Oprah has always seemed like a person who researches projects thoroughly before attaching her name. So, this strikes me as a favor for her rich deviant friend, Simmons. The rich will always protect each other. Let's send Oprah on her way. She has marketed, preached and stuffed our heads with enough nonsense. Let her go live her life with her billions without telling us mere mortals how wrong we are in our thoughts and actions and failure to recognize 'aha' moments. Even she missed one!
100
Feminism is dead.
If women need cradle-to-grave legal protections against men then by definition they ARE the weaker sex and deserve to be second-class citizens, pandering sophistry notwithstanding.
10
We suggest watching Kirby Dick's "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" from 2006 to get an idea about how this filmmaker will go after the powers-that-be.
Oprah, DuVernay and Simmons trying to silence #MeToo? This is about wealth protecting wealth. Not much different from Jeffrey Epstein.
Strange that one of Oprah Winfrey's objections of the doc has to do with the "broader cultural context" and "debauchery...at the time."
This might be a defense raised by Harvey Weinstein's legal team - "Everyone was doing it." That in itself is disgusting.
79
If this was a white woman, the word "concern" would be replaced by "fraud."
26
How did the film get so far down the Sundance path without sign-off from Oprah and the other producers? With sensitive subject matter such as this, all ducks need to be in a row before release - someone screwed up and the victims are victims again. What an awful roller coaster for them.
I do not blame Oprah for pulling out of a movie she was not proud of. I sincerely doubt it was due to intimidation - she is much more rich & powerful than Simmons. This article outlines specific examples of where Oprah did not agree with the making of the film, and they sound legitimate to me. Ava DuVernay was also very critical of the film - not of the victims, of the film. There is a difference.
I'm very curious to see this film and to see if it does the victims justice. I certainly hope so. They deserve it.
A poorly made film with incorrect cultural contexts etc. does not do the victims any favors.
6
I guess big wealthy entertainment producers just protect each other. Quite touching really.
35
As a white male in America, and therefore privileged in terms of escaping the prejudices experienced by so many others, it is difficult and very sad to read of the bind black women are in when they accuse black men of abuse. the description of this dilemma was most uncomfortable because it is another tragic residue of our society's racist history.
33
Sexual assault is not the purview of any one race or social status, and black men don't get a pass because they are burdened by negative stereotyping. And black women should not feel pressured or shamed into silence to protect the reputation of anyone who harms, demeans, or intimidates them. This documentary is an important tool in broadening the "Me Too" dialogue to include and empower women of color.
37
If we substitute (temporarily , of course), the term SLAVE DESCENDANT WOMAN for the term BLACK WOMAN, this contemporary dispute takes on a multi-century historical context.
No need to say more.
7
This story reminds me of the OJ days. A black woman I worked with defended OJ very vocally to everyone, claiming that a black man with his money and prestige had the right to do anything he wanted with the white woman he had “bought” with large gifts to her and her family. If this kind of extreme defensiveness of black men is still around among black women, the fear of coming forward is very understandable. And deplorable.
41
Ever since the movie, “ Birth of a Nation “ was shown at the White House our citizens have been presented with grotesque images and behaviors of African Americans. I would rather see a documentary that addresses the long history of rape in America and the results of this on individuals, families, our history and culture. I support Oprah’s withdrawal from this movie.
4
I got 3/4 of the way through and found it hard to finish reading. Mr. Simmon's self-serving Instagram message to Oprah was vomit-inducing. Black women, and women of color in general, have such a hard time with MeToo. Let me just say I believe the woman at the center of this documentary. It's not easy to come forward with a story like this, no matter what some people think. Last spring I felt such an intense relief, almost to the point of joy, when a famous writer who sexually harassed me when I was a student of his was finally exposed. For 20 years I carried around all that anger, shame and resentment, and yes, I went to the authorities at the time and told them what happened. I was told to think about his future. He had struggled to get out of the ghetto etc. It didn't even occur to me at the time as I dealt with the repercussions of his assault that I too had a history of poverty and racism. Add to that assault by a famous writer who went on to block my advancement in the literary business in which he remains powerful, all the while tearing down my name and reputation to others. Black and other minority women cannot win. Something that these predatory men know all too well. We risk being disbelieved when we go to the authorities. When by some miracle we are believed then you have this Curtis "50cent" Jackson business that you're disloyal and serving the interests of racists. It's a real bind and the only winners are those predatory, misogynistic men.
82
Gender is the power. We see it her clearly
3
that the victimhood of black men in the criminal justice system supersedes all other harm.”
Isn’t this the ultimate horror? There is no justice, not for black women, not for any women. The rights and sensibilities of men will always take precedence over those of women. Even when women are the victims, somehow things always get twisted so that the poor, misunderstood abuser is to be cared for more than the abused, but only if the abuser is male.
It doesn’t help that the pattern of abuse towards women flows from the very top, from the once-revered office of the presidency.
29
The readers should listen to a talk given at Suffolk Community College by a black police officer who was the initial arresting officer of the Central Park 5 before giving much credibility to Ms. Duvernay as an arbiter of facts and, by extension, Oprah who claims to have relied of Ms. Duvernay's opinion. I would urge Oprah to listen to this officer's talk to students at the college which is on Youtube. I believe the women in this case. The real root cause is the economic dependency women have in a male oriented world. lMuch higher taxes and economic realignment for women of all races would do much to change this problem. Ms. Dixon could have walked away if there were viable economic alternatives. Some of the commenters imply the fact she stayed working for Simmons proves it was not rape or assault. Until you have been jobless with a lot of expenses a few times you can't understand.
25
Can't stand ..... Oprah, a self centered, self glorifying. Can she ever attribute success to others? Her magazine has her name, her business her name... there us one other individual and he is in White House.
Didn't think much about Hugh Hefner but have gained lots of respect for him. Imagine if he called his magazine, businesses HH.
What is wrong with white folks? Why they go gaga over her: when she said she will run for White House I had to shake my head in disbelief and Tom Hanks going all ... Oh Yeah? SERIOUSLY!.... what is wrong with them?
Point is she likely had her own self centred reason for pulling the documentary.
22
The sexual assault survivors who have stood strong in the face of intimidation, backlash, and personal attack have shown tremendous courage. They are the real voices of moral authority.
Failing to stand with them was a mistake. I hope Oprah will have the guts to realize her mistake and admit it. That would be an act of courage too.
25
Many in the black community do not want to incriminate a powerful, influential, successful black man. I remember OJ Simpson’s trial and how the race factor was brought into it. Michael Jackson’s innocence is declared over and over, despite the guy having multiple victims and a molestation mansion called neverland. I’ve sat on the stoop and heard my neighbors and friends say Cosby shouldn’t go to jail. “Even if he did it - he is so old”.
I think bc of the history of false accusations that literally killed thousands of black men, there is a tendency to go the other direction. Successful black men are examples of how people overcome- seeing them as abusers who should be convicted is difficult.
As so many minorities who make it in the world of fame and money come to be seen as the face of that social group- so they are defended as well.
Oprah caved not to him only, but to the conservative African American community.
There is not enough discussion about the very patriarchal structure of many African American families and lives- when it comes to who has the ultimate power socially and who is deferred to. The misogyny in so much contemporary hip hop is appalling. Some of it should be accurately titled “ music for rapists and those who want to be like one”.
40
Oprah was a victim of sexual abuse. I believe that she is sensitive about this subject. Look carefully at what she says. Her issues were with the presentation of their stories, not their claims. Interesting how many people are looking for a reason to tell us why they don’t like Oprah - a Black woman who has had her share of detractors for everything from her money to her weight to her sexuality.
6
Now that they have lost the cover of powerful black person to bring down a powerful black person what will they do? Turn your evidence over to the states attorney and charge Simmons. I think they were using Winfrey as a shield.
10
I’ve never really liked Oprah and now she is no better than the slew of people who protected Harvey Weinstein. I don’t know but wouldn’t doubt if Simmons’ race was a factor in her decision. All in all, Oprah is a phony with no spine whatsoever. Simmons, like many other powerful people, will escape justice and his victims will continue to bear the suffering he has inflicted on them. I hope the documentary gets made and he ends up behind bars like the rapists Bill Cosby, R. Kelly and, hopefully, Weinstein.
23
Just like any criminal proceeding, black jurors, black judges, black politicians and black cops, would rather look the other way than to prosecute a black man.
Yes, there have been hundreds of unjust rulings in the past, but not shedding a light on this crime is another way of unjustly protecting your own, while further insulting the female victims involved, many of whom are black women.
Two wrongs don’t make a right, but Oprah and black people in power didn’t get the memo.
12
Oprah Winfrey
Donald Trump
Cults anyone? She with the new age, airy fairy, stuff. He with the mob-like criminality.
Bottom line is they're just former television hosts with a lot of money and fans who see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil from the object of their adoration.
Not surprised by Oprah backing down anymore than I am by Donald denying he ever knew Lev Parnas or Michael Cohen.
Different sides of the same coin.
14
“Ms. DuVernay ... gave a harsh critique, which was later echoed in a letter Ms. Winfrey sent to the filmmakers informing them of her withdrawal.”
Since much of the justification for backing out of the project came from Ms. DuVernay’s opinion, why did the reporter not share these critiques? Were there factual concerns, or fear of outsider light being shed on the hip hop community? Oprah seems pressured by the clout of DuVernay, as well as by Simmons.
27
“Nonconsensual sex” does not exist. You mean rape. Say rape. Say sexual assault. Calling it nonconsensual sex diminishes what it is, which is the last thing survivors need.
33
The problem with business: it’s not immoral...it’s amoral...
Self righteous Hollywood really just cares about money and power ...
11
She is a friend of Harvey Weinstein--is it any surprise that she would support a predator over the victim.
12
Oprah. Shame on you. I hope the film is widely accepted at Sundance so these women can be heard.
25
What does Bill Cosby think? He is an experienced wealthy once powerful figure with intimate knowledge of what goes on in the boardrooms and other places.
Then make that movie, “Ask Bill”.
6
I think it's sad that people look to a celebrity to be a moral authority. Your parents should be or have been the guidance for your moral life, supported by your church, if you belong to one. Speaks to what a poor job we have done in parenting. If you haven't learned that cheating is wrong, disrespect for your fellow human beings is wrong, cruelty to animals is wrong by the time you've reached puberty, then it's too late and Oprah's moral guidance isn't going to help you.
9
To reference the Washington Post - Truth Dies In Darkness.
11
Simple. The diva of wokeness always has one eye on how are actions affect her and what is best for her. Best surprise.
13
Oprah Winfrey is a troublemaker, not in the good sense of the word, but the bad sense of the word. She is right up there with the wealthy white trouble makers, who live for financial gain, rather than suffer through the truth, which is all that matters.
13
If this saga confirms anything, it is that the deification of Oprah Winfrey needs to end. She is a mere mortal who has made a fortune preening, pontificating and, yes, entertaining along the way. But nobody anointed or elected Oprah to be our voice or conscience. She is a celebrity and the mainstream media need to take a collective deep breath and start covering her as such, nothing more or less. This is NOT a front page news story, NYT. Please get a grip.
21
DuVernay last person to ask, she is a racist and would not criticize ay African-American. On twitter, I asked why she found it necessary to denigrate LBJ with patently untrue depiction, she blocked me. boo hoo. I got over it. She approaches all issues involving race with victimhood. Why didn’t Oprah, with more money and clout than any other human, have some of Her People offer notes with specific changes ? or something !?! not just back out. I got over Oprah years ago. the victims deserve a full hearing and i hope the documentary is completed , illuminating and as factual as possible.
19
Since ascending to her zenith, Winfrey has lost her way. She has become the shill for Weight Watchers and cauliflower everything. It is sad to observe people who through hubris cannot let go.
11
“...Mr. Simmons discussed how to challenge the credibility of women by asking “how many times they went to jail, to a mental institution, have they accused five or more people, what does their father say.”
