Director Rob Reiner was so desperate to avoid addressing cultural issues in Hollywood on Tuesday that he pivoted from a question about Harvey Weinstein to talk about Clarence Thomas and Fox News.
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Rob Reiner, director of major Hollywood films like Stand By Me, A Few Good Men, and The Princess Bride, denied that there is a systemic problem with sexual assault in Hollywood.
“Are you sure?” MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski asked Reiner during a panel discussion.
“Yeah, here’s the thing,” Reiner said. “Harvey Weinstein’s disgusting, let’s just say that. But Fox News had that, Clarence Thomas.”
Reiner admitted that women have a hard time coming forward with accusations but refused to acknowledge that such a problem might be magnified in Hollywood.
“Women have a hard time,” he said. “They’re either not believed, they say they asked for it, or they’re punished, and how can they go up against the world that they’re in when they voted for a person who actually admitted to sexually harassing women?”
“Wait, wait, wait,”cohost Joe Scarborough pushed back. “We actually asked you about Harvey Weinstein. We agree with you on Donald Trump–I don’t agree with you on Clarence Thomas, telling inappropriate jokes and raping women are two completely things…”
Reiner denied that he was dodging, stating, “I am talking about Harvey Weinstein…this isn’t about Donald Trump.”
“My question has not to do with Donald Trump, the evangelicals, or the Republicans,” Scarborough said, driving the conversation back to its roots. “What about you and Hollywood? Has Hollywood been pathetic in turning a blind eye to this behavior?”
Reiner acknowledged that men who hear about harassment and assault should be allies to women but denied to place any blame on Hollywood actors or producers who are accused of knowing about Weinstein’s actions and remaining silent.