Kevin Spacey Accused of Sexual Misconduct, Confirms Rumors He Is Gay

[+ stevenkesslar]

The minor goes and climbs into the bed of the young adult who was hosting the party.....hmmm

 

Yes, it's a strange thing, but somehow it turns out that 14 year olds don't always have the judgment of a mature adult. That is why we call them children.

 

I see this as black and white, with no gray zone. Rapp is right, Spacey was wrong. He should have known better.

 

I once had a client who hired me for one hour on a certain date, a few weeks out, and then called me a few days before the scheduled appointment and cancelled. He said he really regretted it, but he had just moved to SF and he had moving expenses he hadn't planned on, so he couldn't afford the appointment. That obviously gave me the picture that this client was not exactly rich.

 

Then he called me a few days later, the day we were supposed to have the appointment, and wanted to know if I could still do it in a few hours. He explained it was his 18th birthday, and he wanted to use the money his parents had sent him for his birthday to get fucked for the first time.

 

So three things became immediately obvious to me.

 

1. I'm very lucky. How many people get paid to deflower a hot young man on his 18th birthday?

2. I was going to card the guy, to make sure he was actually 18. He was.

3. At the end of the appointment, I told him there was no reason for him to pay me. It was my birthday present to him.

 

Some conservative prude might say I was a douchebag for having promiscuous sex or whatever. The kid stayed in touch, and sent me an email a year or so later after he'd come out to his parents and met his first boyfriend. Granted, I wasn't 26 at the time, but I feel like I exercised the judgment of an adult.

 

Spacey did not do that.

Edited October 31, 2017 by stevenkesslar

[+ Tarte Gogo]

Ummm, have you read the numerous articles of older females (a lot of them teachers) screwing their underage male students? I have read a ton. I think when the females are the perps, it is way under reported....

When a 14 yo boy has sex with his female teacher, there is very much a sense of “lucky bastard” rather than “poor victim”, especially among males, so even when there is a trial, the woman often walks free because the judge or the jury cannot decide that something fundamentally wrong happened, especially if the boy is cocky about it (which he often is)

 

Example: http://www.dartblog.com/data/2006/03/005314.php

[caliguy]

The sixth season of “House of Cards” will be its last.

 

The news, first reported Monday by TVLine, comes amid an allegation of sexual misconduct by star Kevin Spacey.

 

The final season of the Emmy Award-winning Netflix political drama will premiere in 2018, according to TVLine.

 

A Netflix spokeswoman confirmed the news of the show coming to an end...

 

Netflix and TV studio Media Rights Capital said in a joint statement on Monday that they are "deeply troubled by last night’s news concerning Kevin Spacey."

 

In response to the revelations from Rapp, the companies said, "executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported. As previously scheduled, Kevin Spacey is not working on set at this time.”

 

Source: thehill.com, 3:54pm, 10/30/17

Rarely is timing that perfect.

[Kenny]

Usually the need to bring those tools in to play begins with the accused denying an allegation. But in this case, there is no denial. Instead, there's an apology.

 

Wouldn't be my approach if I was accused of putting the moves on a 14-year-old boy when I was a 26-or-27-year-old man. I'd know damn well I wouldn't have done it and my denial would be loud and absolute. But that's just me.

It gave me pause when Spacey said he "didn't recall" the assault on a child, but apologized if it did without issuing a denial. Rather than declaring the claim's falsehood, Spacey was in effect saying "maybe it happened," which suggests that he can't recall it because the episode was not unique.

[+ Avalon]

Spacey may not remember it but it had a long term effect on Rapp after all these years!

 

Homophobes will now say this was the reason Rapp is gay!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Rapp

Edited October 30, 2017 by Avalon

[+ stevenkesslar]

Homophobes will now say this was the reason Rapp is gay!

 

You could argue that the fact that Rapp went into Spacey's bedroom was a subtle sign of Rapp's latent curiosity about homosexuality.

 

You can't argue that the fact that Spacey came on to Rapp was a clear sign of Spacey's latent stupidity and lack of judgment.

[Kenny]

Many comments in this thread show very clearly why a lot of sexual assault victims (maybe most) never, ever come forward.

[Kenny]

You could argue that the fact that Rapp went into Spacey's bedroom was a subtle sign of Rapp's latent curiosity about homosexuality.

Yes, very true. And to which an observant adult could have said, "Let's talk," rather than "Here, let me lie down on top of you."

[+ Avalon]

Yes, very true. And to which an observant adult could have said, "Let's talk," rather than "Here, let me lie down on top of you."