Simmons employing the sexist “she’s crazy” defense is appalling and idiotic—Women who have been to jail, mental institutions, etc. can be victims of sexual assault. Also, they are capable of telling the truth.
31
Me Too, Et Oprahe?
13
Shows you how far some “producers” are involved. Had none of these questions during production just days before loved the final cut but apparently had no critical input until she pulls out. I bet dollars to donuts the obamas will be the same high profile producers who read a pitch get paid to put their name on it then hit the golf course or Louis Vuitton store until production is over.
1
Any body else getting sick of the entertainment industry?
7
Winfrey is and always has been about the money ... with which her nonsense spirituality is intertwined. She's a huckster like most celebrities, who peddle themselves first.
16
Have the film makers included the misgivings of DuVernay and Winfrey in the final product? If not ... why not?
1
Wayne LaPierre might be recruited as an advisor. We have a second amendment you know.
Also the phrase found in the pledge of allegiance ”with liberty and justice for all” is a big lie.
1
Not sure whose opinion this is, referrring to Oprah Winfrey's "reputation as a role model for African-American women and as one of America’s most trusted voices of moral authority."
Really? One of America's most trusted voices of moral authority? I think not.
This uber-entrepreneur brought us charlatans like Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz and has demonstrated her narcissism repeatedly by such things as only allowing herself on the cover of her magazine. She loves the worship of her admirers. Moral authority: NOT. S Fraser Frankewicz, MSSW, Noank, CT
18
Oprah, seriously rich, but not anything approaching a serious journalist.
14
Given the recent editorials in the NYTimes about the wrongs done to black Americans over the years by white Americans one would expect outrage when Opra backed out. But instead it's black vs black and there's no outcry. Double standard?
5
Ms Dixon’s approach to all this feels like Ms Warren’s debate attack on Bernie. I have questions.
I do not want to denigrate their experiences but their accounts do not gel with what what we know. Jeff Epstein - yes, Harvey Weinstein - yes, Anthony Weiner - yes, Eliot Spitzer - yes. Russell Simmons? I do not know and so I am not prepared to convict him on this basis.
Now to misogyny in hip hop? Give me a break after you listen to Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Lauryn Hill, Remy Ma, Foxy Brown (she got a bad deal but that was because of her and not that she was a woman), Total, Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliot, Nicki Minaj, Eve, Rah Digga, Cardi B, Bhad Babie, Stefflon Don, Kiyanne, Iggy Azalea (highly questionable hip hop), Snow Tha Product, Young M.A., City Girls etc.
1
Wow. In the 60’s, as a teenager, I spent 10 months in a mental hospital in WhitePlains, NY. Had One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest type EST. I met the most wonderful and amazing people while I was there. Smart. Creative. Funny. Cool. I did a lot of wild stuff to get there but I never lied. Simmon’s statement....have they ever been in a mental hospital...is a cheap deflection. What a cop-out. This guy reeks of being guilty.
16
Fascinating. The perfect storm of now ... racism, sexism, and #metoo ...catching up with Oprah.
Russell Simmons is a known philanthropist, in addition to being a media titan. I’ve seen him at a few muckety muck fundraisers where he dropped some serious money.
To me, the curse of the times we’re living through is tribalism. It seems Oprah ultimately decided to ditch this film when a colleague deemed the filmmakers not suitable to make a documentary about hip hop culture because...they’re white.
That seems a bigger factor than believing these women.
I find it so interesting that Oprah wanted to give “context” to the era of the music industry when Simmons evidently abused these women.
That context has been missing from almost all of these #metoo stories ...why now?
This is a huge disaster for Oprah...a very high profile failure.
And it’s much more about celebrity, and yes, privilege, than anything else.
Celebrity, and optics.
I’m sure she wrestled with the moral dilemmas implicit in telling these stories, but celebrity culture and staying in her lane tipped the scale.
15
Oprah is no moral authority. She is, however, brilliant about building her brand and conferring legitimacy to a rollcall of dubious experts that she then unleashes onto her gullible followers for consumption. Dr. Phil, Tony Robbins, Dr.Oz. Especially Dr. Oz.
17
The montage manipulating sound bite (samples, right?) to deliver an artistic message is one of the most overworked techniques in video culture, a particular favorite in many hip hop videos we’ve seen over the last several years.
It’s hard to see how Oprah sees this as not representative of hip hop culture. It does make a valid statement about the apparent patterns of Mr. Simmons behavior, but that is what the point of the documentary is, as she was explicitly aware and on board with from the start.
This isn’t a ‘fair and balanced’ issue; documentary responsibility is to present facts as they lay, without usurping the viewers’ rightful process to form opinions about the content.
This smacks of an attempt to do just that, by diverting criticism to style rather than content. It’s hard to believe there are valid objections to a clearly popular style that can be seen on line or on cable 24/7.
It’s sad if true, but it looks to us that Oprah tried to duck a low pitch and wound up in the dirt with it.
—T&K
5
let the movie be released.
4
Elitism trumps social justice, Part Ii.
3
Oprah figured the third L might crash what is left of her career so she didn't want to chance it. L one being her failure to produce a documentary about her buddy Weinstein or interview one or more of his victims since she is such a supporter of MeToo, and L two being the travesty of an interview of two discredited victims of Michael Jackson. She has deleted all of her tweets about that interview and is now pretending it never happened.
7
“This is a way of shutting down black women,” Ms. Hampton said, “that the victimhood of black men in the criminal justice system supersedes all other harm.”
This is it.
Over a dozen women have said Simmons assaulted them.
Weinstein's crimes happened in the context of a "culture" in which many men were abusers. Does that make him not guilty, too?
And "ask her father"? Again, a woman can't be lieved unless a man vouches for her?
Make no mistake: Winfrey and DuVernay are being racist: If the filmmakers were black, they wouldn't have had these "concerns."
13
The capacity of sheer personality to command "moral authority" confounds me, whether it manifests in Oprah Winfrey or Bill Cosby. Somebody please explain to me: What has Winfrey done to deserve mass adulation?
8
Sad that powerful rich popular men successfully can stop their sexual victims from telling the truth about sexual crimes and abuses. Just because the abusers are blacks other blacks should not help them get away. It’s not about race, it’s about one of the worst crimes.
10
It's appropriate having DuVernay comment on this controversy. Her film, When They See Us, was, for the most part, a lie. Unlike DuVernay at least Oprah is trying to find the truth.
5
For those of us who never bought into the cult/scam of Oprah, this is not remotely surprising. After decades of greedily cashing the checks of Black women (among so many others), she throws them under the bus after being pressured by a wealthy (and disgraced) mogul, choosing to protect him at his victims’ expense, whispering “I believe the women” but demonstrating she does not.
Don’t get it twisted: Oprah isn’t a “spiritual force.” She’s a calculating charlatan who is exploiting whoever she can for personal gain. Think about that before you contribute another minute — or nickel — to her “cause.” After all, your $ is what allows her to “live her best life,” laughing all the way to the bank.
8
Is there a stature of limitations on rape? I think if everything could have been vetted Winfrey would not have pulled out. Bill Cosby is in jail for his rapes why not charge Simmons?
2
This thing about women accusing men without evidence is leading down a bad path.
Why didn't she report this violent rape to the police. Who saw the torn garments.
What about our sons and brothers any woman can accuse them after 20 years and be believed. Which laws says that a woman must be telling the truth and man a lie.
Look at the case with Cosby she accepts money and then still went ahead and told her story, why didn't she give back the money.
The Me too movement is now starting to feel and look like a way to collect money from men....which is wrong.
If someone rapes me I would want him to go to jail for a looooong time not take money. 10 years after. while not even going to the police. Men have families too
4
Clinton, Epstein, Simmons....green is the only color that matters.
5
I thought better of Oprah.
7
Methinks Simmons
a. doth protest too much
b. shamelessly hides behind his daughters
Too shrill, too strident ... Guilty, Your Honor.
9
If Oprah was serious about criticizing sex abuse she would stop hawking consumer doodads on ABC and CBS, two networks complicit in burying the truth about J. Epstein. She is not a hero to anyone she is part of the Hollywood cabal.
4
Russel Simmons and Donald Trump are brothers in the way they demean, condemn, and attack the veracity of those, especially women, who accuse them of sexual misconduct including rape. The tactics used by powerful men to maintain their power is totally disgusting.
4
From Oprah to Donald Trump, From Weinstein's rapes to Matt Damon's constant shoot them up movies... Lebron's simple disregard for American rights for his greed and investments in China... Michael Jacksons and R Kelly's child abuse that was ignored or looked the other way for decades... We, you and me, have given celebrities in Hollywood and in Sports to too much power and a free pass to destroy and hurt normal civilians. This really needs to stop. We need to stop idolizing these type of people.
Oprah and others in Hollywood consistently love to preach and tell the public how to live their lives when they themselves constantly do the opposite. The hypocrisy is overwhelming.
We have a President from the same pool of people that Oprah and Weinstein are a part of. What do you expect from these hypocrites. At the end of the day these people are no better than anyone else; maybe even worse.... since they have vocal power to millions, even billions, to promote complete hypocrisy and their personal agendas. Hollywood has always been a disgusting, untrustworthy and simply a dirty industry, why would you trust and listen to anyone from it... that includes Oprah and Donald Trump.
5
I saw an interview featuring Oprah where she jokingly shuttered when describing how she’d once dated Roger Ebert. Always thought that to have been a very classless move as she didn’t have to go out of her way to disparage someone for any gain but she clearly thought it was ok. It was a window into how cold and self serving her thought processes were. Not surprised at all by the latest news. “I’ll capitulate to this serial rapists wishes, but let me announce how principled I am that I did not wilt under his relentless pressure to do just that...look at me everyone.” You’re a real hero.
6
None of this i find surprising. Money looks out for money. It crosses racial, cultural, and even (obviously) gender lines. The hip hopcrasy of the uber rich and famous is predicted on the the falsehood that these people care about others. in the case of Oprah and her conspicuous consumption machine and cult of personality, this has always been the case. Holywood and its ilk are nothing like the false images and messages the inundate us with. Kill your television. The grand narrative is a lie.
4
Is the known misogyny of hip hop an explanation for raping women? But we are from from post - race: two white people should not make this movie without a third African American woman.
1
So white director's can't do a film about African American abuser and Ms. Winfrey did not notice they were white when she met with them? This stinks of Oprah caving into to pressure
10
HI reputation and facade has been broken. It does not matter what kind of kinky rape or misconduct Simmons did in the past. He is not a well being Guru. Just be patient because karma works in mysterious ways.
4
Would Oprah have pulled her support if the man had been a white Republican ??
1
Why did Ms. DuVernay critique it so harshly? That's a glaring omission from this story - since it clearly influenced Ms. Winfrey's opinion.
6
Oprah, you have lost your credibility.
If you had doubts, you should not have been involved in the film in the first place.
You caved to the pressure of a friend. Would you have been so spineless if Russell Simmons was a white man? Just asking.
10
Privilege has its perks—Oprah needs to check hers.
3
This reporter is confusing "moral authority" with sanctimony.
It's the later on which both Oprah and Ava DuVernay thrive. The "wise minority", typically a black woman full of ageless self-help maxims, has been a staple of white independent films for years, and these two are prime exploiters of the genre in real life.
3
I believe Oprah .
Is Oprah going to talk about her other best friend Harvey Wienstien anytime soon?
4
This shouldn't be about race, as Simmons' black supporters are making it. Lena Hornes' granddaughter's account of her rape at the hands of Simmons is chilling and credible. The victims are black. It's obvious that Oprah has caved in to pressure from the black community which is displeased that she's focused on black predators so far.
6
The woke have a real double standard when successful African American men are accused of sexual misconduct, including Neil deGrasse Tyson, CeeLo Green, and Simmons, to name a few. Just another link in the chain of liberal hypocrisy.
4
Oprah Caved.
