Ben Affleck sexually assaulted TRL host in 2003: report

[Jim Kelly]

It's not about sex, it's about power. Someone like Weinstein has enough money he could buy whatever services he wanted from women or men. He did these things to show himself and them that he had the power to make them do whatever he wanted. And if they didn't, he had the power to destroy them. Either way he wins. Although, if someone has to keep proving to himself that he's powerful, then he probably has a lot of insecurities about that.

So not to excuse the men that got caught up in this game--or the women--but all these actors (male and female) were under Weinstein's thumb. He had power over them. So they lied for him and they lied about things that they saw but they couldn't report. And even when they did report these things they were not believed and they were in danger of losing their livelihood. It's a hierarchy of blame. If some of those people had been more forthright maybe Weisntein would have been stopped, but in the power dynamic it's the person at the top who is ultimately responsible.

[Midvillian1322]

The worse story is rose Mcgowan saying she told Ben what Weinstein did to her and he laughed and jokingly said i told him to stop doing that.

I wouldnt hold a grudge against Ben for getting too handsy when he was a kid if its an isolated incident and he apologized. But if he knew about Harry and joked and made light of it when a costar came to him. Well if find that much more disgusting.

[bobellis75]

The worse story is rose Mcgowan saying she told Ben what Weinstein did to her and he laughed and jokingly said i told him to stop doing that.

I wouldnt hold a grudge against Ben for getting too handsy when he was a kid if its an isolated incident and he apologized. But if he knew about Harry and joked and made light of it when a costar came to him. Well if find that much more disgusting.

He may not have known at the time...that McGowan incident was long ago.

I have rewatched the MTV thing a few times..to me it looks like his hand is on her back. You can see a watch or bracelet on her back. I dunno. Maybe the best move is keeping your hands to yourself, pal.

Affleck is someone known for constantly joking, and he seems like a big flirt. I dunno. If she was uncomfortable, then that sucks big time. I tell my daughter if someone puts their hands on you, and it wasn't invited by you, tell 'em hands off. If they persist, you scream, kick 'em in the balls, and run. And that goes for anything that even seems like a harmless flirtation (like the Affleck video appears to be, to me anyway).

[Jokerz79]

The worse story is rose Mcgowan saying she told Ben what Weinstein did to her and he laughed and jokingly said i told him to stop doing that.

I wouldnt hold a grudge against Ben for getting too handsy when he was a kid if its an isolated incident and he apologized. But if he knew about Harry and joked and made light of it when a costar came to him. Well if find that much more disgusting.

29 isn't being a kid that's being a creep IMO. & I do agree him knowing about Weinstein and keeping quiet is worse to me.

[bobellis75]

29 isn't being a kid that's being a creep IMO. & I do agree him knowing about Weinstein and keeping quiet is worse to me.

I agree too - if he actually knew about that...and he may very well have...

But then it appears everyone kept quiet (outside of Pitt). Not that it makes it okay.


And even though I wouldn't see that video and think "OMG - assault" it's about the viewpoint of the person being touched. If she was uncomfortable, and it made her feel uneasy, then he should apologize and be very sorry about making someone uneasy.

I'm not defending the guy - though I feel like I'm coming off that way...I just wonder what the whole scenario was around the encounter...was MTV telling them "hey be loose, have fun, do something crazy"? She even did a later interview about it and was kind of joking about it (Like an MTV retrospective). I mean I dunno...that happened on screen, was broadcast, years ago...that video has been out there for years... if anyone thought it was anything other than harmless, something would have come up by now, I'd think. Wouldnt it? If anyone could go on youtube at any time for the last 20+ years and see that...why didn't it get thrown all over social media years ago with the "Ben Affleck is a creep" headline?

[Jokerz79]

He may not have known at the time...that McGowan incident was long ago.

I have rewatched the MTV thing a few times..to me it looks like his hand is on her back. You can see a watch or bracelet on her back. I dunno. Maybe the best move is keeping your hands to yourself, pal.

Affleck is someone known for constantly joking, and he seems like a big flirt. I dunno. If she was uncomfortable, then that sucks big time. I tell my daughter if someone puts their hands on you, and it wasn't invited by you, tell 'em hands off. If they persist, you scream, kick 'em in the balls, and run. And that goes for anything that even seems like a harmless flirtation (like the Affleck video appears to be, to me anyway).