 

Right! Excellent point!

[rogerG]

I believe Rapp is quoted today, saying he was picked up "like a bride" and taken to Spacey's bed when Spacey laid on top of him once there. I don't believe Rapp went willingly to Spacey's bed. No matter what the details were regarding two male thespians alone in Spacey's home, Spacey crossed a serious line by trying to seduce a 14-year-old boy into having sex, even if the 14-year-old was a willing accomplice, which it seems Rapp was not.

[Becket]

Spacey could NOT have handled all this any worse than he did, for all the reasons previously stated. It does confirm that the closet is a great place of self harm to live into. One can make any number of bad decisions living a lifetime in there.

[+ Avalon]

I believe Rapp is quoted today, saying he was picked up "like a bride" and taken to Spacey's bed when Spacey laid on top of him once there. I don't believe Rapp went willingly to Spacey's bed. No matter what the details were regarding two male thespians, Spacey crossed a serious line by trying to seduce a 14-year-old boy, even if the 14-year-old was a willing accomplice, which it seems Rapp was not.

 

Right! A minor can not give consent.

[Guest DeepSouthDad53]

Just ask Cate Blanchett.

 

Bad example of the adult woman being the jerk-As I recall, he (young punk) first seduced her

[rogerG]

The 6th season of House of Cards has already begun shooting. But Netflix wasted no time to end the series in light of this breaking news. It really is hard to see how Spacey can recover from this. Twitter is having a field day responding to the way he handled his apology.

[MassageAdam]

When a 14 yo boy has sex with his female teacher, there is very much a sense of “lucky bastard” rather than “poor victim”, especially among males, so even when there is a trial, the woman often walks free because the judge or the jury cannot decide that something fundamentally wrong happened, especially if the boy is cocky about it (which he often is)

 

Example: http://www.dartblog.com/data/2006/03/005314.php

 

That doesn't make it right...??? what exactly are you trying to say? It's ok when it's a 14 year old boy with an older female, but it's not ok when its a 14 year old boy with a older male? I'm confused at what your point is?

[+ Gar1eth]

If anything, Mr. Rapp's allegations should make parents think a little more about what situations their kids might be putting themselves into. Didn't anyone think it odd that Rapp at 14 was going to party thrown by a 26 year old man? Doesn't anyone ask questions any more, like, "Hello Mr. Spacey. I understand you've invited my son to a party you're having. Who else is coming? Will he be the only minor present? What kind of activities are planned? When will the evening be over?" Furthermore, if Anthony managed to get to the party and then found that he was the only minor present and then became bored, why didn't he just leave? Instead, he stayed until after midnight, when all the other guests had left. Huh?

 

So why come forward now after the statute of limitations has expired? No witnesses. No real rape of any sort. What is going on here really? Does Anthony think that Spacey is some kind of ongoing predator and is hoping that others may come forward with their own sorry stories now that he has told his? What is the remedy here, given that no legal trial is possible.

 

{After I read and posted, I saw the intervening posts. Ok, that casts a different light on the scene.}

 

 

I was involved in drama as youngster. When I was 15, the local university was putting on Camelot. There were 3 pages needed and one young Tom. I think I was the oldest. The other guy in my same class at school was 14 or 15, and I think ‘Tom’ and the remaining page were 13-possibly 14 as it was in the spring. Not that it’s important, but I still remember my one line, “Your majesty, the queen is at the stake!!!! Shall I signal the torch?

 

At the end of the production we -the pages- were invited to the cast party held at the director’s house. So here we were 4 adolescents at a party with a few adults-the director, his wife, maybe a few others from the Theater Dept. and a lot of late teenage or early 20’s college students who were about to get drunk. Not everyone did. But the ‘woman’ who played Morgan Le Fay was very drunk and managed to spill beer on two of us while she was returning from getting us the beer.

 

I guess the point of the story is my parents trusted me. Since I drank beer, maybe they shouldn’t. But even at 15 I knew better than to get drunk. I saved that for my college years.

 

And it’s not like I hadn’t ever had liquor before (did I mention I still love Passover wine?)

 

 

But I guess what I’m getting at is that children and adolescents are around adults all the time. We need to take precautions for their safety. But really assuming Kevin did it, he could just as easily been a next door neighbor and have the same thing happen.

 

Gman

[+ sniper]

That doesn't make it right...??? what exactly are you trying to say? It's ok when it's a 14 year old boy with an older female, but it's not ok when its a 14 year old boy with a older male? I'm confused at what your point is?