4
Does everyone realize how big of a deal it is — and how much courage it takes — for a major publication such as the New York Times to write an article that is in any way negative about Oprah Winfrey?
8
There is a lot of talk about white male privilege but what we are seeing here is the ability of a wealthy black man to silence his accusers and Oprah for gods sake. Wealthy black male privilege?
8
Find another backer.
1
“Ms. Winfrey sent the documentary to a friend, the filmmaker Ava DuVernay, seeking advice. She asked Ms. DuVernay to watch it with an eye toward how well the two filmmakers, who are white, captured the nuances of hip-hop culture and the struggles of black women.”
People who have not demonstrated the least ability to police and protect their own, criminalizing and offering critique on other communities, which they also have demonstrated a difficulty in covering without bias. Winfrey was right to back out and not associate herself with this any longer.
12
@Christopher
She had the right to back out, but was she right?
15
The fact that the two filmmakers are white may well have played a significant role in the dynamics here.
I’ll leave it at that.
51
Yes, even when everyone starts off saying they are on the same page about gaining justice for those harmed by abusers, people will still have different perspectives about how a story should be told because of their own race, gender, class, orientation, and life experience, and they wind up wanting a version that makes them feel right with the world. But I’m surprised Oprah didn’t realize how much it would matter to her sense of trust to have a black woman filmmaker direct the project in the first place.
14
@Tom Judge
I'm black, and I agree with you. And I think it's wrong, and hypocritical for it to happen. I hope that the filmmakers will find strong producers.
11
@Tom Judge
I said the same thing more bluntly earlier and the Times didn’t post it, so thank you.
8
Apparently wealthy Black men are just about as privileged as wealthy White men.
165
@TOBY Harvey is being schooled by Russell.
3
@TOBY
All women learned that when OJ was acquitted.
8
@TOBY
O.J. showed us that ages ago. As did Cos till just recently.
8
I believe the women who are victims of Russell Simmons -- that said, I'd be interested to hear more about Ava Duvernay's criticisms of the film. If the white filmmakers have failed to accurately represent black culture, they wouldn't be the first white people to do so. It can both be true that Russell is a predator and that the film isn't good enough to stand behind.
7
I can see both sides, and I think it was smart of Oprah to get insight from a widely revered director like Ava, who had doubts. The reality is that it doesn’t matter IMO if a film captures the backstory of what the victims say happened — or whether Russell Simmons is lying or that he took/passed a Lie Detector Test. Oprah is in business with Apple to produce a film that uses real people to tell real stories. There’s no way that she is going to put her on reputation and credibility on the line when she has doubts. Hopefully the stories can be told with integrity at a later date. What’s the rush?
1
I will watch this movie and encourage my two young-adult daughters to do the same. As females who are not easily beguiled, we will arrive at our own assessments completely independent of Ms. Winfrey’s role in it’s production and her current concerns. If we have questions about what see, we will research whatever each of us thinks needs more clarification. We do the same with books. As do many, if not most, other consumers of books and movies who are capable of arriving at their own assessments regardless of other support or support withdrawal. In fact, Ms. Winfrey’s decision to remove her name, is the reason I am determined to see this film and why I will recommend it to my daughters. In terms of publicity, Ms. Winfrey’s decision is genius. Tons of free publicity that will result in millions wanting to see a movie they may have skipped had Oprah not called this kind of attention to it.
7
@Emily Ahhh, I applaud your energy in exploring and documenting what you see and read. But as we have seen in this day and age - few people do. Seeing is believing. Unfortunately, what they see in this movie made by presumably well meaning and well-intentioned film makers is what they will come away with. Have the film makers included the misgivings of DuVernay and Winfrey in the final product? If not ... how much do they really care about the truth???
Oprah Winfrey, the brand and the woman behind the brand, has proven time and time again that she is worthy of her audience’s trust. She has voiced a set of principles by which she has successfully guided her business. Have there been missteps? Sure. But, Never has she hesitated to say when she does not know the “answer” vs “faking till [she] makes it”. Respecting the existence of doubt versus plunging headlong despite the myriad risk to profit and reputation is to be commended.
In the age of Cosby, Rose, Trump, Cowell, and the Lori McLaughlin we can give Winfrey the benefit of the doubt. She has earned it.
9
Once, Oprah had great credibility across races, genders, classes. Now she chooses to spend her time involved in money-making and hobnobbing with other super-rich celebrities. Big Whoopee. Yes, she does do good and does give money away. But: she has become a role model for over-consuming, overspending, over-amassing and over-the-top advertising of her wealth. (I'm sure she's preaching for protection of the environment at the same time.) So let's give her her due: she overcame a horrid childhood, achieved great financial and public success. To some it will seem an affront to ask, "How much more she might have achieved?" But isn't that the lesson of the parable of the talents?
11
The marketing of people I am very bored with. I am glad for what she does - and the way she has helped many- but I also am suspect of the extreme packaging and marketing - the amassing of wealth.
4
For Oprah, the very best she can expect here is that her reputation has been singed by having supported reputable film makers with whom -- at the 11th hour -- she decided to break due to her own inattention to the project. That's the BEST she can expect.
The worst -- and more likely(?) -- interpretation is that Oprah, despite her wealth and power, spinelessly caved to pressure from a craven but wealthy peer. So much for her supposed "moral authority".
27
"When Ms. Winfrey announced her departure from the project on Jan. 10, she took pains to say that she believed and supported the women in the film. "
This is the kind of non-sensical doublespeak we expect from Trump, not an alleged champion of black women.
I hope Oprah pays a price for her moral cowardice.
29
Interesting that Simmons would want to know ‘What their fathers would say.’ Wow. Take the side of the possible abuser over their own daughters! Patriarchy at work.
28
And Ava Duvernay!? Selma was attacked by historians for its gross inaccuracies. When They See Us took awful liberties, unfairly pinning the entire ordeal on Linda Fairstein, who lost her board seats, publisher, agent -- and maybe even safety on the streets. Duvernay is the last opinion I'd seek for a truth-based documentary. As she herself points out, she's a filmmaker, not a documentarian.
32
@Andy --- you're sticking up for Fairstein? Who railroaded 5 young men for a heinous crime they didn't commit? Really?
1
Desiree Washington is a hero with regard to rape/date rape/sex assault. In the present time of #metoo she does not get mentioned enough. She reported the crime quickly, testified in open court, and helped put that pathetic man (also a huge celebrity) in jail. Victims must report this crime immediately. You get your dignity back by standing up for yourself, and you help prevent another person from being a victim. Not saying its easy, but it must be done. Even if the prosecutor wont try the case, or the person is acquitted...you have created a valuable record (paper trail) of what happened. Never discount the value of a police report in the United States, it carries weight.
13
@Scott. Yes!
2
As a black woman, I appreciate the contributions of Winfrey and DuVernay. That doesn't entitle them to be judge and jury. These women deserve to have their allegations properly adjudicated in a court of law and not just cinematically. Unlike 50 Cents, I'm all for going after "my own" (although I was told by a black scholar in college, that "of your culture does not necessarily mean of your kind") if they are engaging in predatory behavior. They deserve the full weight of law and punishment. Predatory behavior by some black men continues to victimize black women, children, and other black men. It should not be tolerated. It was predatory behavior by some black men that supported the slave trade. As we have heard so much recently: "no one is above the law." I'm looking forward to this film, but more importantly, to victimized women and girls, the world over, having their day in court and receiving justice.
103
"it was predatory behavior by some black men that supported the slave trade". what the heck are you talking about?
Oprah has more in common with Russell Simmons than the struggling women who are his accusers. That is apparent by her decision.
In our draconian capitalistic nation, wealthy people, corporations and all structural power will SELF PROTECT NO MATTER WHAT.
No matter her color or gender, she is a member of the 1% first as is Russell Simmons. Why are her fans surprised by this?
33
Sharing one’s story is powerful and can be healing. Reporting a crime to authorities is quite another. I can see the value in both. Unless there are statutes of limitations issues where the crime allegedly occurred she may seek redress in the courts.
2
Mr. Buddhist is quite a scary guy - one can see what his victims were and are up against.
25
What does a woman need to prove that a powerful man abused or raped her? It seem unless she has a video of the crime nobody will believe her. It takes a great deal of courage for a woman to come forward with her story which she has kept buried in her past.
28
The problem is precisely that there is no proof: it’s a “he said, she said” scenario. Is it likely that all these women are lying about what Mr. Simmons did? Of course not, but there’s no way to know for certain.
2
Being a black woman may pose the difficult meld of being both a woman and a black person. Two broad identity groups which can at times be at odds or separated by an issue or a personality. This seems to be one of those cases. Sisterhood is a burden as such.
6
It's become clear over the past decades of accruing evidence about sexual misconduct, harassment, rape, and child abuse that the enablers and apologists are key components in the recipe for wrongdoing.
When will it get through that the only hope victims have of seeing some modicum of justice is if people with knowledge come forward? That's most true of the children involved in these horrendous scandals that are unearthed with a terrible drumbeat, but it's also true of adults who need witnesses or those with power and access to bear witness, listen, and act.
Instead, we see the opposite. A parade of stories where people who knew looked the other way, remained silent, or worse, actively enabled.
Those who ushered women and girls to Weinstein's and Epstein's "offices" in bedrooms knew exactly what was happening. Many knew of Jackson's, Kelly's, and Simmons' proclivities. Men like Dershowitz who both allegedly partook and defended knew exactly what they were enabling. Turning a blind eye is aligning yourself with the crime.
In the wake of the Access Hollywood tapes, we were given prima facie evidence that the man running for president bragged about sexual violence. Millions *chose* to ignore that tape and the dozens of women who came afford with credible allegations. and handed him the keys to the kingdom.
The president gets away with sexual abuse and some wonder why victims don't want to come forward?! Wow.
Oprah joins legions who enable, including, we the people.
38
When Anita Hill decided to speak out against Clarence Thomas, part of the backlash she received was that she was a black woman trying to pull down a black man.
It is true that black men have suffered cruel assumptions within the criminal justice system in America. And, these assumptions have translated into real and tragic consequences.
However, black women have been victimized too, including by black men. And, the idea that we have to suppress that hurt to elevate black men is a cruel and unfair burden to place on anyone. The legacies of black men do not supersede the hurt of black women.
I only bring this up because I see a strand of this theme in this story. As the filmmakers have said, we should all get to see the film and decide for ourselves who we believe. And, if this tarnishes the legacy of another black man, then so be it.
Sexual assault is a crime that is perpetrated by people of all races. When a black women is assaulted by a black man, she should not have to make the choice between confronting her accuser and preserving the legacy of the black man. The subtle, but nevertheless cruel assumption within this framework is that, the legacy of the black community is solely elevated by black men and black women exist only as supporting characters in this wider story. This is false and most be rejected.
I honestly did not even know this film was coming out. But now I intend to see it and make up my mind for myself.
47
@Udoka Okafor As a white woman who has lived through plenty of gender discrimination. In this article it is an issue that is politicizing race. Sex abuse occurs everywhere. It is opportunistic.
6
Anita Hill? seriously? The same woman who followed Clarence Thomas from one job where her allegations happened to another job? The same woman who left fawning voice message and visited him for years after the supposed allegations occurred.
Where are you getting your facts ?
3
"Ms. Winfrey said that over various calls and text messages to her, Mr. Simmons seemed “frightened.” She said she often did not respond."
Fake tough guys ALWAYS get frightened when someone stands up to them.
"Once, she said, he implored her, “Look what you’re doing to my daughters.”
Pretty rich considering the women accusing him of misdeeds are someone else's daughters as well.
Bro culture is the same across the board. The daughters of others are fair game for sexual misdeeds. But, OH NO, the bro's daughters must be protected at all costs.
37
"In an online video, Mr. Simmons discussed how to challenge the credibility of women by asking “how many times they went to jail, to a mental institution, have they accused five or more people, what does their father say.” - super creepy- many sexual assault survivors do get hospitalized due to their distress, have been assaulted multiple times because of how trauma shuts down the ability to sense and react to danger AND- what does what their fathers say have to do with anything ???
