Kevin Spacey

What was the Accusation?

Two-Time Oscar Winner Kevin Spacey was accused in October of 2017 of making inappropriate sexual advances toward then 14-year-old actor Anthony Rapp at a Broadway party in 1986.  Rapp, current star of Star Trek: Discovery, stated in an interview with Buzzfead that after all of the other guest had left the party, “Spacey picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don’t, like, squirm away initially, because I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then he lays down on top of me.” He felt inspired to go public with his story after many women came forward in the weeks prior with allegations of sexual misconduct against powerful Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein: I came forward with my story, standing on the shoulders of the many courageous women and men who have been speaking out, to shine a light and hopefully make a difference, as they have done for me.”  In response to the accusations, Spacey released a statement on Twitter indicating that he was “horrified” by what transpired and that he did not remember the encounter.   He claimed that he would use the story as an opportunity to reflect on his life and behavior and that he would choose now to live his life as a gay man.  His apology was met with scathing criticism for its attempts to blur the lines between homosexuality and sexual assault.  Writer and artist Eve L. Ewing tweeted, “Double shame on Kevin Spacey for calling on the old, tired, erroneous, and harmful idea that there’s some link between gayness and sexual predation as a distraction from his wrongs.”  Comedian Cameron Esposito argued: “Just wanna be really f—– clear that being gay has nothing to do w/ going after underage folks.”

Key Apologia Strategies:

Defeasibility, Bolstering, Mortification, Corrective Action

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Sources

Johnson, A. (2017, October 30). Kevin Spacey apologizes after Anthony Rapp accuses him of underage sexual advance. NBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/harvey-weinstein-scandal/kevin-spacey-apologizes-after-actor-accuses-him-underage-sexual-advance-n815506

Paulson, M. (2017, October 30). Kevin Spacey apologizes to Anthony Rapp after sexual accusation. New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/30/theater/kevin-spacey-gay-anthony-rapp.html

Rosenblatt, K. (2017, October 30). Kevin Spacey rebuked for coming out amid sexual abuse allegations. NBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/kevin-spacey-rebuked-coming-out-amid-sexual-abuse-allegations-n815571