Sorry, Alleged Sexual Predators, Sorry seems to be the easiest — and emptiest — word right now.
Thank disgraced producer and alleged serial sexual predator Harvey Weinstein for the latest wave of meaningless meaculpas.
It’s Hurricane Harvey all over again — a superstorm of self-serving sorrow.
His and other men’s apologies are acts of attrition — sorrow motivated
by response to potential punishment, but which is self-preserving, even
self-centered.
Being caught with your hand in the cookie jar — or on a colleague’s
anatomy without an invitation — will inspire it. It’s not new, but it’s
front and center like never before.
Ask Ben Affleck, whose career was launched by Weinstein with “Good Will
Hunting.” On Oct. 10, the actor and director chastised the fallen
Hollywood honcho. But a day later, Affleck issued his own apology,
after former “Total Request Live” host Hilarie Burton came out with the
time Affleck had groped her breast during an interview.
“I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize,” Affleck posted on Twitter.
It’s hard, if not impossible, to take apologies seriously when they’re as scripted as a movie or a song.
And the I’m sorrys keep on coming. Ousted Fox host Bill O’Reilly is an unapologetic exception.
Matt Mondanile — the ex-guitarist for the New Jersey-bred rock band
Real Estate — expressed sorrow after being accused of a pattern of
sexual impropriety toward women.
“I am endlessly sorry for my inappropriate behavior,” he noted in a statement on Saturday. “I took advantage of my position as a musician, though I never intended to hurt anyone emotionally or otherwise.”
His lack of intention is a deflection of responsibility. As a guitarist he should know that strikes the wrong chord.
A day earlier, tech bigwig Robert Scoble made a mea culpa on Facebook in response to accusations of sexual harassment.
And on Monday, “The Loud House” creator Chris Savino expressed his sort of sorrow amid claims that he sexually harassed multiple female colleagues.
“I am deeply sorry and I am ashamed,” he said, which sent the right
message. But in the next beat, he shook off responsibility by noting
that harassment “was never my intention.”
Sorry, that’s not a good sorry.
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