Plus it was dumb to have this film made by white people. Seeing experts of color discussing trauma was a great part of the R. Kelly series.
12
The “white people” you so cavalierly dismiss were the ones who cared enough to get the film made.
4
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Nothing much new here.
13
It's fair to ask why didn't Oprah simply call Simmons and get his side of the story to use to measure the evidence presented before going so far down the road? Maybe she did and the reporter never asked.
6
Where there is money, there is dirt. Where is lots of money, the dirt is even dirtier. So it probably is here.
14
Let’s remember that virtually no one, as far as I have a read, has seen this film yet. It may or may not be well-made and convincing. It is impossible to correctly judge anything about this ‘Oprah skitters away’ situation until the film is viewed. I respect Ava DuVernay, and her reputation as a filmmaker. Oprah did well to seek her out. Until I see the film, even though I tend to believe the accusers, it’s simply a well written story about famous people in my beloved NYT.
4
'The new cut of the movie was delivered to Harpo on Jan. 8. Two days later, Ms. Winfrey sent the filmmakers a letter explaining her dissatisfaction and telling them she was withdrawing. The letter says in part: “I think it is a disservice to the women and this film to have their gut-wrenching disclosures reduced to a montage of sound bites and not give them the stature of elevating their stories.”'
Oprah... selfing out sexual assault victims. Who are black.
There really is no god.
5
@Casey Jonesed
So Oprah puts her name on the film that she is clearly not vested in since she wasnt watching the daily rushes. she is making a comment when the film is done and then states she is pulling out, so the filmmakers are left holding the bag?
.
I have no knowledge about how a film is made but that some's like a money person who doesn't care what actually happened. If Mr. Simmons wasn't complaining to the press I doubt if she would of pulled out because like the rest of them she doesnt care at all about anything but making money.
Oprah is a business brand and that is who she is
Jay z a business man so realize that they dont care about you. Take care of yourself and move on
1
If Oprah didn't want to have to choose sides, she should have stayed out of this project from the get go. Instead she waited until the eleventh hour and lots of pressure was applied and then backs out? Sorry, Oprah, you can't have it both ways. If there is something specific about the movie you don't agree with, what is it exactly? But don't sit there, withdraw support, and say you believe the women. If you have not seen the finished project, why not? You pour tons of money into something , but never look to see if it's accurate or you want your name associated with it? If you can't handle this, don't consider running for office down the road. That stuff dripping off your face is called egg.
24
Calling Oprah a sellout is like calling bread "bread." Anyone who thinks she is anything but a businesswoman can now enter adolescence.
19
Whether he's guilty or not, of course two white filmmakers shouldn't have either sought or been entrusted with the project. Winfrey should have known better from the beginning.
5
@Prof The nerve of some people !!!
5
I'm still reeling from the time she shouted out in a speech after 9/11 that Giuliani was America's mayor. Clearly he was her mayor and not mine.
9
Very disappointing, Oprah. Seems like she got intimidated and let a personal relationship get ahead of the truth...
12
Oprah's showed her true colors. It's all about money and power, not about conscience, morality and justice.
Odd, how predators like Weinstein don't get the defense of framing their stories within the cultural context of the times, but Russell Simmons does. Rap music culture does not excuse sexual predation. He fostered that culture, grew wealthy promoting it, and lived its misogynist truth. Being a black success story doesn't give him a pass.
33
I don't know what the parameters of being a movie's producer versus being a diirector are. Until I read about this dispute, I did not think movie producers directed the content of the movie, which Ms. Winfrey's seems to have done here.
I can't know what happened with this movie but my instinct is that Ms. Winfrey favored her friend above his victims. (alleged victims?).
I am wondering, fleetingly but not for the first time, what it is like to be such a powerful media person, esp a black female power house. How could her human ego not be powerfully influenced by her, um, power? Does she know where her media image begins and her actual person begin? She has interesting karma.
7
"Oprah" isn't first and foremost a person, it's a business. The persona of Oprah appears to be girlfriend, guru, leader...but it's a well-conceived media giant and is run like one. It is the audience who is confused, not Ms. Winfrey.
12
Ms. Winfrey should not have taken any part in this film if there were even a one tenth of one per cent chance that she may back out. She has shown terrible judgement.
59
@Robert Breeze
The only people with worse judgement is those who believe in her and her cohorts, Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil.
5
The “Me Too” concept can be a force for positive change. However, if the sentiment behind supporting victims of sexual abuse is used to rob people of our fundamental federally protected rights to due process (notice, hearing, opportunity to defend one’s self, before a neutral tribunal) then the value and purpose of “Me Too” is lost. Winfrey has every right, and I would say obligation, to refuse to lend her considerable credibility and resources to a documentary that she reasonably believes is not , to coin a phrase, “fair and balanced.”
4
@Ben
No one was at risk of losing their due process rights here. Due process requires the opportunity for a fair hearing when a person’s freedom or property is at risk of being taken by the government. No government entity had any involvement in this project.
Of course Winfrey has a right to withdraw from the project. No one has stated that she should be jailed or fined as a result. People have a right to criticize her for doing so. It’s always been the case that people have been criticized by the public when their behaviors have been perceived as immoral or unethical. If you disagree with the majority sentiment here and have further evidence to support your beliefs, feel free to share it.
4
Superb reporting. That Oprah, through her actions, would end up silencing these women is deeply disturbing and disappointing. Here’s hoping another producer/distributor with equal clout can step forward and make sure this film is widely seen so people can make their own conclusions about the veracity of all involved.
26
@Lipp This really is a well written article. Good writing is so enjoyable to read. And intriguing subject. Wow !
3
@Lipp Silencing? The film will still come out, just without her imprimatur. Hardly silencing.
Does Simmons get to present his side in this film? Where is the balance and fairness, the counter argument and chance to defend oneself, or is that no longer important?
6
@Helen Rosen
I agree but Simmons is rich enough and savvy enough to protect himself. People at this level of wealth enjoy more freedoms than the great unwashed. We coined White Privilege and now must coin Persons of Color Privilege and that is really a good thing that African Americans are becoming wealthier and more in control. I feel sorry for the women who had their lives destroyed by this man, or not. We will never know with ANY of these cases without proof and that is a tragedy as old as time.
4
If Oprah caves in and loses her true north, we really are lost as a country. Seeing our Republican senators turn on oaths of office and the constitution is one thing -- but Oprah held a higher plane.
And I agree with another commenter who said this went from "won't see" to "must see."
20
@Andy
You actually think Oprah ever had a true north? It's all an act, but a good one.
7
I wasnt planning on watching this film until I read this story. I definitely will watch it now.
28
I not sure how this will all play out but in the end will anyone really win. The victims will get their story out and we will all choose sides on Oprah and Russell based on your assumptions of who is more credible in how this was handled. Women need to be protected if they are being harassed in the work place no matter where they be employed. The damage has been done to those women and can’t be undone. Maybe just maybe we can find a way to stop the madness before it starts, that sounds like a sound ideal. Don’t you think!
7
I'm torn on this because I don't trust these directors. I've seen the Hunting Ground multiple times. I also worked as a sexual assault victim advocate at a college for years. Although I agree with these filmmakers on their overarching message in the Hunting Ground that colleges have a sexual assault problem and are mishandling cases, there were so many smaller details and nuances that they got wrong when they told the story of sexual assault on college campuses. I could easily see the same thing happening in the Simmons documentary and these distortions giving Winfrey and Duvernay pause. At the same time, Oprah must know that, regardless of her reason for pulling out, it's going to fuel the Simmons is innocent and women lie narrative that is so, so damaging for survivors. She may have been between a rock and a hard place, and it's hard for me to judge her decision without knowing more details.
18
@MVB
Yeah, well maybe she should have erred on the side of supporting the victims.
4
Oprah Winfrey doesn't have to be the warrior for everyone. People have been critical of her for years for various reasons. She is very powerful and wealthy in a way that makes people uncomfortable. Usually, Ms. Winfrey has been on the right side of history with issues such as this. For whatever reason, she pulled back at the last minute. This just stings a bit more because these women really needed a champion of their cause and a vehicle to get to the ultimate destination. In the end, the film has been made and it will be seen. Her attachment to the project helped get it completed and now, her dropping back has gotten it the publicity it needs. Good luck to all involved. With Simmons in full damage control mode, they will need it.
22
I’ve never been an Oprah fan. I admire her intelligence, drive, and business savvy, but ultimately i think her product was without substance. She never really helped or enlightened people in an enduring way, and she let a lot of pseudo people into the world, like Dr. Phil and Oz.
Having said that, I feel it’s difficult for white men and women to judge Oprah’s, or any black woman’s, ambivalence. Black Women feel bitter and betrayed by white society for repeatedly tearing their families apart, and de-masculinity their men, imprisoning them for in droves, never allowing them to attain stability in American society. It really does set up a quandary-support men who are behaving in a way that harms them; or further weaken them by outing their criminal behavior.
30
@Ann
I might start giving Oprah credit when she apologizes to the world for Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz.
2
@Ann How insulting to the majority of black men and women who are successful and don’t view themselves as victims.
1
The question is 'which version of the film' am I going to see?
I wish to see all the versions. Spin is a funny thing. Neverland was shlock but the victims were given dignity. Allowed to be open, the experience, cathartic. Here I feel Oprah is merely concerned about Oprah. Self Interest. Now that is the secret sauce to becoming a billionaire. They all have it.
29
Consider the reaction to this betrayal of the victims and filmmakers if Oprah Winfrey was a white man. The ambush of the filmmakers, which is what this turned out to be, would be racialized and gendered, and the betrayal would be seen as more evidence of protection of sexual predators by the white patriarchy. Well, in fact, the protection of sexual predators, the betrayal of victims, is a problem of power, not gender, not race, and this case demonstrates that when the power and money rests with a Black woman, the same historical efforts at denial, obfuscation, and censorship occur. Let's stop the reflexive, easy, inaccurate blame of gender and race for destructive behavior and instead get real: Power, not gender, is the problem, and regardless of who has it, including Black women, it will get misused unless we demand otherwise. Thank you, Ms Winfrey, for demonstrating that abuse of power and money is an equal opportunity offense for those who have them.
88
@Tintin
Yes, the outrage would have been off the charts.
On the other hand, sometimes it takes someone "safe" like Oprah to help those extremely sensitive to identity to see beyond their own biases and assumptions.
2
Backing out on endorsing a film doesn’t qualify as abuse of power. Also your argument is that one black woman with power who supposedly abuses it equals the playing field to include all black women with those, especially white men, who have actually abused their power. One of your intentions is to say that black women are also capable of abuse of power?? This argument seeks to nullify the oppression and abuse experienced by generations black women. Oppression and abuse stilled faced today—which your argument ironically adds to. However, history tells a much different story about what black women do with their power versus what white men do. Remember, a black woman started #metoo.
1
He did it. He’s scrambling because he’s guilty and he knows it. After that it’s an exercise of wealth and power. I don’t wish him well.
64
@J C B D if he's guilty, let him have his day in his day in Court. Many states are lifting the statutes of limitations on rape. Im sure if these allegations occured to a male you loved, if that's possible in your case, you'd want that person to at least have due process
1
The question becomes whether Oprah has the power to end the "Metoo" movement. Her outsize influence over a huge section of women in this country and worldwide, across all racial boundaries, means that her decision can very well change the nature of the movement and it's primary cause. Maybe it's a good thing to pause, maybe it will force introspection on all involved, it could potentially also just reaffirm the status quo of powerful people being untouchables, yet again. Maybe it signifies the turning point of the pendulum.
11
Women have been "pausing" for hundreds of years.
1
@HlandF
Maybe that was her intention all along?
Not sure I agree with “one of America’s most trusted voices of moral authority”
She is a talk show host that got some acting gigs. Not sure that equates to being a trusted voice of moral authority.
