Now Harvey Weinstein is really in trouble.
To paraphrase the remark attributed to President Lyndon Johnson: When you’ve lost Meryl Streep, you’ve lost Middle America.
HuffPost reported that the acting legend called the alleged sexual harassment by the fired Hollywood producer “disgraceful,” “inexcusable” and an “abuse of power.” She called the women who have spoken out against him “heroes.”
Streep’s publicist Leslee Dart sent a statement in the wake of calls for other Hollywood insiders to take a stand against the Democratic donor.
Streep said:
“The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported. The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes.
“One thing can be clarified. Not everybody knew. Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally.
“I didn’t know about these other offenses: I did not know about his financial settlements with actresses and colleagues; I did not know about his having meetings in his hotel room, his bathroom, or other inappropriate, coercive acts. And If everybody knew, I don’t believe that all the investigative reporters in the entertainment and the hard news media would have neglected for decades to write about it.
“The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar. Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.”