The Stunning, Rapid Crash of Hollywood Rapist Harvey Weinstein

It was rapid alright, but what's so stunning is that he was able to assault, harass, and rape women for so long.

At LAT, "Harvey Weinstein went from power player to pariah in less than a week. Here's how it happened":

Harvey Weinstein went from power player to pariah in less than a week. Here's how it happened https://t.co/QOap7J8D9H pic.twitter.com/nEKvbAX3EH

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 13, 2017

Has there ever been a faster fall than that of independent film kingpin Harvey Weinstein? For years, rumors of sexual impropriety and harassment dogged him but his power in Hollywood appeared to render him unassailable. Through Miramax Films and the Weinstein Co. he won countless awards while turning actors like Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck and filmmakers such as Michael Moore and Quentin Tarantino into household names. At the Oscars, he was thanked more often than God.

Then in one fell swoop the “open secret” of his abuses became secret no longer. The New York Times and the New Yorker broke stories in which more than a dozen women detailed behavior that ranged from harassment to rape. Dozens of actresses and other Hollywood insiders quickly joined the chorus of allegations while numerous celebrities and politicians reacted to the scandal. Here’s a complete rundown of the developments:

MARCH 31, 2015
Unnamed model accuses Weinstein of sexual assault

A sexual assault complaint is filed against Weinstein in New York City. The alleged victim is a 22-year-old Italian model, whose name was not given at the time but was later revealed to be Ambra Battilana Gutierrez. The claim alleges that Weinstein groped her at the Tribeca Film Center after they had been in a meeting.

OCT. 6, 2015
Ashley Judd accuses an unnamed mogul of sexual harassment

The actress reveals that at the time she was making the 1997 film “Kiss the Girls” she was sexually harassed by someone she calls one of the industry’s “most famous, admired-slash-reviled bosses.” Judd alleges that he pressured her to join him in his hotel room and ultimately asked her to watch him take a shower. Two years later, Judd names the mogul.

OCT. 13, 2016
Rose McGowan refers to an unnamed film distributor as a ‘rapist’

Responding to a trending hashtag #WhyWomenDontReport, the actress — who appeared in Weinstein projects including “Scream” and “Grindhouse” — makes the accusation without using any names, although it later comes to light that it was intended for Weinstein.

OCT. 4, 2017
Weinstein lawyers up in anticipation of stories

Word leaks out that the New Yorker and the New York Times are preparing stories about Weinstein’s alleged misconduct when it becomes public that he has hired a virtual army of lawyers and crisis managers to fight the reports. The team includes attorney David Boies, the controversial Lisa Bloom (also the daughter of Gloria Allred), and Charles Harder, who famously won Hulk Hogan’s invasion of privacy trial case against the Gawker website. Weinstein preemptively denies any accusations, telling the Hollywood Reporter, "The story sounds so good, I want to buy the movie rights."

OCT. 5, 2017
The New York Times publishes its report

Hollywood is shaken when the New York Times report is published, stating that Weinstein has had a long history of sexual misconduct over the last two decades and has settled eight separate alleged sexual harassment cases. Among the numerous actresses and employees involved in the allegations are Judd, who names Weinstein as her attacker, and McGowan.

Weinstein announces a leave of absence

After issuing a statement reading, in part, “I so respect all women and regret what happened,” Weinstein announced he’d be taking a leave of absence from the Weinstein Co. effective immediately.

Hollywood begins to respond

Performers, news anchors and creative types, including Lena Dunham, Gretchen Carlson, Jenni Konner, Jake Tapper and others, begin to take to social media to condemn Weinstein, although his most famous collaborators and political allies largely remain silent. McGowan tweets without using his name...

More.

I admire Rose McGowan, but a lot of the other women coming forward are part of the problem. Hollywood hypocrites. Ashley Judd? Give me a break, pfft.