The fact that someone that was vetted by the NYT for stories is not good enough for her to push back against Mr. Simmons makes me think her business mind is more important than her moral mind. Simmons pushed hard and she caved.
77
@David Gregory But isn’t she considered a moral voice by her many fans? Our society has come to confuse stardom with credibility and morality. They do pseudo serious interviews therefore they are an authority is our default position. Who else do we have? Marianne Williamson? Billy Graham’s son?
13
@ellie k.
Only the gullible confuse stardom with credibility and morality. Of course it's hard to fault them when an entertainer pretends and portends to be such...and does so in such a charming act. Pity them for the fools they are.
2
@David Gregory
Not unlike how Hillary became a symbol of feminism even after destroying the reputations of her husband's sexual assault victims.
Maybe it's time for people to climb down from their moral high horses.
3
Ms. Winfrey publicly stated that she believes the accusers. She just has a problem with how the filmmakers have gone about putting the film together, the thoroughness of their work, the WAY they are telling this story. That does not sound like someone who has been coerced. It sounds like someone with integrity and high standards.
28
@JS Except she worked closely with the writing and production every step of the way, according to the Times, and gave the finished product a ringing endorsement before suddenly withdrawing her support. It seems she was pressured in some way and I feel bad for her. Oprah has never shied away from projects where race and gender intersected, to the contrary, her career is built upon advocacy for African-American rights and women’s rights and, naturally, many times, the rights of African-American women. There is no way that Oprah wasn’t acutely aware that by backing this film she might be seen as helping to drag down a hero and role model to black America. However, at this particular intersection, for Oprah, the nod went to women and their ongoing struggle to end the institutionalized abuse and intimidation of women in the workplace by men, and in particular, men with lots of power. Notably, Simmons’ accusers are African-American, women and the filmmakers are white. More to come.
12
The structure and script of a film is the first part of planning a film- she knew this when she went in, this is an excuse.
20
After all this time she has a problem with how it turned out??? Surely she was able to view this product numerous times along the path of its production. It's no secret that she's been getting some smeary feedback from both Simmons and 50 cent for quite some time. I may be mistaken, and I may have missed it, but I don't recall her making any comeback statements to defend her decision to be involved with this project. Now we have the intrigue, and we have to wonder. Did Oprah cave? That's how it sounds to me.
It sounds like the blowback got to her and she wanted a way out. Enter Ms. Duvernay, who was suddenly tasked with being an arbiter, who seems to have been underwhelmed or straight-up turned off (on the other end of the continuum) by this project, and Ms. Winfrey exits stage left. Just for good measure, this article reminds us that these filmmakers are 2 white people. Folks need to take a grown-up pill. Oprah Winfrey is no more a reference point of moral behavior or social justice than many other Americans. I respect her, but I don't vault her to the heavens. She's simply human. I wish she had pulled out sooner. I wish she had made the decision without, last minute, calling in more forces to bolster her claim. I wish she, and the author of this article, would have refrained from (last minute..) trying to cast doubt because the filmmakers were white; she knew it all along. The people most let-down (besides the artists) are the black women; that's who I cry for.
10
Finally! Sounds like Oprah has gotten wise enough to surround herself with people smart enough to help her avoid another big professional faux pas. Good that she put the brakes on now. She has always seemed more of a shrewd enthusiast than a great artist of any kind to me and that tendency has lead her off a cliff or two in her long career (remember 'A Million Little Pieces'?). She sure knows how to hit all the right buttons in her potential audience to generate maximum interest in her projects and, consequently, more and more dollars for her megabuck corporate machine. These filmmakers don't need her and the topic surely doesn't need her to sensationalize it. I think we now have a chance of getting a much more clear and honest telling of this story without her feel good imprimatur clouding things. Best for all involved that she has stepped away.
5
I am curious to hear more of your critique of Oprah. I know several people who idolize her. Who see her as the voice of contemporary spirituality and insight. It’s all very packaged. Very materialistic. She is amazing in many ways and has done so much - but let’s not forget her first priority - her money.
7
Maybe Bloomberg could fund it. Lots of women vote to be had but might lose black male votes. Who knows.
For women in the know emigration is the way to go. The US is a den of iniquity.
The good news is that this film is getting more exposure thanks to the Oprah coverup. Now I want to see it just to make my own determination. And, that's kind of the point of letting it be shown.
56
@Bruce
Agree. I didn't know who Simmons was and what the issue was about until I read this article. Now I would like to see the film to make up my mind.
19
@Dr. OutreAmour
I wonder why it would matter to you , then
@Dr. OutreAmour
The only person I care about who is destroying democracy and the lives of minorities is a draft dodger named Donald J Trump .
I don't care about Oprah, Simmons, I care about getting this bigot impeached and getting people to the polls. I cared about getting women to the rally today and was part of the transportation system to get people to the Womens March here in NYC.
Oprah/Simmons is irrelevant to the world of real people . He doesnt care about me and I dont care about them.
Life is not a movie. Get out there today and protest.
1
Ms. Winfrey does have the publics' attention on all sorts of matters. However, all ventures do not begin and end with the course of action she choices.
14
“But I do get death threats and scary signals that there are people who are not happy with my reporting and not happy with me. And maybe that includes some who are willing to go over the line in various ways.
I also talk openly about it, because I think it represents threats and fears faced by a whole wider community of journalists doing good work. And I think by talking about it openly, we can have a conversation about minimizing those factors.” Ronan Farrow
51
The women who accused Trump of rape have had multiple death threats. It’s incredible this country contains a huge percentage of people who readily accept rape as being one of the guys.
1
This article used Oprah in the title as click bait. These people can still produce the film. They are playing victim. If they believe in their work, Ms. Dixon and the other accusers, are they not moving forward with production because of Oprah ?
Sounds like they are using her to increase the visibility of their film.
10
@LC
That is not what click bait is.
This article outlines Winfrey’s involvement, her public statements about the film, and her withdrawal.
6
You can't be serious.
wow.
Are you saying that we don't have a right to know that Winfrey pulled out of a project..so late in the process? This is newsworthy, whether you like it or not, and the filmmakers are hardly "playing victim." Maybe, just maybe, concern for the "brand", especially so soon after the pushback on the Michael Jackson piece, played a role in Ms. Winfrey's decision.
This story is about black women getting justice for their suffering, and I believe the women. I just got done shaking my head at this article (maybe Ms. Winfrey should have consulted more with Ms. Duvernay before participating in that dud, A Wrinkle In Time..) and now I'll be shaking it at people who are smearing the artists. I hope this film kills it. I hope these women don't feel more pain because of this decision. I hope the truth is told.
7
Clearly this commenter did not read the piece. Perfectly ignorable.
This morning I read in the Washington Post that the chief archivist of the National Archives has blurred out trump’s name and other slogans and signs critical of him in photographs celebrating a march in Washington for the centennial of women’s suffrage. The before and after altered photographs are shocking. A powerful man got to Oprah - I wonder what powerful person influenced the archivist?
66
@Enlynn Rock - The National Archivist - is appointed by none other than - the President! His job is at stake and that's why he blurred the signs. He got bullied by the Trump Mob.
10
@Enlynn Rock I just read the WP article and viewed the photos. The man is a coward who hides behind lies and deceit.
1
All you have to do is see the response to Bernie and Warrens interaction to see who takes the blame when it comes to it. It’s women. The women are demonized first, seen as liars and opportunists. This is among liberals- liberal women have been vicious.
We all need to examine whose power we defer to.
2
As with most controversies, the coverup is at least as sad as the crime. That said, a movie about the backstory would be at least as fascinating as the story it was intended to tell.
14
Oprah’s dilemma is that she believed she was the sole arbiter of truth She internalized the moral certainty her fans conferred upon her. She believed her own press. Until now.
We are all jurors, assessing the credibility of others in every encounter. Sometimes our eyes betray us. Yet we also rely on our experience in making our judgments. Many times we are spot on. And sometimes we are wrong. The trick is to know that about oneself in the first instance and remember it in all subsequent.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall. As for those casting stones here, some humility would serve you as well.
26
Gentlewoman, to your point about how we sometimes get it wrong. Maybe it’s time for Oprah to have some conversations around that FACT. That would be humbling for her.
2
Oprah Winfrey has no spine when it comes to corporations or other famous people. She repeatedly chooses them over the little people. She will never stand up to those who could help her. That’s why she could never be president.
71
@Justice4America
Yes. I was shocked when she devoted a whole show to Trump and his family. She glossed over his bankruptcies,
the cruel way he rid himself of his first two wives, and gave him abiding credit for being such a "great" father. She admiringly lavished praised on him, with no questions asked. Watching, it did feel as if she was intimidated by him.
30
@Justice4America I’ve often wondered if she gushes more about some just because of their color.
@Justice4America Oprah is a world-class Fawner over the Rich and the Powerful and the Connected. Like a lot of her class; like Trump, for example.
1
The problem with being a media hero and all the praise and adulation that comes with it, is that people tend to believe that such a person can do no wrong. Whatever the truth of this matter is, one should not be surprised to discover that Ms. Winfrey, being a powerful and influential business woman, is subject to pressure and coercion.
59
@RHR : I can't say I am surprised or shocked -- Oprah is human, after all -- but as a 66 year old mega superstar, with billions of dollars -- why can she be pressured AT ALL? whose approval does she need? she's basically retired nowadays (and for several years now) from her syndicated TV talk show.
3
I am a humongous old school rap fan. I don’t even want to brag about my credentials. It’s boring. But I’ve been obsessed since I heard Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message” (which Grandmaster Flash actually hate and had very little to do with, but that’s another story). I listen to old Def Jam stuff all the time. Literally two days ago I deliberately played LL Cool J’s “Rock the Bells” and loved it. And when I heard Russell “Rush” Simmons was a vegan and meditator, it made me love him. All of this only to say that the accusations against Russell Simmons are personally painful to me. But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe them. They are all too credible. I still love Def Jam records, but am sad that Rush disappointed us this way.
41
Sure reminds me of Catch and Kill—not necessarily in the methodology, but certainly in the act of people applying pressure and the higher-up (Oprah) buckling to it.
55
I used to admire Oprah for so many reasons. No more. She had the credibility, esteem and power to show Simmons for who he is. But she caved. Sad.
89
And people were speaking of her as a possible presidential candidate. What a country!
3
@Olivia
She always caves in these situations.
Oprah has more than her own share of responsibility for unleashing people like James Arthur Ray and Tony Robbins onto her television audiences. I have yet to hear her comment about the behavior of these guests - she made a them both a household name. And now this...these are not the actions of a champion of women or "...one of America’s most trusted voices of moral authority."
101
Great point.
I completely missed that.
Thank you.
4
The challenge with sexual assaults, in this case alleged, is that predators prey in private. Unless they’re sharing their sexual assaults with other predators, they do not say, “Get out your camera and start recording me. I’m about to record you.” The power they gave is also shrouding it from others. That being said, Oprah must only support something she feels has met the crucial standards she requires cause it is her, not the white film makers, that will face the fire. As Black women that double bind is real.
20
Clearly the directors brought in Ms. Winfrey as racial cover under which to unfairly eviscerate Mr. Simmons for their own personal gain. They were using Oprah, but she woke up just in time to pull the ripcord. Good for her.
Shifting gears...What are mothers telling their daughters (and sons) who are soon heading off to college and into the workforce? How should they protect themselves from the inevitable, albeit unfair and regrettable, behavior which men and in particular powerful men have exercised since the beginning of time? If you are reading the NYTimes, then in all likelihood your husband is one of those men, a peer, not to say he is an abuser. What will you say to Sarah, Maggie and Ellen? The time is now. For all it's impact, #metoo is still, as the saying goes, a day late and a dollar short.
5
@Jack Maxwell fortunately the film is complete and we can all decide if Mr Simmons has been unfairly eviscerated.
10
@Jack Maxwel You start with an undeserved "clearly" and then you confuse predictability with acceptability. So many assumptions in so little space.
