Matt Damon Sparks Internet Brawl By Saying We Should Use Common Sense When Talking About Sexual Misconduct
Matt Damon gave an interview to ABC News about the current sexual harassment scandals plaguing Hollywood, and he actually showed a lot of insight when he said that bad behavior is on a spectrum. This has for some reason proven controversial, with opinions on the Internet largely split between “Matt Damon gets it” and “Matt Damon is worse than Hitler”.
I mean, look, as I said, all of that behavior needs to be confronted, but there is a continuum. And on this end of the continuum where you have rape and child molestation or whatever, you know, that’s prison. Right? And that’s what needs to happen. OK? And then we can talk about rehabilitation and everything else. That’s criminal behavior, and it needs to be dealt with that way. The other stuff is just kind of shameful and gross, and I just think … I don’t know Louis C.K.. I’ve never met him. I’m a fan of his, but I don’t imagine he’s going to do those things again. You know what I mean? I imagine the price that he’s paid at this point is so beyond anything that he — I just think that we have to kind of start delineating between what these behaviors are.
Yeah, I’m with Matt Damon on this one. I think we’re adults and we can handle these sorts of stories in an adult way. I think we can look at individual stories and make our minds up about them on a case-by-case basis. Harvey Weinstein should probably be in jail, and he should definitely never work in Hollywood again. Same with Kevin Spacey, who, even setting aside allegations against him by Anthony Rapp, was sexually harassing the crew his television show with impunity. I think you can say that while also saying that maybe what Louis C.K. did wasn’t as bad or even that the allegations that Woody Allen molested Dylan Farrow probably aren’t true.
I don’t think that’s unreasonable. Damon made some good points, and they’re points other people have made as well. Not everyone who does a bad thing is irredeemably evil, and it’s a mistake to portray it as such. Of course, I mentioned controversy, and a lot of people disagree.
Matt Damon on the current reckoning currently dismantling Hollywood: “You know, there’s a difference between, you know, patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation, right?” https://t.co/JQey6TQfbo
— Vulture (@vulture) December 14, 2017
Sorry to report that Matt Damon and Ben affleck , the men behind classic films such as What If Someone From Boston Were Smart , What if Someone From Boston Outsmarted the Cops & What if Someone From Boston Lost a Baby turned out to be … bad
— Sophia Benoit (@1followernodad) December 15, 2017
But again, not everyone thinks Damon was wrong.
This Matt Damon business is being excessively blown out of perportion. Maybe he didn’t word his statement right but I think he was being genuine. Both acts are wrong but there is a difference between a tap on the butt and rape and they shouldn’t be treated or categorized equally.
— Mellanie Brando (@ThatBrashBlonde) December 15, 2017
Serious question: What did Matt Damon say that was wrong?
There IS a difference between what Louis C.K. and Weinstein did, and they should not be conflated. I don't understand how this is controversial. At. All.
— Emma Vigeland (@EmmaVigeland) December 15, 2017
Why the attack on Matt Damon for this honest interview? He's right- we SHOULDN'T be conflating bad behavior with criminal behavior. Why all the hate? https://t.co/QnaYTScuLU
— Lauren Sivan (@LaurenSivan) December 15, 2017
Keep in mind here, none of the tweets I just posted are from reactionary right-wing MRA-types, either. You can check them out, they’re from thoughtful people, and, in the case of Lauren Sivan, someone who was a victim of Harvey Weinstein. Lauren Sivan obviously can’t speak for all women on this, but what Damon said isn’t insane or outrageous. Every one of these situations is different, and every one of them should be looked at for what it is.
