Charisma Carpenter opens up about mistreatment from Joss Whedon

[Thezmage]

So it's Carpenter, Benson, Gellar and Trachtenberg now and those are just the ones I know about for sure. With Trachtenberg, she was fifteen at the time and labels his behavior not just inappropriate but very inappropriate. So I'm guessing this is more than something that could be a little questionable or misunderstood.

Whedon has his own production company but it will be very interesting to see if he suddenly no longer gets directing jobs from major studios.

James Marsters too.

[Powerboy]

The way I see it, there are two ways to go.

I can stop watching or reading any TV shows, movies, books, comics, etc. because the creator will eventually be revealed to be a scumbag in some way shape or form (because everyone is... some just never get caught).

Or, I can declare outrage bankruptcy, decide that other people's personal problems are their own business, and that my business is entertaining myself anyway I can.

I hereby choose the latter.

I still watch Hercules even though I detest some of Sorbo's racial attitudes. I still like Buffy and Angel and it's not like I'm never going to watch the Avengers again. They are the work of many people, not just Whedon. I don't get why you are drawing some line in the sand that you cannot watch anything Whedon ever did before. What does that have to do with future projects? How does that, in any way, excuse his behavior? I also find this "They are all guilty but some get caught" thing to be more rationalization. It's prevalent and some have not gotten caught but it's becoming harder and harder in today's society when it's no longer brushed aside and excused as "Boys will be boys". Unless, of course, society takes the attitude that "Boys will be boys, we've heard it too many times so let's go back to ignoring it and it will go away."

It will be interesting to see if Whedon gets many future projects outside of his own production company. The way I see it, there's one way to go. Watch what I want to watch but don't pretend a guy isn't a scumbag just because I like his work and make it clear I would prefer to not see his name on anymore MCU or DCEU movies and I really might not watch one with his name as the director.

[AndrewCrossett]

I still watch Hercules even though I detest some of Sorbo's racial attitudes. I still like Buffy and Angel and it's not like I'm never going to watch the Avengers again. They are the work of many people, not just Whedon. I don't get why you are drawing some line in the sand that you cannot watch anything Whedon ever did before. What does that have to do with future projects? How does that, in any way, excuse his behavior? I also find this "They are all guilty but some get caught" thing to be more rationalization. It's prevalent and some have not gotten caught but it's becoming harder and harder in today's society when it's no longer brushed aside and excused as "Boys will be boys". Unless, of course, society takes the attitude that "Boys will be boys, we've heard it too many times so let's go back to ignoring it and it will go away."

It will be interesting to see if Whedon gets many future projects outside of his own production company. The way I see it, there's one way to go. Watch what I want to watch but don't pretend a guy isn't a scumbag just because I like his work and make it clear I would prefer to not see his name on anymore MCU or DCEU movies and I really might not watch one with his name as the director.

As I said, I've declared outrage bankruptcy. I'm going to watch whatever I like and not care about what the creator did.

It pisses me off, but good entertainment is hard to come by. The fact that most of the stuff I like was created by bad people says something about me, I guess, so I can't throw stones.

[Powerboy]

Post removed by me. No use going on with this. We will all watch things we like.

[Powerboy]

Comparing the JK issue with Joss is far fetched. I think Joss is now a bit more comparable to Bryan Singer but which more lower crimes.

No one has made any serious allegations that JK harassed or assaulted them.

JK will still have a career. Joss career is finished.

Exactly. People like Rowling and Sorbo are simply expressing opinions. That's much different than work harassment and way different when there is implied sexual suggestiveness towards a minor which is clearly what Trachtenberg was implying.

[AndrewCrossett]

Yes, you are saying that everybody is saying it even though nobody has said it.

It wasn't quite such a big deal before. Most of us have had to work for a boss who was an a-hole or get another job. Now it's crossed into inappropriate behavior towards someone who was underage. Unless someone is so sick of something that now even the most inappropriate behavior is now just a witch hunt.

So.... are you saying that I *should* continue to watch Buffy because it was the work of many people, or that I *should not* watch it because the creator and main guiding voice is an accused pedophile predator?

[Castle]

Exactly. People like Rowling and Sorbo are simply expressing opinions. That's much different than work harassment and way different when there is implied sexual suggestiveness towards a minor which is clearly what Trachtenberg was implying.

Yikes. did not hear about this one with Trachtenberg. the harassment I heard about was james masters saying joss backed him into a wall and yelled at him. if james was a woman, this would be not just physical harassment but physical assault.
Masters in quote

I came along, and I wasn’t designed to be a romantic character. But then the audience reacted that way to it. And I remember he backed me up against a wall one day, and he was just like, ‘I don’t care how popular you are, kid, you’re dead. You hear me? Dead. Dead!’ And I was just like, ‘Uh, you know, it’s your football, man. OK.’

https://www.cinemablend.com/televisi...th-joss-whedon


Joss is pretty much guilty at this point. People just need to leave my girl JK alone.