6
@Jack Maxwell
You start with an undeserved "clearly" and then you confuse predictability with acceptability. So many assumptions in so little space.
3
So, what does Ava DuVernay get out of this deal? Seems she was brought in to provide cover for Winfrey's decision to remove her support from the film.
Using a woman to undercut the voices of women who've been assaulted is a cynical way to save face.
I look forward to DuVernay's new passion project with Simmons and Winfrey - working title - "A Wrinkle In Credibility."
93
It's sad to see Oprah Winfrey cave to Russell Simmons. He's no saint. He's goes from one scheme to another, like the Rush Card. I wold have thought Oprah would see past the harmful "snitches get stitches" mindset and done the right thing for the victims. I'm sure Jay-Z approves, but is he really any standard for morality?
29
Russell Simmons never backed gangsta rap and he had nothing to do with Jay-Z either. This kind of comment, in its ignorance of hip hop culture, forces me to explain things which should not need explaining.
WOW! What a clear demonstration of how to compromise - with one action - integrity accumulated over decades. Ms Winfrey should be ashamed. And the transparency of her justification is almost laughable, if it weren’t so dangerous — for instance, when did Ava DuVernay become the world class arbiter of what makes a cogent documentary? That’s the biggest joke. Shame on you Oprah for trying to silence voices that should be heard.
63
Oprah you break my heart, no longer can admire you. You provide no sufficient or persuasive arguments for your withdrawal, it's an absolute shame.
37
once again patriarchy reigns. a man rapes a woman and now it's Oprah's fault. she said she believed the women. why is it her responsibility to make the film? when have any one of you risked your professional life for the greater good?
17
@GFF She’s a well established and respected (until now) multi-millionaire. She had nothing to lose.
1
@GFF Um, Oprah holds herself up as the very definition of the greater good. She's built an empire around it.
Perhaps Oprah should have reacted in a manner more akin to Gayle King with R. Kelly’s protestations.
27
This is really a story about money and power. Oprah did a segment once about Indigenous Americans and my photographer friend had issued a book of portraits but because she was’nt an A lister in literary circles she was trumped for the interview by another writer with more name recognition!
Oprah also announced she would be visiting the Navajo nation and then proceeded to demand a powwow which is not a tradition of theirs and when the tribal council told her that she refused to attend! So sadly they had to succumb to her demands!
61
Money talks. Conscience whispers.
112
Make it rhyme. “ Conscience balks”.
2
Oprah says she still believes the victims, that is, she believes Simmons is a rapist. Then explain Oprah why you take phone calls from rapists? Explain why you give rapist the benefit of the doubt? Since Simmons hadn't seen the film, it was obviously the truth he feared. What fear do you secretly harbor that prevents you from doing the right thing?
Why does the assumption that the rap and hip hop industries are teeming with misogynists and perps make this film suspect? Does the entitlement and abuse of power rampant in Hollywood mitigate Weinstein's behaviour? If anything, your belief that sexual crimes and general abuse of women were common in Simmons' world should make taking him down all the more important.
Fellow readers, what am I missing here?
112
I think what you’re missing is that Simmons may be a rapist but the evidence against him can still be weak and/or presented in a misleading and manipulative way by the filmmakers, and his accusers can suffer from genuine credibility problems. Several of those things can be true at the same time. Personal belief is one thing, but it shouldn’t blind a person to logic and facts.
26
@Doug. You missed nothing in your list except $
15
Fair enough Professor. However, Oprah had been involved with the film for almost a year. After a few phone calls from the outed one and some peer pressure, she suddenly realizes the filmmakers are white and the accusers stories may be inaccurate. An insightful, business savvy, top-of-her game star like Oprah just thought of these potential flaws after the movie had been accepted at Sundance? Come on Professor, do the math.
58
There’s so many layers of heartbreak to this story for women of colour and women. It wasn’t until after reading it and sitting with it for the last hour that the disappointment and a bit of sadness set in. Oh well.
55
And I must add that the sadness for me isn’t necessarily about whether Simmons is guilty or innocent. I honestly don’t have an opinion because I know none of the people involved. The sadness is about how power and race and fame and money can over shadow everything.
63
#believeallwomen
27
Because women never, ever lie.
R-i-g-h-t.
14
@Longtime Japan
When's the last time MULTIPLE women were caught lying about being raped by the same man?
I challenge you to cite me one case.
If it was just one accuser, that could go either way. But multiple accusers = virtual proof of guilt.
4
@Phyllis Sidney
Absolutely not.
I don't see Oprah as any kind of moral authority. I see her has utterly fallible and perhaps not so admirable as some people think. I was always struck on David Letterman's final shows how charming Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, Steve Martin, etcetera were, but when Oprah came on it was all about her, not about Dave at all. She exhibited no charm, no grace, and came across very diva-like and obviously narcissistic. I'm not sure if it developed from being ever more wealthy and powerful, but she certainly has an ego, make no mistake.
Also, when Angelica won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar the same year that Oprah was up for The Color Purple in the same category, here's what Angelica said about it in interviews later:
“She never had me on her show, ever,” Huston said. “She won’t talk to me.”
Huston continued, recalling a time she ran into Winfrey. “The only encounter I’ve had with Oprah was when I was at a party for the Academy Awards, a private residence,” she said. “I was talking to Clint Eastwood, and she literally came between us with her back to me. So all of the sudden I was confronted with the back of Oprah’s head.”
Huston seems certain that the cold shoulder is because she beat Winfrey at the Oscars. “Nobody else would dislike me so much as to literally, physically come in between the person I was talking with that way,” she added.
If this is true, this is a petty human, not a moral authority.
189
It’s hilarious how you use Houston to disparage Oprah. Houston is not the best example. She’s deeply problematic in regards to believing women about sexual assault and harassment. Oprah is human, like yourself.
1
@Anastasia V
It's called pushing your weight around.
3
@Anastasia v,
Perhaps the she was snubbed by Oprah because she continues to defend Roman Polanski and Woody Allen.
2
There are too many innocent African American men in prison. And a whole lot of other privileged men have managed to get away with rape and sexual abuse for decades, for millenia.
Thing is, just because there are a lot of innocent black men in prison, doesn't mean that Russell Simmons himself is innocent. That has to be judged on the evidence. And just because rap and hip hop had a lot of sexualized activity going on back then, doesn't excuse Russell Simmons for any action he knowingly chose to take.
"The atmosphere back then" doesn't excuse any of the other predators who were in rock and roll or any other part of the business for decades either. Rape has always been wrong, every single time, in every culture.
Why not convict ALL the criminals? Do documentaries on all the white guys too, why not help women take *every* predator to civil or criminal court?
I can't believe Oprah Winfrey would abandon all the sexual abuse victims she has always stood up for. She changed laws, spoke out, and no one had to be ashamed ever again.
I am heartbroken
102
Oprah's beliefs are based on her pocketbook, not morals.
111
@Brian ...and her fame level.
1
So Oprah, what the heck is going on? Did Simmons attempt to blackmail you, one of the most powerful women in the US?
I am eager to see this film and I share the producers’ hope that another distributor will show interest.
63
As a talk show host, Oprah often traded truth-seeking for Hollywood connections, covering for Tom Cruise, Michael Jackson and others. So this really isn’t so surprising.
113
Maybe Oprah and her executive assistants should review the specifics of the volumes of corroborating documentation that the filmmakers have. Only the specifics will suffice her, and until Oprah masters these specifics, she should not act in one way or the other. It is not clear she did her due diligence before withdrawing. In this setting it looks like Oprah was intimidated and caved.
43
I know RUSSELL SIMMONS.
From Yoga, from countless charity events where he helped countless lives, raising millions of dollars for noteworthy causes.
This doesn't excuse anyone, famous or anonymous from the heartless evil of sexual abuse. But, do we know all the facts?
I can only speak from personal experience. The Russell Simmons I know is a humanitarian, a philanthropist, an inspirational author and speaker who has, again- lifted countless people up, changed the world. His journey into Yoga in the later 1990s made him a peaceful warrior.
I didn't know him back in the earlier, formative days of his Rap/Hip Hop roots forming Def Jam, managing Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys, etc. That side of the music world makes the "sex, drugs, and rock n roll" of the rock side look quaint by comparison.
I also have read that some accusations are more recent. I understand this.
Before we jump to the "guilty until proven innocent" hysteria with social media informing and judging what's real and not real, can we look into the situation further.
Mr. Simmons has changed lives- we at least owe him that and let the truth ring out. I believe that is what Oprah was saying when she stepped aside.
10
@Larry D
Wrong. One can support charitable causes and still commit crimes.
This is not social media hysteria.
Many women have come forward with similar stories.
The side you know of him is one side. Mr. Simmons has another side that involves sexual assault and rape. He has not yet been convicted in the courts, but the public evidence is compelling.
Oprah made a mistake in judgement. Despite the media, she is a human and is far from perfect.
20
@Larry D Spare us. please. Multimillionaires often give away money. I believe the women.
9
@Larry D
Yes, I think everyone should take your word over that of the women (notice the plural?).
Any thoughts on Harvey Weinstein? Bill Cosby? Roman Polanski?
2
"...if she stays with the film then she’s putting her name on something that she feels doesn’t quite hit the mark.” Hmmm, sounds like Oprah must be new to Hollywood and its products. Perhaps she should go back to TV - it would be in the best interest of future film projects that she never be placed in this position again. I myself can't wait to see what made her cut and run.
42
Sounds messy which is, more than likely, not infrequently the case in a lot of these situations alleging sexual abuse notwithstanding that the media is always eager to paint them all as black and white, And who can blame the media as human beings, frankly, don't like reading in shades of grey.
In this case, though, where the already convicted "perp" has as much power as the already decreed "victims," there was a pause. Though I'm not going to begin to guess who's guilty and who's not in this specific case, I did find the larger point about the "debauchery" and "misogyny" of the music industry, generally, one very much worth pursuing. But to actually do that may gore far too many oxen. And, hey, if fingers are going to be pointed every which way by a radically honest assessment of sexual abuse in the music industry (or, frankly a whole bunch of industries if not society more broadly), then what fun would it be. 'Cuz another thing we human needs is a devil to despise.
7
EVERY time you hear about an accuser 'wanting' to harm powerful men - start laughing at that ridiculous notion.
Powerful men and women control the narrative, period.
97
@NDV
Always, they do, and always they will control the narrative. And that leverage comes with a well-manicured public image and a posse of syphocants.
3
Always, they do, and always they will be the controler. This leverage is always combined with a well-manicured public image and a possy of sycophants.
Maybe Oprah had misgivings about the film’s commercial potential. After all, according to their Weight Watcher commercials, she loves bread.
26
What a sad commentary on America when an accuser has to be cautious because of the concern that "those men were being singled out for attention because of their race."
71
@Tortuga Once reaching that level of success, there is no color.
1
A perfect case study of how the poisonous 'no-snitching' ethos penetrates even the high and mighty and tacitly endorses or at the very least overlooks criminality.
51
She seems to have folded like a cheap tent - there’s got to be a lot more to this story- probably only a fly on the wall will ever know.
84
This topic belongs in the courts. It is wrong to put out a movie accusing someone of a crime.
23
Yes, but a movie is just a last resort for telling their story. Once it’s in the courts it get shutdown with gag-orders so no will ever hear the women’s voices again. The court findings should not remain secret permanently.
31
On the day men like Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh are compelled to face their accusers in court, and when police and prosecutors stop bullying and shaming victims, crimes like those alleged against Simmons will be tried in court. Right now, the only tool available to the victims of the powerful is the bright light of public disclosure and public shame.
71
@E : It may or may not be wrong to do that, but this isn’t what your post claims.
It’s a movie about crime victims accusing their attacker of a crime.
That’s not wrong, it’s a form of valid journalism. —TR
26
So Oprah turns out to be no better than Weinstein’s enablers.
So much for morality and truth in show biz.
