What Happened At The Comedy Show Harvey Weinstein Attended?
“In a place where there are no humans,” 1st century Jewish sage Hillel said, “Strive to be human.”
At a comedy showcase attended by Harvey Weinstein on Wednesday night in New York City, three people confronted the movie producer, who has been accused of sexual assault by over 80 women.
Weinstein, who is currently out on bail, sat with several companions at a candle-lit table at Actor’s Hour, a monthly showcase for performers on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, BuzzFeed reported.
One performer, 27-year-old Kelly Bachman, addressed Weinstein during her set, calling out “the elephant in the room.”
“I didn’t know we had to bring our own mace and rape whistles to Actor’s Hour,” Bachman said, explaining that she was raped “surprisingly by no one in this room,” in a now viral clip. Her set was booed. “Shut up,” a male voice shouts over her.
At another point in the evening, 21-year-old Zoe Stuckless, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, confronted Weinstein, and the room. “Nobody’s gonna say anything? Nobody’s really going to say anything?” Stuckless screams in a clip, pointing at Weinstein. “Get out of here,” a male voice, off-camera, shouts. A man and a woman escort them out of the room. “I’m happy to leave, but nobody’s going to say anything?” Stuckless shouts. “I’m going to stand four feet from a f*****g rapist, and nobody’s going to say anything?”
The Downtime Bar, the venue for the show, posted on social media, apparently referring to Stuckless, that they removed a “heckler.” The post has since been removed.
A third person, 31-year-old comedian Amber Rollo, confronted Weinstein, calling him a “f*****g monster.” She told BuzzFeed that a man at Weinstein’s table called her a “c**t,” and a woman at the table escorted her out of the building.
Alexandra Laliberte, who organized the event, told BuzzFeed that it was Weinstein’s second time at her showcase. “I welcome all walks of life into my space,” she said.
Weinstein is facing two charge of predatory sexual assault, one charge of criminal sexual act in the first degree, one charge each of first-degree rape and one charge of third-degree rape, NBC reports. He has pled not-guilty to each charge.
“This scene was uncalled for, downright rude, and an example of how due process today is being squashed by the public, trying to take it away in the courtroom too,” a representative for Weinstein told the Hollywood Reporter.
It’s like there just isn’t any civility any more, even for the really, really rich rapists.
Jenny Singer is the deputy life/features editor for the Forward. You can reach her at Singer@forward.com or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO