However you feel about what the #metoo movement has become, you have to concede it started off in the right place: Exposing rapists for what they are and unveiling the power dynamics that enabled them to commit crimes with abandon for decades. In his upcoming book Catch and Kill, Ronan Farrow lays bare the foundations that led to #metoo, and spoiler alert, it’s not the prettiest exposé for a lot of people.
Farrow explains that the book “is not about me, it’s about the next reporter who comes along with a tough lead about someone who is deeply enmeshed with an executive chain of command who can hold certain revelations over them,” and it details the threats, struggles, and stonewalling that he was up against as he researched the report on Harvey Weinstein’s misconduct that was eventually published by the New Yorker.
Relying on over 200 sources (which were diligently fact checked), Farrow names those who impeded his investigation in any way. Many of those he points at were tied to NBC News– people who were threatened, coerced, and/or bribed by Weinstein to prevent publication and keep private things private. He was often successful.
One name, however, might not be an obvious connection– until, that is, you consider how corrupt she is and how many sexual abusers she surrounds herself with. I’m talking about Hillary Clinton, if that’s not already clear. According to the Hollywood Reporter:
Weinstein also attempted to leverage his long-term relationship with Hillary Clinton to pressure Farrow, he writes. In summer 2017, while Farrow was trying to lock down an interview with Clinton for his foreign policy book — while also still working on the Weinstein story — he received a call from Clinton’s publicist, Nick Merrill, who told him that the “big story” Farrow was working on was a “concern for us.” Then, in September 2017, according to an email cited in the book, Weinstein wrote to Deborah Turness, the ex-president of NBC News who now runs NBC News International, to propose a docuseries on Clinton. “Your Hillary doc series sounds absolutely stunning,” Turness responded.
Of course, these allegations will be categorically denied, because if there’s anything Hillary is better at than losing the presidential election, it’s lying. (Gee, I wonder if those two things are related?) Merrill tweeted in response:
I genuinely respect Ronan’s work, but have no idea what Weinstein was saying to people to save himself. What I do know is simple: I’d already rejected a Weinstein Co proposed doc about the election before talking to Ronan. If HW misrepresented facts, it wouldn’t be the 1st time. https://t.co/SAI4yieHxZ
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 9, 2019
While he does make a very valid point about Weinstein, it seems like it might be too late to prevent Clinton from feeling the backlash– and the book hasn’t even been published yet. Rose McGowan, an actress who was at the head of the #metoo movement, tweeted her condemnation of Clinton, and I doubt she’ll be the last.
https://twitter.com/rosemcgowan/status/1182608585655758850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fentertainment%2Frose-mcgowan-calls-out-hillary-clinton-over-harvey-weinstein-guess-predators-are-her-style
https://twitter.com/rosemcgowan/status/1182609198397509633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fentertainment%2Frose-mcgowan-calls-out-hillary-clinton-over-harvey-weinstein-guess-predators-are-her-style
You know you’re in dire straits when even members of Hollywood are beginning to publicly denounce you. Money is a strong incentive for even the most reprehensible of behavior, but with the cancel culture we live in today, reputation seems to be the only thing worth anything anymore. Hillary’s crimes and general grossness are catching up with her, and she’s running out of places to run. The Hollywood elite may well find themselves in a position where they either continue to chase whatever benefits a good relationship with the Clintons give them, or withdraw their support in the hopes of avoiding the career-ending cancellation that seems to be looming over the horizon for them.
I can’t say for sure what else Catch and Kill will bring, but it won’t be insignificant.