Morgan Freeman accused of sexual harassment

They could mean CNN, absolutely. It's a story and they're gonna gobble it up to keep their lights on in their private jets haha.

I just mean, and I say this treading as light as possible (which is stupid), unless this is really a serial thing where Morgan Freeman is a disgusting old man with a ravenous appetite for co workers and reporters while cameras roll...then maybe we shouldn't condemn him yet. CNN (bull in a china shop) gets the snowball effect rolling just by running the story. Is someone gonna run a story on my flirty land lord? How about the chinese delivery man a few months back.

I think in light of all this 3metoo stuff...journalism should be careful not to...oh wait, nevermind..

yeah, right, Dani...CNN...and the bozos who race to their magic markers and 24:X48" poster boards.

Just hooold your damn horsies for a minute

Hasn’t Hollywood always been like that though?

It’s a bit like High School in many ways. Cashing in on the latest trends; A desperate need to be validated by the masses; Backing the latest political trends; Saying the right phrases, being friends with the right people, and wearing the right clothes; All a desperate me me me parade and pretending to be best mates on the press circuit.

This is how Hollywood has always been. Its a popularity contest where who you were at the beginning of your career is a complete contrast to who you are at the end. But today, it’s a lot more easier to be discovered. We can read on forums and websites about what the stars are really like, and how they really behave. Beyonce isn’t really beloved around the world, a certain faction of people around the world adore her and that’s it. Nothing else.

Interesting take. And I can compare what you said above to the press, as well. The popularity thing...backing the trends..in this case the #metoo movement.

You don't have to hold back. Say what you need. I haven't condemned him, and I know you're speaking generally, not to me. I love the guy, and I grew up in that work environment where the legislation was new. I had a boss who made my life utter hell straight out of school and I have just remembered that absolute prick of a man. His disgusting behavior was just waved off as 'oh that's just Mark', he was well known throughout a large government department for it. When I stood up and complained about it, guess who was moved. That's right - me. Now it's changing for the younger generations.

I am not talking about the changes going on outside of the workplace.

Yes moviemad, Hollywood has always been like that. That's why voices are now getting loud about it. Check out the movie Swimming with sharks, starring interestingly enough, Kevin Spacey. Written by a guy who went through that bullying by a well known producer. Really good movie and he was shunned by Hollywood at the time for making it.

Love ya, Dani. Our debates are so well tempered, and in this case, we’re on the same side.

Joel, I love ya back. We have civil debates because we take the time to read each other's posts. I know I have forgotten to read posts myself at times before anyone wants to get faux offended.

We are most definitely on the same side, Joel. I really feel for you younger guys going through this speedy transition phase. You can't do anything right in the eyes of some. I'm out of the workforce now so I can sit back and watch. I keep saying to my husband and iwithin my circle of Friends that I am dumbfounded by the speed and volume of noise this Me Too campaign, or whatever it's hipster to call it at the moment, is lhaving. I only came in to the world at the tail end of the hippy movement and don't remember it being this ferocious 🦁but it's the age of the internet. I was in hospital on and off for several months when the Weinstein Effect started and I feel like I've lived in a cave for years. So many changes. I totally understand that you guys are in a no win place.

These changes in the film industry, however, absolutely had to be made. Imagine having a son or daughter fresh out of school having to put up with groping and other lewd behavior at work where most of our lives are spent.

Sorry it took me so long to reply. My husband had me chained to the kitchen sink to make his weekend brunch. That was so 1950s of him, eventhough neither of us were around in that decade.

Get a room, you two!

__________________
Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

You are tearing me apart, Minio!

I wish I had time to read this thread, but I don't. So: Morgan Freeman is he damned to hell? Or a victim of an over zealot movement?

“I am devastated that 80 years of my life is at risk of being undermined, in the blink of an eye, by Thursday’s media reports,” Freeman said in a statement on Friday, a day after he first apologized.

