would respond to the questions. Whether it's Hitler or Harvey Weinstein... Second you say its a "softball Interview.' What are the questions I didn't ask. I made him respond to every accusation that's been made against him. You might not like his responses. You might think he's lying or being self-pitying; that's your right as a reader and I didn't in here suggest tp you how you should interpret the responses. But all we can do as journalists is ask the questions/ We' cant administer truth serum or waterboard them until they spill everything. I asked about every accusation, Preparing for this I went to a few friends who are serious journalist/social justice warriors and said, give me the toughest questions you can come up with. And I asked all of them? I didn't yell in his face or call him names. If you think that's what a journalist should do, we have different understandings of the role of reporting. But I for the first time since he's been accused confronted him with all the specific allegations with the thought that his responses to them would be illuminating and revealing - for better or worse. Im not sure what you think was left out.