Ever since the Harvey Weinstein cataclysm rocked Hollywood, the #MeToo movement has seemingly taken over the film industry.
As Hollywood looks to repair its shattered image, you’d think the very last thing that it would want would be a high-profile celebrity — who’s been accused of rape — to be nominated for an Academy Award.
But, here we are.
NBA legend Kobe Bryant has received an Oscar nomination for his short film “Dear Basketball”.
While the virtue signaling Hollywood elites are shying away from Aziz Ansari and James Franco following sexual misconduct allegations, they’ve embraced the 39-year-old Bryant. For example, Franco had over a 98 percent chance of getting an Oscar nomination before he was accused.
18/90: The math got 4/5. Presumably, the precursors picked their nominees before the James Franco controversy came into the spotlight, but it affected his Oscar campaign. The Academy replaced him with SAG nominee Denzel Washington. pic.twitter.com/fkV9FDz3xS
— Ben Zauzmer (@BensOscarMath) January 23, 2018
In July of 2003, Kobe Bryant was accused of raping a 19-year-old Edwards, Colorado hotel employee. He had checked into The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in advance for a surgery there in the coming days. He initially told investigators that he did not have sexual intercourse with his accuser.
But after police told Bryant that the woman took a physical exam showing evidence of sex, he admitted to having “consensual” intercourse.
After a nearly two-year legal saga, Bryant and his accuser settled in a civil lawsuit. (It never resulted in trial). Bryant said that no financial payout was given to the woman, but an Los Angeles Times report questions that.
I realize that Kobe Bryant was never convicted of rape. But Aziz Ansari and James Franco haven’t been convicted, either. Hollywood’s take on morality is one of the main reasons why many Americans despise them. If they really cared about all sexual victims (and accusers), why the selective outrage?