[Powerboy]

As I said, I've declared outrage bankruptcy. I'm going to watch whatever I like and not care about what the creator did.

It pisses me off, but good entertainment is hard to come by. The fact that most of the stuff I like was created by bad people says something about me, I guess, so I can't throw stones.

Well, as I said, I seriously doubt anyone is never going to watch the first Avengers movie again or Buffy, Angel or Firefly. I would prefer not to see Whedon's name on any future project I would want to see but I'm certainly not going to never watch a new Avengers movie just because his name is on it.

As I mentioned, Hercules may be my favorite show of all time. I dislike Sorbo's attitudes but, once I start watching, he's just Hercules.

[Powerboy]

So.... are you saying that I *should* continue to watch Buffy because it was the work of many people, or that I *should not* watch it because the creator and main guiding voice is an accused pedophile predator?

Actually, I removed the post because we both already detailed what we thought. There's nothing wrong with watching Buffy. We can criticize the behavior of a person while still liking his work.

If I found out Michelangelo was a child molester, I would still admire his works. It's just the core thing of separating the artist from the art.

[Powerboy]

Yikes. did not hear about this one with Trachtenberg. the harassment I heard about was james masters saying joss backed him into a wall and yelled at him. if james was a woman, this would be not just physical harassment but physical assault.
Masters in quote

I came along, and I wasn’t designed to be a romantic character. But then the audience reacted that way to it. And I remember he backed me up against a wall one day, and he was just like, ‘I don’t care how popular you are, kid, you’re dead. You hear me? Dead. Dead!’ And I was just like, ‘Uh, you know, it’s your football, man. OK.’

https://www.cinemablend.com/televisi...th-joss-whedon


Joss is pretty much guilty at this point. People just need to leave my girl JK alone.

"Thank you @sarahmgellar for saying this. I am brave enough now as a 35 year old woman....To repost this," she wrote in the caption. "Because. This must. Be known. As a teenager. With his not appropriate behavior....very. Not. Appropriate."

Maybe I read something sexual into it because she specifically mentioned that she was a teenager and said his behavior was very inappropriate.

[AndrewCrossett]

"Thank you @sarahmgellar for saying this. I am brave enough now as a 35 year old woman....To repost this," she wrote in the caption. "Because. This must. Be known. As a teenager. With his not appropriate behavior....very. Not. Appropriate."

Maybe I read something sexual into it because she specifically mentioned that she was a teenager and said his behavior was very inappropriate.

Presumably she will be asked what she meant by that. If she has an accusation to make she needs to make it. Making coy little posts that might or might not accuse someone of heinous and criminal behavior is also Very. Not. Appropriate.

[Castle]

"Thank you @sarahmgellar for saying this. I am brave enough now as a 35 year old woman....To repost this," she wrote in the caption. "Because. This must. Be known. As a teenager. With his not appropriate behavior....very. Not. Appropriate."

Maybe I read something sexual into it because she specifically mentioned that she was a teenager and said his behavior was very inappropriate.

Intresting, you know Joss said Dawn should only wear bright colours earlier in the show, this was to represent her innocence then he goes and harass her of the screen.

I am also not surprised about Carpenter saying he called her fat.

the original actress for willow was changed, I always had this feeling it was due to her size. she was on the big side.

sarah lost so much weight on the show, in the last seasons sarah was all skin and bones compared to the early season. her fight scenes were not believable because she was just so thin by season 7,

the actress that played tera, when joss saw her, he said she was not really who they were looking for.....she too is what I will call plus size.

for me this now all adds up. Joss is a real tool.

[AnakinFlair]

This does speak volumes. As well as Gellar not being at the wrap party.

All these years, when Gellar said she wouldn't be up for returning to the character...it makes you wonder what the real reason for that was. Because she clearly loves Buffy.

Castle just mentioned this, but I always thought something was wrong with Sarah during Season 7. Specifically, I thought that she was either sick with a virus, or had developed an eating disorder because she looked SO thin, and SO pale and drawn. I wonder if it was stress, or now I wonder if it was some kind of eating disorder that Joss drove her to by complaining about her weight.

So it's Carpenter, Benson, Gellar and Trachtenberg now and those are just the ones I know about for sure. With Trachtenberg, she was fifteen at the time and labels his behavior not just inappropriate but very inappropriate. So I'm guessing this is more than something that could be a little questionable or misunderstood.

