Here we go again: Chris Noth sex allegations, Hollywood's political correctness and de ja vu
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Did the showrunners of 'And Just Like That' and industry insiders know that the avalanche of sex assault allegations was around the corner, and decide to give Chris Noth's character a heart attack on a Peloton machine? For the moment, let us put the conspiracy theories aside. It may well have been a coincidence. But what is not a coincidence, is the predictable reaction cycle.
Just a few days before sexual assault claims against Chris Noth came up, his beloved character Mr Big was killed off from 'And Just Like That', a sequel of the wildly popular series 'Sex and the City'.
A mere coincidence? Or did the showrunners and industry insiders know that the avalanche of scandal was around the corner, and decide to give his character a heart attack on a Peloton machine?
For the moment, let us put the conspiracy theories aside. It may well have been a coincidence.
But what is not a coincidence, is the predictable reaction cycle.
Noth loses work: His talent agency drops him, CBS drama 'The Equalizer' fires him.
He loses business: a $12 million deal to sell his tequila brand is now off.
His marriage is reportedly in trouble: wife Tara Wilson has removed her wedding ring, according to reports.
His 'Sex and the City' co-stars support the accusers.
Now rewind. Does it all smell like de ja vu?
And will it all fall by the wayside, like it appears in some of the most widely covered #MeToo cases?
Legendary comic Bill Cosby walked out of prison this year after reams of paper and television and internet hours were spent dissecting the charges against him.
His sex assault conviction has now been overturned.
Kevin Spacey, who was killed off from 'House of Cards' series, and edited out of 'All the Money in the World' where he played Paul Getty, is back at movie sets, after fighting off a series of allegations, mostly from younger men.
And Harvey Weinstein, the most notorious of them all, is likely to go scot-free, if reports are to be believed. Apparently an appeals court in New York is not very sure about the conviction of the disgraced producer, allegations against whom actually started off the #MeToo movement.
The pattern, and its predictability, is nauseating: Knee-jerk reactions, statements of political correctness that involves taking the accused out of projects, ex-colleagues ditching the accused in public, press conferences, courtroom drama, quiet settlements, cooling off period, and back to normal.
Some of the accused, like Jeoffry Rush, successfully sued their way out of the scandals.
It remains to be seen if others who face similar accusations - R Kelly, James Franco- will go scot-free too.
The workplace remains a dangerous pit for many women, irrespective of country or continent.
Male chauvinism prevails in a world where hero-- and not heroine-- worship is the order of the day.
In South Korea, a K-Pop star Seungri ran a prostitution ring, while K-drama star Kim Seon Ho allegedly forced his former lover to abort their child and reportedly even set her on fire. Pop idol Kris Wu is accused of drugging and raping minor girls. Many of them issued apologies, and are 're-instated'.
No amount of campaigning seems to be able to bring justice to the victims, except in some rare cases.
The 'hero' invariably returns. Because the show must go on.
(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)