“But I also want to be clear: I did not create unsafe work environments. I did not assault women. I did not offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex. Any suggestion that I did so is completely false.”

CNN said eight people told the network they were victims of what some labeled harassment and others called inappropriate behavior by Freeman. It said eight others told the network they witnessed the actor’s alleged misconduct.

CNN also said other sources denied having seen any questionable behavior by the actor, and that those sources described him as being professional on set and in the office.

Freeman said he is someone who feels a need to try to make women and men feel appreciated and at ease around him. As part of that, he said, he would often try to joke with and compliment women, in what he thought was a light-hearted and humorous way.

“Clearly I was not always coming across the way I intended,” he said. “And that is why I apologized Thursday and will continue to apologize to anyone I might have upset, however unintentionally.”

Neither do I. The jist I’ve got from the media is that it’s more “inappropriate” comments...whatever they are these days and maybe misconstrued humour rather than hands on offences. The number of complainants is against him, as in 8 to 1. Still I’d like to play devils advocate, freeman being the devil and would like to see whether these allegations are exaggerated in some way because of the climate. As in...someone’s being rude or flirty or with a sexualised sense of humour is seen as a sexual predator.

Now don’t berate me on here. I understand it’s doesnt have to be only hands on for it to be a crime. But humans are allowed to joke, allowed to flirt, allowed to be rude...of course there are times when it’s not appropriate and can become harrasment but it’d be wise to consider all sides of the story.

Exactly, Larry. Great post💐

And it looks like that's exactly what he meant. Morgan is now going after CNN by the looks of things.

According to Freeman's lawyers, they've begun an investigation and these were their (reported) findings:

- One woman identified by CNN named Chloe Melas, "had no reasonable basis to have interpreted what Mr. Freeman said or did at the Going In Style interview last year as having been directed at her or as any form of harassment. The videotape confirms that his statement had nothing to do with her and was not harassing. And an independent third party, the Warner Bros. Human Resources Department, investigated her claim and concluded that it was not supported by the facts."

- Another person CNN identified, Tyra Martin, has gone on record twice since CNN published the article to state that CNN misrepresented what she said to CNN and that Mr. Freeman did not harass her.

- A third person CNN identified, Lori McCreary, told CNN that Mr. Freeman never harassed her. And as to CNN’s gratuitous sideswipe at Ms. McCreary herself, yet another independent party investigated the claim when CNN raised it, and found it to be meritless.

- Ms. Melas baited and prodded supposed “witnesses” to say bad things about Mr. Freeman and tried to get them to confirm her bias against him. Thus, no reader of the article can have any confidence that any of the anonymous sources, which make up the balance of CNN’s article, can be relied upon at all.

Article: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...-story-1115316


It also gives a pretty lengthy account of certain perspectives on the alleged misconduct.

Freeman's response--where he admits to some inappropriate behavior and comments but denies forcing himself on anyone--really reflects that big, glowing line I mentioned earlier between harassment and assault.

The variety of allegations has really exposed how inadequate our terminology is for a lot of this stuff, but I think we're starting to see the terms and their connotations solidify a little. Seems like anything veering into the physical is potentially a career-ender, but anything short of that might not be, based in part just by what people seem willing to admit and what they deny.

That's independent, of course, of the possibility that he's literally just telling the truth and is only guilty of some of it.

It goes to show how careful people need to be before picking up their pitchforks. CNN loves that so much. They throw in a headline or three and wait for readers to run with it and actually 'create' news out of a puff of cotton wool. They are trolls.

That was a fun exercide
🐇🐇🐰
Whats next, Yoda-San?

Also, I always interpret "harassment" as a repeated behavior, the suggestion of a repetitive pattern seems indicative in the word. So if someone makes one untoward comment at one time, it may be inappropriate, thoughtless, inconsiderate or even intimidating, but I don't call it harassment unless it's some behavior that is repeated or continues.