Former NBA star Kobe Bryant won an Oscar Sunday night for his short film “Dear Basketball,” and it proved that Hollywood is full of hypocrites.
Nearly 15 years ago, the Los Angeles Lakers legend was accused of graphically raping a hotel employee at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera, which is in Colorado. He was soon charged with sexual assault and false imprisonment.
The charges were dropped shortly before trial was set to begin, and he issued a formal apology to his victim. In the era of the #MeToo movement, we should all be asking how the hell Kobe Bryant won an Oscar and was applauded.
#Oscars: Kobe Bryant wins Best Documentary Short https://t.co/svJagGzhqg pic.twitter.com/Mtwj4l9zAS
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 5, 2018
There’s a big difference between Kobe Bryant and several other high profile men in Hollywood accused of sexual misconduct. Bryant was actually arrested and charged. That is incredibly rare for a sex crime considering the cases are so hard to prosecute.
Harvey Weinstein hasn’t been charged with anything as of today, nor has Kevin Spacey or any other major figure. Yet, the police thought they had such a strong case against Bryant that they were only days away from trial when the charges were dropped.
So, why are we celebrating Bryant? Is Hollywood okay with accused rapists as long as they’re not powerful white men? Perhaps, Hollywood is just okay with athletes being accused of rape, especially those who dominated for a basketball team in the heart of Los Angeles.
All I know for sure is that Bryant being celebrated with an Oscar pretty much proves that Hollywood is all talk and no action. Sure, they’ll go after a guy like Aziz Ansari over an awkward sexual experience. They have no problem attacking him, but Kobe Bryant, who was actually accused of brutal rape, is more than okay to celebrate.
Hollywood’s moral compass is so screwed up that it’s a bit mind-boggling. Welcome to 2018 and the #MeToo movement.