146
Ultimately no one other than the supposed participants will know the truth. Sad to say but factual nonetheless.
9
That is why predators get away with so much. Victims are abused in private and that private terror, and later shame, is nearly impossible to prove. Sad. But we must keep fighting.
43
This may sound harsh... But women need to report these crimes to the authorities when they happen, so that test and body fluids can be taken.
If Ms Dixon had a problem with Mr Simmons she should have reported him to the police. Not go back to work the next day.
19
@Brent Dixon Are you aware of how many women do report and go through a highly invasive forensic exam only to have that evidence sit on a shelf unprocessed?
126
@Anne
With all due respect, his point still stands: this woman did not report the incident. Even if the evidence were sitting on a shelf, she still would’ve had a police report. Note Samantha Geimer’s Twitter statement from a few weeks ago in which she publicly asked a new Roman Polanski accuser why she hadn’t come forward decades ago.
9
Yes, it is harsh. Women who have been sexually abused are traumatized. Often when they report the abuse they are re-traumatized by disbelieving police and callous healthcare workers. Yes, in a perfect world they would have provided evidence immediately. Then again, in a perfect world they would not have been abused in the first place.
56
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
I guess Simmons is more equal. Shame on Winfrey!
72
Simmons is a staunch supporter of Bikram Choudhury, the founder of “hot yoga” and Richard Simmons’s guru and personal friend. I personally knew some of the women Choudhury was accused of sexually abusing, before he fled the country to avoid prosecution.
When a dozen or more women accuse Simmons of sexual abuse, that is well on the side of odds on that he participated in abuse.
Winfrey has a fascination with fame that transcends fairness. Even the most popular icon can be wrong some of the time.
174
@Anonymous Dear Anonymous you are wrong.
NO, Bikram is and was not Russell Simmons Guru. Sharon Gannon was, the founder of Jivamukti Yoga. I took class with Russell almost daily for 15 years. Not all Yoga is the same. West coast based Bikram was not Russell's home away from home- Steve Ross's studio in Brentwood was.
Try not to confuse the false gurus from the real ones, please. And someone is innocent until proven guilty in the USA...it's what makes us great.
"In an interview, Ms. DuVernay said that Ms. Winfrey faced public fallout no matter what she did."
Right. So why not do the right thing and let the documentary stand? Let people draw their own conclusions.
Instead, Ms. Winfrey, an idol and an icon of mine and of so many others, let herself be pressured, lobbied and yes bullied, by Russel Simmons and his agents, into thinking that the documentary wasn't "fair" to Russell Simmons. Therefore, Oprah pulled her support.
Just goes to show you..if Oprah can be bullied and pressured, no women are safe. And, I saw her friend Gayle King on CBS This Morning, stuttering and falling over herself trying to defend Oprah yesterday.
I thought and hoped that at least these 2 women, who have reached the pinnacle of their professions, had the clout and substance to withstand such bullying and pressure. Turns out, they don't. So disappointing. For them, and for the rest of us who need women of substance like them to stand up to power.
245
You’re words are so powerful and true.
16
@FK
I don’t know. I think it was a more difficult decision not to go forward with a Me Too documentary, given the public criticism she would face from her mostly liberal-minded fans. I give her the benefit of the doubt.
1
I think that Oprah’s participation highlights another issue with documentaries like these: what role do they play in both the court of public opinion, and the court of law, especially were Simmons to eventually be charged.
12
@Christopher Gullen
With all that is happening in the world and the country. Oprah made a business decision not to pursue this film opportunity. Apparently she and Apple decided not to move forward. Its all about money at the end of the day so lets focus on our democracy and the corruption in he white house
Everyone needs to move on,find another partner to have the film released. This is not the first time that business partners make decisions. Oprah is a brand and the brand needs to make money and be relevant. Oprah made the business decision for herself
She could care less about Mr. Simmons, or the people who were counting on her to tell there story.
At the end of the day Oprah is a business woman first and last not your friend.
23
I really thought Oprah had more of a backbone. This piece is so detailed and the timeline is incredible. Oprah only had doubts when Simmons and another close friend reached out. Day after announced. Coincidence, not likely. She then gave reasons and wanted them addressed. When they were addressed adequately, she came up with new reason? From the outside looking in it appears that she was looking for an out that would not make her look bad.
I realize it's hard when the accused have money and influence. That is the whole reason victims need big supporters like Oprah, who also have money and influence.
At the very least, this article will assure the film reaches an audience, as I can't wait to see it.
Good luck with the film and great job exposing a predator.
Lastly, he has no one to blame for how this hurts his family but himself. Do I hurt for his family, yes, but not at expense of not exposing him. That only leads to more victims which is much worse then being related to a sexual offender
253
@Heather
That is where you are wrong -- victims do not need Oprah, or anyone or anything else that smacks of clout.
They need all of us to demand collectively that clout no longer shelter anyone from the consequences of criminal acts.
As long as clout exists, justice won't.
21
@Sonja
while I understand that is ideal situation, that isn't happening. These people with power have proven to get extra protection by paying off victims, politicians, police, etc. So we need both in my eyes. Maybe Epstein wouldn't have had so many victims.
The people with clout have already helped so many sexual abuse victims by giving national voice to the issue. This is invaluable!
4
I was never a fan of Oprah's, but confess to having seen few of her shows. Her interviews of that I did see usually made me uncomfortable, for reasons I couldn't precisely pinpoint. However, I thought the women ended up being disempowered rather than empowered. Sort of like Cosmopolitan Magazine's of "Sex in the City's" idea of empowering women -- working off stereotypical insecurities that had been forced on us by our culture. And the fact she profited off it made me even more uncomfortable.
80
@N Meant to say, "Her interviews of women that I did see . . . ."
4
@N I completely agree! She seems weirdly sexist.
1
In his Instagram post, Russell Simmons tells Oprah "I have given you the gift of meditation." Really? Also, I would like to hear from Cynthia Bailey, star of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. If I remember from an early episode, they used to date and she met with him on the show.
15
That’s the problem with all of these spiritual guru millionaires. In the end, it’s about them. Make no mistake some Buddhist monks also abuse children. Gurus abuse their devotees. Power often corrupts.
What bothers me most about the celebrity guru is that there are plenty of ways to find your center and grounding without Oprah , Deepak or the guy who sits on the bench. They all market heavily, they use their heads and faces to promote ideas that have been used by cultures all over the world for thousands of years . The difference is in the packaging.
And I always wonder who cleans their dishes and washes their clothes while they are meditating all day. Make no mistake the spiritual enlightenment business is big money.
1
More reporting needs to be done on the private "investigative" techniques used to counter sexual assault/harrassment claims directed towards wealthy and powerful individuals like Simmons, Weinstein, Epstein and other prominent powerful individuals who can direct a unique level of resources (inlcuding powerful personal networks) at ensuring their accusers face a very rough ride. The techniques employed by Simmons "team" included digging up "relevant" negative information on accusers and more disturbingly developing a "presure campaign" directed towards the alleged victims' current champion (in this case Oprah). The goal is insidious. It is as noted to get the "champion" to abandon the victims. Levers used in this context include personal pleas based on earlier friendship, threats of jeopardizing future professional opportunities/career progress and/or simply being frozen out of a desirable social circle for breaking its rules and going after one of its own.
Weinstein's defense team employed/is employing similar techniques. The fact this type of strategy and the vast array of resources it employs is arrayed agains these accusers is the epitome of a power imbalance.
We can all agree the goal is to arrive at the truth but clearly the current system favors the powerful and the wealthy. It was ever thus. In this context one hopes Goethe's saying: "Be brave and might forces will come to your aid." is not the failing of a noble mind.
86
Predators pick victims with less power. And then use their power to silence them. In the case of Simmons it’s alleged but the Epstein’s and Kelly’s it’s as clear as day.
3
I don't know the truth and have not been following this story to date.
However, Winfrey is quoted as saying: "there were inconsistencies" in Ms Dixon's account of events. If the quote is correct, Ms Winfrey should know better, from her own personal experience and that of many, many others she has covered or is familiar with.
The rest of it is just appalling.
179
Sometimes O gets it right (Leaving Neverland) and other times she gets its wrong (Weight Watchers is very, very wrong). Simmons comes across as having no limit to what he will say or do. It’s very possible he has damaging info about O.
80
Why do you say Weight Watchers is very very wrong?
I’ve struggled with weight my whole life and WW helped me achieve the key to a healthy weight. Portion control.
16
@GJR
What is wrong about Weight Watchers? It's been around forever, and her involvement seems to have produced updated, appealing commercials that can only be good for attracting new customers.
8
@GJR Weight Watchers is very successful at providing a program people can follow to successfully lose weight and develop healthy eating habits.
8
It's sad to find out when those who we think are the best of America are only that on the surface. It might not be too late to turn back on this regrettable decision, but it's up to her to try to fix the damage she's caused.
104
@Alex If you believe Oprah is the "best of America," you are certainly an "American."
6
please give me the name of an equally rich white person who risked their credibility for the greater good. one name. the lady said she agreed Dixon was raped. meanwhile Gates lies about knowing and embracing a pedophile and no vitriol is spewed in his direction.
1
There are numerous other well-known producers in Hollywood who could champion this film and I call up on them to consider. I'm hardly a Hollywood insider but people like Salma Hayek, Elizabeth Banks, Charlize Theron, and Reese Witherspoon have the producing chops and money to sponsor this films. On the male side, people like Tom Hanks (with his wife Rita Wilson) and Ashton Kutcher have produced films as well.
Other possibilities include Chinese/ Hong Kong producers and even Abu Dhabi (which I keep seeing in film credits).
43
Robert Redford - Sundance
11
@ms
Nice idea, but none of the people you've named are black women, and none of them are the billionaire powerhouses that Oprah is. I'm very disappointed she caved to pressure, which I absolutely believe is what happened, considering the timeline and the fact that she was closely involved all along.
31
@Io Lightning You don't have to be a billionaire to produce a movie and some of the people I name have made a ton of money producing more than acting (although people think of them as only actors). "Pitch Perfect" series produced by Elizabeth Banks made $500 million worldwide and is the most profitable musical ever. Salma Hayek is a multi-millionaire herself and married to the 2nd or 3rd richest man in France.
I'd also add Julia Louis-Dreyfuss here whose family is one of the richest in France also, barring the millions she made on her own in comedy. And Jessica Alba, who made over a billion from her Honest company baby products, not her acting.
I think while it would great if a black woman produced the film, I and probably many black women would like to see it produced by anyone.
There are also a ton of people in Hollywood who are powerful but are not or prefer not to be in the public eye. These are people you and I have probably never every heard of.
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There is for me a legal quandary. Why did not the female subjects who were raped or sexually assaulted report the crime to the police, file a report, and go to a hospital? Without a criminal trial and finding of guilty, how can a filmmaker, producer, distributor or film festival escape being sued for defamation? These are unproven allegations which subject Harpo, Sundance Film Festival, Oprah Winfrey, and numerous others to lawsuits. Failing to report the crime makes the "going public" look like a shake-down. Men and women need to report rape and sexual assault to the police immediately. They will be heard. The moral arbiter is the jury.
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@Kathryn
Watch the film and you'll get your answer, but It boils down to wanting to work.
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@Kathryn
The reasons victims dont report their sexual assault are numerous and self evident. Even if they did, there would be people like you accusing them of "shaking down" the alleged perpetrators.
I'm a man. I was assaulted by another man I knew. I didnt report it to the police because I just wanted the harrassment to end and felt like going to the authorities would only prolong the situation. I regret that I didnt report it but I dont fault anyone who doesn't.
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No. Historically, we won’t be heard. The legal system does not punish rapists, period! I don’t blame these victims one bit for grabbing at whatever purchase they can. When the law enforcement system fails, these victims are using the court of public opinion and civil courts to get any sense of justice.
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The irony is that this very public disagreement will ensure even greater popularity of the film once released. How many people had even heard of the film until the coverage of Winfrey pulling out?