He's pointing out that the ratio of perpetrators is quite likely overstated as when the female is the perpetrator it's likely not reported or taken seriously if it is.

[P Gren]

I'm not about victim blaming or shaming, but we need to stop making excuses for them as well for not speaking out... This kid was 14 then.... Hopes and dreams ???? You can always make excuses for Everything, just like Spacey is saying his behavior was just drunken antics, or Trump dismissing his behavior as lockeroom talk.... But hurling accusations many decades later, just really defeats the purpose, but still doesnt make it any less serious.... Let the courts of law decide, but in this case, it's too late. All the accuser did was discredit Spacey, and cast doubt on himself. How did this help ANYONE ?

Sorry this is just a gut reaction to your post - you don't have kids do you?

[P Gren]

Ummm, have you read the numerous articles of older females (a lot of them teachers) screwing their underage male students? I have read a ton. I think when the females are the perps, it is way under reported....

And what is your point with that? Are you denying that men are by and large the perpetrators of sexual assault. Let's accept that as a fact first, then discuss the small percentage perpetrated by women.

Edited November 17, 2017 by P Gren

[raife]

An excellent rejoinder from another Hollywood insider:

 

The Kevin Spacey news is 0% surprising to me but still very depressing. I've been an out gay man attempting to make a career in SHOW BIZZZZ for over ten years now. Sometimes it's worked out, a lot of the time not. I've experienced many Hollywood predators in that time. Agents inviting me to their hotel rooms to "party". Allowing producers to quiz me about my sex life in meetings because "we bat for the same team, right? LOL!" An A-list director following me down the sidewalk of West Hollywood my second day living in LA and winking at me as he put money in the meter where he'd parked his Lamborghini. And the biggest question you're asking yourself: what kind of lunatic parks a Lamborghini at a meter?

 

When you're gay in a business with such an anti-gay history, you are forced to believe these moments of discomfort are par for the course. You think, well, half of the casting people won't even acknowledge me because I'm gay so I guess this successful weirdo who keeps touching my leg at The Abbey is the only person with connections who can help me.

 

But in the midst of this predatory dam breaking and internet pile on, I think it's important that we remind people that the majority of gay men in Hollywood are NOT predators. There are incredibly kind, good hearted gay men out there who actually DO want to help each other move forward. The Kevin's of the world are NOT our community. But on that note: until executives, producers, and casting directors celebrate those people and give them the opportunities they deserve, predators like Spacey will continue to misrepresent a remarkably supportive community of good people.

 

Hollywood, do better.

[Whitman]

'The Advocate' knew about Kevin Spacey's encounter with teen, but didn't speak. Here's why

USA Today NetworkBruce Steele, The Citizen-Times Opinion Published 5:00 a.m. ET Oct. 31, 2017

My magazine had a 'no outing' policy and we stood by it...

 

This is not how we wanted Kevin Spacey to come out as openly gay. When I was an editor at Out magazine and The Advocate in the 1990s and early 2000s, the magazines asked Spacey's publicists for interviews many, many times, typically getting no response at all.

 

Behind the scenes, I had long known Spacey was gay, or at least bisexual, in part because my friend Anthony Rapp had told me his story of a sexual pass Spacey made at him in 1986, when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was about 26. Rapp told me that in the mid 1990s, and we even printed his account of the encounter in The Advocate in 2001, with Spacey's name redacted, as BuzzFeed journalist Adam Vary reported in his thorough and eloquent report published Sunday night.

 

(Responding within minutes to the BuzzFeed publication, Spacey said he was "beyond horrified to hear (Rapp's) story." He did not deny it happened but said, "I honestly do not remember the encounter," nevertheless offering "the sincerest apology.")[/url]

Unlike Esquire (in 1997), the gay and lesbian magazines for which I worked never outed Spacey. At Out magazine, we repeatedly told everyone that the name of the magazine was an adjective, not a verb. We did not out people, preferring to give them the time and space to make that decision themselves, a healthier route to honesty on both sides. We were happy to pave the way, and often did, starting with Rupert Everett's coming out interview on the cover of Out's second issue in 1992.

 

At The Advocate, I had the honor to do coming out interviews with many people, famous and not so famous, including an NFL football player (Esera Tuaolo), an "American Idol" finalist (Jim Verraros) and actors such as Robert Gant. My predecessor as The Advocate's editor in chief, Judy Wieder, interviewed many more, including George Michael and Rosie O'Donnell.

