It’s an admittedly low bar, but apparently disgraced movie mogul and sexual assaulter Harvey Weinstein no longer “merit[s] the respect of his colleagues” in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which called an emergency meeting of its 54-member board of governors on Saturday to revoke the Oscar winner’s lifetime membership in the group.
Shortly thereafter, the Academy issued the following statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter:
The board voted “to immediately expel him from the Academy. We do so not simply to separate ourselves from someone who does not merit the respect of his colleagues but also to send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over.”
Further, “What’s at issue here is a deeply troubling problem that has no place in our society. The board continues to work to establish ethical standards of conduct that all Academy member will be expected to exemplify.”
Bylaws state that any member can be expelled “for cause” with a two-thirds majority, and the vote in this case was “well in excess” of that threshold, according to the Academy.
Two Weinstein-run companies, The Weinstein Company and Miramax, gained over 300 Oscar nominations, five of which went on to win Best Picture.
THR reports that the Academy’s action “is virtually unprecedented,” coming in response to Weinstein’s long history of sexual harassment, assault, and even rape. In fact, in the entire 90-year history of the organization only one other person has been expelled – actor Carmine Caridi, when films he had been sent to screen were found to have been released illegally online.
In other words, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will put up with a hell of a lot from its members. A fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed in the Twitterverse.
So @TheAcademy has voted to expel Harvey Weinstein. Good. A reminder that Roman Polanski and Bill Cosby are still members. Keep going. pic.twitter.com/zf2QmJzkh6
— April (@ReignOfApril) October 14, 2017
“The academy said it would ‘work to establish ethical standards of conduct that all academy members will be expected to exemplify.'”
Will be interesting to see how this plays out considering Polanski, Cosby and Gibson cases (Allen isn’t a member). https://t.co/8vwFjC1BJM
— Monica Castillo (@mcastimovies) October 14, 2017
…So, why is @TheAcademy still allowing Roman Polanski to be a member? https://t.co/nhRirQjkMX
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 14, 2017
OK so the Academy kicked out Harvey Weinstein.
But not Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby, or Woody Allen.
Oh.
— Militia Etheridge (@MaryEmilyOHara) October 14, 2017
BREAKING: Oscars Academy expels Harvey Weinstein over ‘sexually predatory behaviour’.
* Child rapist Roman Polanski remains a member. pic.twitter.com/fRlzcXYaZp
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 14, 2017
Weinstein has been expelled from the same Film Academy that still has Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski as members.
Hollyweird is so Stupid? pic.twitter.com/GbPJmfZTte— Don??Phillips (@phil4gop) October 14, 2017
The clearest message the Academy sent to sexual predators was giving Roman Polanski a standing ovation.
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) October 14, 2017
Just so I have it straight! The same Academy that expelled Weinstein, applauded Pervert Roman Polanski? Wow! Hollywood Hypocrites‼️ pic.twitter.com/TzVDDOpVzR
— John T Dolan (@JohnTDolan) October 15, 2017
THR reports that some members of the Academy did indeed “express concerns” that the organization would have to police its members’ behavior, especially since Cosby and Polanski are still members. But the board still voted to reject him.
Maybe a little bit of policing is a good thing.
The Academy Govs knew they'd be called hypocrites today for expelling Weinstein. Good for them for doing it anyway. Gotta start sometime.
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) October 14, 2017
Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of BizPac Review.
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