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Guess it depends on what bubble you’re in (we’re all in one). I had heard of the film and the immediate backlash from Simmons supporters, like 50 Cent.
In my bubble, I just learned she pulled out of the project through this article.
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Many of us had. Possibly your world is limited to other areas and people.
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Maybe it's because I don't fully understand the production process, but in response to Ms. DuVernay, if Oprah had qualms about certain aspects of the film, shouldn't she, as a producer of the film, have collaborated with the creators and given them her notes on how she saw the development of the work?
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It’s not as if Oprah is shy about expressing her opinion or her power... hmmmm
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@Jay Indeed, that and the timing certainly weighs toward Oprah being pressured by another media mogul. Seriously a sad day for the victims. (One account of he said-she said decades ago might be up for debate; multiple accounts indicates a serial rapist.)
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@Jay I think that bit about Oprah doing the work of whites if she goes after blacks, got to her. She should be able to handle that kind of attack if she were authentic.
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The behavior described by the victim closely follows the standard human primitive strategy patterns, making it likely that her story is accurate. Inconsistencies are a deeper hallmark of the peculiar traumatic effects of a primitive strategy encounter, and these only strengthen our opinion of her truthfulness.
Russel Simmons’ claim that the encounters were consensual is also consistent with the primitive behavioral strategy, as is his angry denial: he is not wrong, if he indeed did what his victims claim - the encounter in such a case is, in fact, consensual.
That’s the underlying trick of such behavior - manipulation of the victim’s understanding of what she experiences so deep that she offers, at that critical moment, a convincing simulacrum of consent.
Such consent is real enough, for the brief time it has any significance. But the circumstances dictate that it is not in any sense valid. It is coerced, by processes difficult to spot under the duress of the encounter.
The consent is real, but it’s not valid. Thus, the validating confusion in the mind of the victim.
Mr. Simmons’ current behavior nails it for us. It’s exactly the extreme public posturing that leads us to believe the victims’ stories are accurate.
Innocent behavior is usually different, denial balanced with a normal amount of understanding and concern for another individual’s pain.
—T&K
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@Tom and Kay Rogers Thank you for the clarity from this understanding: Coerced consent is real, but it is not valid.
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@Tom and Kay Rogers
It sounds right, "the consent is real, but it's not valid." But how is the subsequently-to-be-accused know of the invalidity if indeed it is real? Or is that simply something your parents were supposed to teach him?
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@Tom and Kay Rogers
I agree that consent can be obtained under duress or through manipulation and is therefore invalid.
But I disagree with blanket statements about "innocent behavior" and what type of denial is legitimate. If someone accused me of a rape I had never committed my denial would hardly be "balanced with a normal amount of understanding and concern"... I would be outraged. By your logic my denial would "nail it" for you.
None of this means I don't believe the accusers, I do, but I certainly question your criteria for determining guilt.
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"Mr. Simmons discussed how to challenge the credibility of women by asking “how many times they went to jail [...]""
Isn't this a tactic used to discredit black men? So, Simmons thinks it's okay to use it against black women?
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@Anne Pfohl you are right convicted criminals are upstanding citizens and would never try to manipulate situations and people for fraudulent purposes. Also all those people in prison who say they are innocent, they must be because of course our justice system is the worst in the world falsely convicting good people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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@Anne Pfohl It seems that legal restraints exist regarding impeaching credibility by exposing criminal backgrounds.
In the private realm, people are going to use negative records to to try protect themselves, but it looks like it might not work here.
Lots of ambitious high flyers have been in the spotlight for a while now.
One reason why 'not blaming the victim' is such a rallying cry is that 'blaming the perpetrator' has so much to recommend it.
Some might feel a marriage based on trust is their best answer to all this.
Good luck.
@Anne Pfohl
"Sil Lai Abrams, who accused Mr. Simmons of raping her in 1994, said she immediately felt that the “mental institution” line referred to her; the day after the alleged attack, she said, she attempted suicide."
Speaks for itself, doesn't it?
1
It's beyond dispiriting to see the clout powerful, unethical (often criminal) men continue to wield like a cudgel in and out of boardrooms, factories, Hollywood sets, schools, and churches. Given the world, too many of them abused it.
I come to this article having just read that Ken Starr--he who was fired from Baylor for his refusal to treat accusations of sexual misconduct by a professor seriously--is joining DJT's "dream team."
I guess we're just supposed to keep pretending that it's all a giant coincidence that the point of intersection where men like DJT, Starr, Dershowitz, Epstein, and Simmons meet is in the merry merry middle where abusing women and girls or covering up that behavior or aiding and abetting it just doesn't quite count as objectionable.
Some of us, millions of us, are sick of it. What we are witnessing is unchecked patriarchy run amok.The only real question is why its reign was tolerated and unquestioned for so long. It's time the old guard -- an overwhelmingly rigidily white, male, wealthy one--made room for those they can no longer bully, threaten, steamroll, and, yes, harass, rape, and hurt.
That only happens with accountability. It's time these men were held accountable for their actions. I hope that this film gets made with or without Oprah.
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Winfrey has enough clout to stand up to anyone or anything - why is she choosing not to do so in this case. Let me guess.
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Which she did when she put her full weight behind Michael Jackson’s accusers. Something is different about this scenario.
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Michael Jackson was dead for years before Leaving Neverland came out. Russell Simmons is alive and well and capable of exerting pressure in the rarified world of entertainment. That's what's different.
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Somewhat understandable but a sad turn of events.
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Such a documentary is completely inappropriate and totally unethical. Good move by Oprah, she should have known better in the first place. Perhaps Simmons threatened her with a documentary about her own unpleasant behaviors.
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@Pank no it’s not. Oprah should not have backed off.
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@Pank I'm pretty sure Oprah has never forced herself on someone.
There is nothing inappropriate nor unethical about a documentary about crime. How many documentaries have there been about murders?
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@Pank : ‘Inappropriate’? ‘Unethical’? In what universe?
It’s a documentary. Done properly, you get to form your own opinion of the content, along with the rest of the audience.
‘Inappropriate’ is suggesting that Mr. Simmons might threaten her as a response to the production of the documentary, just the sort of behavior he’s being accused of. Member of the same club, perhaps? —T
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I believe this sums up my disappointment with Oprah Winfrey’s withdrawal from this project, “This is a way of shutting down black women,” Ms. Hampton said, “that the victimhood of black men in the criminal justice system supersedes all other harm.
As Ms. Dixon put it: “This is the ultimate double bind that black women face, where there is nowhere for us to go. There is no one to protect us. There is no one to help us. And our own community turns against us when you dare to speak out.”
People in positions the likes of Oprah Winfrey are always weighing the fallout, the politics. Just another example of politics superseding doing the right thing.
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This where the work courage come in...
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@Melanie Weiss-Turner
What about court system.
Are we throwing that option out in favor of court of public opinion?
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@Melanie Weiss-Turner I agree with you... such irony on display -turning on your OWN.
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The rich and powerful have always protected each other, and they always will. But today, thanks to those who bled to make the civil rights movement a reality, gaining membership into the 1% is no longer exclusive to that self-protecting class of privileged white men. Nope, now there's finally racial and sexual diversity among the entitled super-affluent. That's progress to be proud of...right?
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@Stone Yep. How else would George W. Bush and Michelle Obama have been able to become really good friends?
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There are people in the world that have built empires with a seemingly good pitch of helping people. It's a business and a very lucrative one. Joel Osteen, Oprah, etc. all live like kings and queens doing so. Anyone that can be pressured to drop a project with most likely money when they already have enough money for a thousand lifetimes is not fighting the good fight. Oprah is a business despite whatever emotional hook you find yourselves at the end of. Anyone living with billions of dollars of ridiculous luxury while people around them are suffering is simply not any kind of Messiah, human or not.
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@leftcoast
So true. I have always found it amazing how many people (mostly women) have bought into the myth of Oprah. When she had her syndicated show, it never seemed to bother anyone that she never did anything "generous" without a camera crew filming the whole thing and devoting at least an hour of TV to it? She's in the Oprah business, plain and simple, and she doesn't do anything that doesn't promote her brand.
I'll also never forgive her for foisting upon us Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, various nonsense spiritualists, and a host of other hacks and quacks.
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It's not Oprah's responsibility to save everyone.
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@leftcoast
I've always known Oprah is an entertainer and a business person, making business decisions.
I'm sorry anyone expected more and suffered disillusionment because of that. Her promotion of "The Secret" should have been enough to alert her biggest fans.
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"...one of America’s most trusted voices of moral authority."
News to me. Last I heard she is a wealthy former talk show host --does that confer moral rectitude now? In a country that elected Donald Trump as President, I guess anything is possible.
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Oprah Winfrey became a moral authority by spending years working to pass the National Child Protection Act, signed into law in 1993. (see link below) She has continued to lobby for child protection, and delivered over one million votes for Barack Obama.
She is considered to have registered more new US voters than anyone else in history.
She is the first black female multi-billionaire, and one of very few women. She is also the first woman to own a TV network, and she is also considered one of the most generous and influential philanthropists in American history, and with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, works on international causes, helping girls around the world to get an education and get out of poverty.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-bill/1237
So just a little more than a talk show host.
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There is a difference between rectitude and authority. Rectitude implies a value judgment. Authority In this context simply means widespread appeal to, and influence over, the masses.
14
Yeah, but she loves to roll out her rags to riches narrative, which the media and mid-day TV viewing public bought hook, line and sinker. So now she is "America's moral authority." Give me a break.
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Excellent reporting. Thank you. This week CBS This Morning had a good segment interviewing Ms. Dixon and two other women who all accused Mr. Simmons of assault. Such brave women to come forward on TV, in a movie and now in print. Their stories are heart wrenching and they deserve to be heard and believed.
The timeline presented here is interesting on many levels. Harpo and Oprah we're all in when submitting to Sundance, and it wasn't until Ms. Winfrey shared the film with Ms. DuVernay that there was push back from Harpo and requests to modify the film. Sounds like the filmmakers jumped through many hoops for Harpo and Winfrey to get it right and stay true to their film and the women at the heart of it. I love Oprah Winfrey and all that she stand for for ALL women. Sadly, this wasn't her best moment.
I wish these brave women justice and healing and for their voices to be heard at Sundance and around the world.
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It’s the politician in her trying to be credible to factions with opposing interests — gotta lie to someone, make the calculations and decide who it is . . .
29
Shouldn’t all that’s happening now - vetting the sources, giving the accused a chance to present their case, deciding on the “tone” of the film etc - be done before one evens decides if there is a story or a movie or not? I believe Oprah would like to prosecute the accused for the right reasons. I believe her motive isn’t to make a movie but to support a cause. Even so, she could have done her due diligence proactively and in a more robust manner.
35
In reply to Californian, this story does not even say if Russell Simmons was interviewed and quoted in this documentary. He could have denied the accusations then. Good reporting means getting both sides of the story.
7
The issue is very simple. Oprah, while you may no longer support the project, are you going to stand in the way of the film being released by someone else?
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Excellent reporting. I, too, hope someone else will champion this film. As a white person, I cannot fully appreciate the cultural and historical context. As a woman, though, I am sickened at direct and indirect attempts to silence the victim(s). Enough.
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@Jen
victims can go to court of law and have cases heard.
Trial by Netflix is not what we should promote.
2
@WMA The idea that filmmakers don't have the right to do a film about a man who has been credibly accused by a dozen woman of sexual harassment and rape is utter nonsense.
They have the responsibility to provide evidence and context, but to suggest since he is not being charged with a crime, he should not be subject to public scrutiny is ridiculous.
6
@Jen
Is it really necessary to start checking our personal identity boxes before we validate particular aspects of our opinions?
As a....human being, it's certainly obvious to see when there is injustice being done.
3
Wow, that is really sad. I am not a fan of Oprah, but I never imagined she'd do this. How harmful to his victims.
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