 

But as Wieder describes in her new memoir, "Random Events Tend to Cluster" (Lisa Hagan Books), The Advocate had developed a "no outing" policy before I joined the staff, and we stuck to it. We cajoled, befriended and pressured, but we did not report on anyone's sexuality without their cooperation. Just as each of us had reached the decision to come out in our own time, celebrities needed the same opportunity, even if it took them years and years.

 

The result of a healthful, self-motivated decision to come out is often a stronger, more powerful person on the other side. In Wieder's memoir, she recounts our conversation about putting Nathan Lane on the cover in 1999. "I think he's waited too long" to deserve the cover, Wieder argues, but she changes her mind when I tell her what changed his mind: the murder of Matthew Shepard. Lane got the cover and gave an emotionally charged interview.

 

Obviously the situation is not the same with Kevin Spacey. Despite the Esquire story, Spacey has kept his private life extremely private throughout his career. Despite the Hollywood truism that "everybody knows" who's gay within entertainment and media circles, Spacey didn't flaunt his "secret" — unless you consider taking your mom to the Academy Awards a kind of declaration.

 

Of course, many close friends knew of Rapp's encounter with the actor in the 1980s, including some of us in the media. But what could be done with that story? There were only two people in the room, they had never met again and no parade of additional accusers was forthcoming — so, right or wrong, we told ourselves we could not report it.

 

In keeping with The Advocate's "no outing" policy, when Rapp related the entire incident to writer Dennis Hensley in 2001, we removed Spacey's name and identifying details. Rapp understood the decision, and he didn't share the story again via the news media until now.

 

Why now? That's an easy one. The Harvey Weinstein scandal and the resulting opening up of the media to legitimate accusations of unwanted sexual advances changed the rules, and Rapp felt compelled to share his story again, this time with names and dates.

 

His decision was not "to simply air a grievance," he told BuzzFeed, "but to try to shine another light on the decades of behavior that have been allowed to continue because many people, including myself, being silent. … I'm feeling really awake to the moment that we're living in, and I'm hopeful that this can make a difference."

 

It's a hope shared by many. The media's willingness now to report on behavior it long made excuses to avoid (and I don't exclude myself from that) is one thing. The real victory will be when the behavior itself is stopped, even behind the closed doors of hotel rooms and New York bedrooms like Spacey's.

 

In a statement clearly prepared in advance — he knew the story was coming — Spacey said the account "encouraged me to address other things about my life," alluding to "other stories out there about me." He asserted simply, "I now choose to live as a gay man."

 

As he asserted in his Twitter statement, Spacey may well not recall the encounter Rapp describes. It was more than 30 years ago, and Rapp says Spacey was drunk at the time. Whether what happened to Rapp was a singular mistake or a pattern of behavior may come to light in time, along with those "other stories" to which Spacey alluded.

 

The result all these revelations, and the decades of back story about what is told and what is withheld, both in Spacey's case and in Weinstein's and in so many others, should be a moral reckoning for the media. It reaches well beyond sexual misconduct. When immoral behavior of any kind is known to reporters and editors, what is our responsibility to "out" that behavior?

 

Clearly we have long erred, in certain cases, on the side of withholding until the evidence is irrefutable. That's not a sustainable standard.

 

What Rapp's revelation and Spacey's response prove is that even one person, with the story of one night, can make a difference. I will long ponder what we didn't do in 2001, I hope with concrete results about what we can do in 2017.

 

-- Bruce Steele is the planning editor at the Asheville Citizen-Times, where this piece first appeared.

[MassageAdam]

And what is your point with that? Are you denying that men are by and large the perpetrators of sexual assault. Let's accept that as a fact first, then discuss the very small percentage perpetrated by women.

No, my point was simply that there are a lot of women out there who are perps, too. Pretty simple. I actually know quite a few men who were molested by female's. I actually know more men who were molested than females and I have more female friends.

[LADoug1]

I hate that Kevin came out at the same time he was accused. Just perpetuates the homophobic stereotype that gays are child molesters.

[+ Tarte Gogo]

That doesn't make it right...??? what exactly are you trying to say? It's ok when it's a 14 year old boy with an older female, but it's not ok when its a 14 year old boy with a older male? I'm confused at what your point is?

Of course it is not ok. Why would I think that one type of rape is ok?

I am just giving a data point about how society currently reacts. And I provide a reference.

Do you think every post is an opinion with a hidden agenda?

Some posts are just new information relevant to the debate, we are not all always trying to make a point.

[P Gren]

No, my point was simply that there are a lot of women out there who are perps, too. Pretty simple. I actually know quite a few men who were molested by female's. I actually know more men who were molested than females and I have more female friends.

Your experience is different than social norms then.