Kevin Spacey

[MrGongGong]

I think it's all right to continue to avail oneself of their cultural product - but not to justify that by playing down their actions
as not very serious really.

Does that include Mr King?

[ardcarp]

As usual on these occasions, the stench of hypocrisy fills the air.

Yes, and I find the obsession of the news media with this sort of thing rather obscures real news, e.g. Muslim refugees from Burma, mayhem in the Middle East, the Yemen and many other places, not to mention a scarily unpredictable US President and our own febrile (and fragile?) state as Brexit looms. It seems personal misfortunes are more important than global ones. There is a Westminster bubble, but there is also a news media bubble in which there is a communality of what's 'important'. The 7pm News on BBC4 seems the only bulletin which is faintly balanced.

[DracoM]

It's the newspapers. They know readers are getting bored by so much that happens all the time [i.e. stuff that is having and will have a maximal impact on our lives ] , so why not fix into areas that the red tops trivial stuff they can blow up into a global crisis.

[richardfinegold]

Spacey's sexual orienatation has been widely known since an incident on Hampstead Heath sometime in the last century.

The assumption had always been that he was a ordinary cruising type, who didn't want to come out. Which was fine.

The revelation that he is a serial sex pest have blown it for him, though. He's toast.

Scandal doesn't always sink a career. Look at Rob Lowe, Errol Flynn, R. Kelly, Mel Gibson...

[teamsaint]

Does that include Mr King?

Classical or pop ?

There certainly are a lot of double standards in these areas, as well as diversion from other huge issues, such as arms sales.

[MrGongGong]

Classical or pop ?

There certainly are a lot of double standards in these areas, as well as diversion from other huge issues, such as arms sales.

IS that an attempt at the "non-sequitir of the day" competition?

(Yes, there are)

[Conchis]

Scandal doesn't always sink a career. Look at Rob Lowe, Errol Flynn, R. Kelly, Mel Gibson...

I think all those careers were sunk (Gibson's certainly was). Rob Lowe continues as a supporing actor, R. Kelly is a has-been rap(?) star, Errol Flynn died so long ago it hardly matters any more.

The problem with this situation is that Spacey is widely believed to be good at what he does. When ephemeral pop stars like Gary Glitter are revealed as demented perverts, the loss of their 'art' is not felt, because what they peddled was junk.

[teamsaint]

IS that an attempt at the "non-sequitir of the day" competition?

(Yes, there are)

I was asking about Jonathan (pop) or Robert ( classical) King. I assume the latter.

[teamsaint]

I think all those careers were sunk (Gibson's certainly was). Rob Lowe continues as a supporing actor, R. Kelly is a has-been rap(?) star, Errol Flynn died so long ago it hardly matters any more.

The problem with this situation is that Spacey is widely believed to be good at what he does. When ephemeral pop stars like Gary Glitter are revealed as demented perverts, the loss of their 'art' is not felt, because what they peddled was junk.

There's no problem at all. Just make a moral judgement, if you feel the need, and stand by it.
Personally, I can well live without Robert King's music, for example. There is plenty else to fill my days. But then I suppose he isn't a "demented pervert", now that he has married, and is safe to work with children again.

[MrGongGong]

I was asking about Jonathan (pop) or Robert ( classical) King. I assume the latter.

The latter indeed

But then I suppose he isn't a "demented pervert", now that he has married, and is safe to work with children again.

erm
What has being married got to do with it?

[french frank]

The latter indeed

So what was the question again?

[teamsaint]

The latter indeed



erm
What has being married got to do with it?

This was one of the things taken into consideration by the judge when he wasn't banned from working with children. If I can find something to substantiate this, I'll post it.

Edit: Here

[MrGongGong]

This was one of the things taken into consideration by the judge when he wasn't banned from working with children. If I can find something to substantiate this, I'll post it.

Edit: Here

I know
It stinks

[richardfinegold]

I think all those careers were sunk (Gibson's certainly was). Rob Lowe continues as a supporing actor, R. Kelly is a has-been rap(?) star, Errol Flynn died so long ago it hardly matters any more.

The problem with this situation is that Spacey is widely believed to be good at what he does. When ephemeral pop stars like Gary Glitter are revealed as demented perverts, the loss of their 'art' is not felt, because what they peddled was junk.

R. Kelly won a Grammy this year. He and Lady Gaga simulated oral sex together as an act during the show and he has been a featured guest on the top TV interview shows.
Lowe has had starring gigs in several television si coms here. He even narrated a series on WWII produced by Tom Hanks. Gibson has moved on to directing and producing (Hacksaw Ridge).
My point being that there is the possibility for “Second Acts” for famous celebrities. I’m betting that in 2 years Spacey will reappear as a creepy Gay Serial Killer in some production that will be critically acclaimed and then resume his career

[Ferretfancy]

Scandal doesn't always sink a career. Look at Rob Lowe, Errol Flynn, R. Kelly, Mel Gibson...

Kevin Spacey made advances to a fourteen year old boy some thirty years ago,that was illegal then, and remains illegal now.There are a number of reasons why this is so, an important one centres on the belief that underage children are deemed by law to be unable to give informed consent, girls as well as boys.

Pedophile behaviour is always an attack on a child's trust.

From my perspective as a gay man, Spacey made a calamitous misjudgement by coming out at the same time as gay, thus conflating two different situations. This only reinforces the widely held belief that gays are pedophiles.

On the wider issue of unwanted sexual advances on women and men by persons in positions of power, it seems to me that we sadly lack definitions. Most of us would agree that unwanted touching is different in scale to violent rape, but the tabloids make no such distinction and give equal credence to either in their headlines. It does seem strange that victims come forward with circumstantial evidence as much as a generation later than the events described. I am not suggesting that some of these histories are trivial, or condone the perpetrators actions, but at the moment the surrounding hysteria seems a bit excessive.