How will Hollywood handle the post-Weinstein era in 2018?
OPINION | It’ll be a long, painful journey
Essay by Emily Yahr. Views expressed are opinions of the author.
As the calendar flips to 2018, Hollywood is beginning a long, painful journey in the post-Weinstein era. The leaders of the entertainment world have to figure out how to handle the disturbing topics of sexual harassment and assault in an industry that focuses on, well, entertainment.
We have yet to see how movies or scripted TV handles the cultural shift, although “Law & Order: SVU” has confirmed it’s working on a Weinstein-inspired episode for 2018. For now, the response is being led by late-night talk show hosts — they have the easiest access to A-listers, who are contractually obligated to promote their projects. When Ben Affleck was on his publicity tour for “Justice League,” Stephen Colbert asked him about Weinstein and about Affleck’s apology for groping a host on MTV. Dustin Hoffman, expecting a lighthearted back-and-forth about the 20th anniversary of “Wag the Dog,” didn’t take kindly to John Oliver’s questions about allegations of sexual harassment.
In 2018, this situation will be inescapable as more celebrities face public questioning about sexual harassment — particularly if they have to promote projects whose stars have been removed after allegations of misconduct: Kevin Spacey on “House of Cards,” Danny Masterson on “The Ranch,” Mario Batali on “The Chew.” (Jeffrey Tambor said he was leaving “Transparent,” though now that’s in question.)
In 2017, late-show hosts grappled with how to handle President Trump’s administration — Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers got serious on issues from health care to gun control. Jimmy Fallon pointedly stayed away from politics; he sees his role as helping people escape the daily news. Yet as this new era begins, it will be increasingly impossible for television to ignore the cultural reckoning.