Whedon has his own production company but it will be very interesting to see if he suddenly no longer gets directing jobs from major studios.

Has he gotten ANYTHING since Justice League? I think he was an Executive Producer on that new HBO show with Victorian mutants (The Nevers?), but he pulled out of that. I think it may be safe to say that his career is done, at least for the time being.

I still watch Hercules even though I detest some of Sorbo's racial attitudes. I still like Buffy and Angel and it's not like I'm never going to watch the Avengers again. They are the work of many people, not just Whedon. I don't get why you are drawing some line in the sand that you cannot watch anything Whedon ever did before. What does that have to do with future projects? How does that, in any way, excuse his behavior? I also find this "They are all guilty but some get caught" thing to be more rationalization. It's prevalent and some have not gotten caught but it's becoming harder and harder in today's society when it's no longer brushed aside and excused as "Boys will be boys". Unless, of course, society takes the attitude that "Boys will be boys, we've heard it too many times so let's go back to ignoring it and it will go away."

It will be interesting to see if Whedon gets many future projects outside of his own production company. The way I see it, there's one way to go. Watch what I want to watch but don't pretend a guy isn't a scumbag just because I like his work and make it clear I would prefer to not see his name on anymore MCU or DCEU movies and I really might not watch one with his name as the director.

My sister refuses to watch anything with Mel Gibson in it, since he revealed himself to be a rabid Anti-Semite. Me, I've come to embrace the horror that the people I grew up idolizing and loving have either gone crazy in their old age, or they no longer care about hiding how truly terrible they are.

Yikes. did not hear about this one with Trachtenberg. the harassment I heard about was james masters saying joss backed him into a wall and yelled at him. if james was a woman, this would be not just physical harassment but physical assault.
Masters in quote

I came along, and I wasn’t designed to be a romantic character. But then the audience reacted that way to it. And I remember he backed me up against a wall one day, and he was just like, ‘I don’t care how popular you are, kid, you’re dead. You hear me? Dead. Dead!’ And I was just like, ‘Uh, you know, it’s your football, man. OK.’

https://www.cinemablend.com/televisi...th-joss-whedon


Joss is pretty much guilty at this point. People just need to leave my girl JK alone.

Which is hilarious, because not only did Joss bring back Spike, not only did he make him a main cast member and love interest to the lead, he then killed him off in the finale.... just to set up bringing him back in Angel, and make him a main cast member there!

"Thank you @sarahmgellar for saying this. I am brave enough now as a 35 year old woman....To repost this," she wrote in the caption. "Because. This must. Be known. As a teenager. With his not appropriate behavior....very. Not. Appropriate."

Maybe I read something sexual into it because she specifically mentioned that she was a teenager and said his behavior was very inappropriate.

I didn't read anything sexual in her claim, just that his behavior was wildly inappropriate, especially around a minor. At least, I hope to GOD that's all it was.

[SiegePerilous02]

Castle just mentioned this, but I always thought something was wrong with Sarah during Season 7. Specifically, I thought that she was either sick with a virus, or had developed an eating disorder because she looked SO thin, and SO pale and drawn. I wonder if it was stress, or now I wonder if it was some kind of eating disorder that Joss drove her to by complaining about her weight.

Yes, Gellar got scarily thin towards the end of the series. I heard she even lost breast tissue.

Her being absent in the DVD extras makes sense now, as well as her reputation of being "difficult to work with." I don't think she was the difficult one.

Which is hilarious, because not only did Joss bring back Spike, not only did he make him a main cast member and love interest to the lead, he then killed him off in the finale.... just to set up bringing him back in Angel, and make him a main cast member there!

Joss had some weird love/hate thing going on with Spike. He'd say he had the attempted rape scene happen as a wake up call to people still loving Spike, and then he made "not demonizing rapists" a priority in season 7 with Spike's flawed redemption arc at Buffy's expense. If he had stuck to his guns and made Spike the villain or even just wrote the redemption with more care, Marsters could have played it. His blaming Marsters for positive fan reception to his performance and the shitty inconsistent character writing (that Marsters was arguably elevating) is a jerk move.

As was doing the attempted rape scene despite the very clear discomfort it put Marsters through. He hated doing it, especially as a family member (I believe his sister) was either raped or assaulted. We've never really heard how Gellar felt about it, but her feelings about season 6 in general and how she felt both her and the character we degraded are well known.

[ed2962]

It's funny how the guy who claimed to be this staunch feminist has mostly women speaking out against him.

Eh, you can think women deserve equal rights and still be a bully. These ideas aren't mutually exclusive.