Woody Allen, celebrated Hollywood director and accused child abuser, spoke with the Argentinian news show Periodismo Para Todos about how he perceives his role within the #MeToo movement—and that perception has nothing to do with being another a rich, powerful man held unaccountable for his alleged actions. Rather unsurprisingly based on past statements, Allen sees himself as a heroic example of good behavior. In the TV sit-down, which aired Sunday night, he said of the abusers targeted by #MeToo:
What bothers me is that I get linked with them. People who have been accused by 20 women, 50 women, 100 women of abuse and abuse and abuse— and I, who was only accused by one woman in a child custody case which was looked at and proven to be untrue, I get lumped in with these people.
In case you—like Allen—are hazy on the facts, some background: His adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, accused him of sexually abusing her when she was seven years old. While he was never formally charged, a judge did call Allen’s behavior toward his daughter “grossly inappropriate” and determined that “measures must be taken to protect her.” Farrow continues to stand by her accusation.
Also, let’s not forget that actor Mariel Hemingway alleged that Allen, who cast her as his love interest in Manhattan when she was underage, tried to seduce her once she turned 18. And, while we’re reviewing facts, you might recall that as a 50-something, Allen began an affair with the 21-year-old adopted daughter of his then-girlfriend, Mia Farrow.
But, back to Allen’s self-aggrandizing personal pity party:
As I say I’m a big advocate of the Me Too movement. I feel when they find people who harass innocent women and men, it’s a good thing that they’re exposing them. But you know I, I should be the poster boy for the Me Too movement. Because I have worked in movies for 50 years. I’ve worked with hundreds of actresses and not a single one—big ones, famous ones, ones starting out—have ever ever suggested any kind of impropriety at all. I’ve always had a wonderful record with them.
Oh, bravo. Someone please get this man a trophy for managing to do his work without generating accusations of “impropriety.” Is that the gold standard now? Do men deserve plaudits simply for a lack of hideous workplace abuse accusations? Even if they are the subject of hideous non-workplace abuse accusations?
If there is any deserving “poster boy” for the #MeToo movement, it’s Allen’s estranged son, Ronan Farrow, who recently won a Pulitzer for his reporting on Harvey Weinstein’s alleged abuses and who has said of Dylan Farrow’s accusations, “I believe my sister.”