Guest Author“For the powerful, crimes are those that others commit.”
― Noam Chomsky
Beginning in the 20th Century, Americans have had an inexplicable fascination with Hollywood stars and musical icons that, in turn, have given these celebrities great cultural and political power.
Such unbounded supremacy has spawned an unfettered disregard of illicit behavior in that world of entertainment. It’s now to the point where deviant and criminal conduct is a building block of celebrity.
Take this week’s controversy spawned by the publication of a denunciation of Woody Allen by his daughter Dylan Farrow. She accused him of sexually abusing her as a child.
Woody Allen is a brilliant screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, author, playwright, and even musician. For the last half century, he has established a persona as an insecure and intellectual nebbish.
He’s also had a checkered personal past. He has been accused of having inappropriate sexual relationships with his adopted daughters.
Most recently, The Golden Globes honored Allen with the Cecil B. DeMille award for a lifetime achievement for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.”
The award prompted his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, to publish a column in the New York Times detailing in graphic detail his alleged sexual abuse of her decades ago and the consequences she has endured.
Citing a lifetime of mental illness that followed his alleged abuse, she condemned the recognition of Allen’s artistic abilities, citing our society’s failure to prosecute and condemn such debauchery in the entertainment world.
“That torment was made worse by Hollywood,” she wrote. “All but a precious few (my heroes) turned a blind eye. Most found it easier to accept the ambiguity, to say, ‘who can say what happened,’ to pretend that nothing was wrong. Actors praised him at awards shows. Networks put him on TV. Critics put him in magazines. Each time I saw my abuser’s face – on a poster, on a t-shirt, on television – I could only hide my panic until I found a place to be alone and fall apart.”
Allen, his lawyers and supporters noted that authorities refused to prosecute Allen because there was insufficient evidence. They say Dylan is lying and that the Times article is yet another attempt by Dylan and her mother Mia to strike out at the actor.
Normally, Americans view the sexual abuse of children as a heinous offense. We treat sex offenders harshly. We label them and subject them to intense scrutiny and monitoring. We limit their movement to the point where in states like Florida they are forced to live homeless under bridges.
And while it’s easy to call Dylan Farrow a screwed-up liar, she’s right to denounce Americans’ inclination to excuse criminal behavior by our beloved celebrities.
It’s just not Allen. Philip Seymour Hoffman overdosing on heroin, an illegal drug. Paul Walker dying when his friend lost control of a speeding Porsche. Justin Bieber facing charges in a series of reckless incidents.
Allen’s case highlights not only a duplicitous acquiescence of sexual abuse and criminal behavior by celebrities, but illustrates how they manage to live without restraint – and without consequences.
Steven Kurlander blogs at Kurly’s Kommentary (stevenkurlander.com) and writes for Context Florida &The Huffington Post & can be found on Twitter @Kurlykomments. He lives in New York State.