He told her I told him to stop that he knew at some point a very long time ago and that all that matter to me.

Here's Jimmy Savile assaulting a girl on British National Television and no one said anything https://youtu.be/NxSnQ6K4guA because you know Jim was just being a flirt. Terry Crews was sexually assaulted last year when a executive grabbed his junk and he didn't say anything there out of fear of how it would look and the next day once he got an apology he kept quiet out of fear of being ostracized from the business. If 240lb grown men won't come forward out of fear imagine a young woman.

[bobellis75]

He told her I told him to stop that he knew at some point a very long time ago and that all that matter to me.

Here's Jimmy Savile assaulting a girl on British National Television and no one said anything https://youtu.be/NxSnQ6K4guA because you know Jim was just being a flirt. Terry Crews was sexually assaulted last year when a executive grabbed his junk and he didn't say anything there out of fear of how it would look and the next day once he got an apology he kept quiet out of fear of being ostracized from the business. If 240lb grown men won't come forward out of fear imagine a young woman.

Dude I get it. Like I said I'm not trying to defend the guy. Just having a conversation. That was a long time ago. Doesn't excuse it. Doesn't mean he's a scumbag now, either. his life has changed - he's got kids (including a daughter...or 2?) I'm sure he wouldn't want his daughters to feel intimidated or threatened. Not that everyone with a daughter is automatically an angel who fights for women. I'm sure he's no saint - look how his marriage fell apart.

I have more friends that are women than men, and I have a daughter, and I have a mom, aunts, a stepmom, and sisters, etc....and I support women all the way.

[Jokerz79]

Dude I get it. Like I said I'm not trying to defend the guy. Just having a conversation. That was a long time ago. Doesn't excuse it. Doesn't mean he's a scumbag now, either. his life has changed - he's got kids (including a daughter...or 2?) I'm sure he wouldn't want his daughters to feel intimidated or threatened. Not that everyone with a daughter is automatically an angel who fights for women. I'm sure he's no saint - look how his marriage fell apart.

I have more friends that are women than men, and I have a daughter, and I have a mom, aunts, a stepmom, and sisters, etc....and I support women all the way.

Sorry if it came off like I was trying to judge you. It's just we ask how this stuff happens for so long and then today a guy admits wrong and apologies and we are still making excuses and are like "well how bad was it" and I find that disheartening especially now with all these stories coming out at once. Again I'm annoyed with our culture right now and sorry if you came off as I was going off on you personally.

[bobellis75]

Sorry if it came off like I was trying to judge you. It's just we ask how this stuff happens for so long and then today a guy admits wrong and apologies and we are still making excuses and are like "well how bad was it" and I find that disheartening especially now with all these stories coming out at once. Again I'm annoyed with our culture right now and sorry if you came off as I was going off on you personally.

Nah man it’s just a conversation. And I don’t want to come off as though I’m defending anyone. Good on him for apologizing. Regardless Of how harmless something seems it’s how the person perceives it. If she perceived he was being a creep, and didn’t like what was happening, then that was all way wrong.

Look the last time I ever got into a fight was because I confronted a guy getting grabby and he hauled off and clocked me. I have no tolerance for that and the culture of men in power has let this go on way too long.

[Old Man Ollie 1962]

So typical how everything gets sensationalized.

[Panic]

She says specifically what he did. The fact the video doesn't catch it does not change that fact. People there at the time obviously saw it which is why we know about it.

This is Affleck and his awful overbearing sense of humour - I seem to remember Kevin Smith telling how Ben got his wang out in an editing room and placed it on Kevin's shoulder. Smith of course wasn't traumatised, but he did tell the story to embarrass Ben (who I think had said at the time that no one would believe him if he told anyone, IIRC).

[wjowski]

Hardly shocking, Hollywood's rife with predators.

[Gaastra]

Another woman comes forward. Says he grabbed her at 2014 golden globes party.

From neo-gaf. (warning curse words in thread.)

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1446479

[Jokerz79]

Here's another 2004 during the Jersey Girl press tour he pulls the reporter into a hug and sits her own his lap and mentions she use to wear clothing that showed more cleavage and he like to see her breast but not that term and mentions she might have implants. She's doing what looks to me nervous laughter and looks uncomfortable IMO. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...icle-1.3556608

[Gaastra]

They talk about that video in the neo-gaf link and it's staged as a joke. the woman in the video confirmed it.