Things are about to get nasty.
Harvey Weinstein is planning to sue the
New York Times for up to $50 million over their bombshell expose about his decades of sexual harassment and secret settlements, and he's hired Charles J. Harder, the LA attorney who brought down Gawker after winning a $140 million verdict for Hulk Hogan.
"
The New York Times published today a story that is saturated with false and defamatory statements about Harvey Weinstein. It relies on mostly hearsay accounts and a faulty report, apparently stolen from an employee personnel file, which has been debunked by 9 different eyewitnesses. We sent the Times the facts and evidence, but they ignored it and rushed to publish. We are preparing the lawsuit now. All proceeds will be donated to women’s organizations," Harder said in a statement to
Page Six.
Weinstein says his wife Georgina Chapman and his kids are standing by him amid the allegations.
"I have had tough conversations with my family, really tough ones but my family is standing with me.I have a journey and I have to prove to every person that's out there that I'm worthy of them and I have to prove to my family the same thing. This is going to be a journey, a lonely journey, but a journey where my wife and kids couldn't be stronger and couldn't be standing behind me more," he told the
Daily Mail.
The studio exec also revealed that he plans to apologize to Ashley Judd, who accused him of inviting her to watch him shower during a business meeting at the Peninsula hotel.
"Here's what I feel about Ashley. She wrote a story in
Variety (that did not name Weinstein but described the incident) that was one way, now she's remembering this way. My feeling is I read her book [the memoir
All That is Bitter and Sweet] about being abused as a child. Whatever Ashley wants to say about me, I'm going to be supportive. I need to earn her forgiveness. I thought we had a relationship at one time, the goal is to get that back. I salute her like everybody else does," he added.
A lot of celebs are staying silent on the matter, but others like Judd Apatow, Brie Larson, and Lena Dunham are speaking out, without naming Weinstein directly. Here are some of their reactions.
Judd Apatow: "Wealthy people buy silence with settlements. The confidentiality clause allows predators to hurt other people. For decades. People with money pay off the people they hurt. Like Trump did with Trump U and like Cosby. If you accept the cash they keep doing it."
Lena Dunham: "The women who chose to speak about their experience of harassment by Harvey Weinstein deserve our awe. It's not fun or easy. It's brave."
Brie Larson: "As always, I stand with the brave survivors of sexual assault and harassment. It's not your fault. I believe you."
Ellen Barkin: "I'm sick to death of apologies, all of these endless meaningless apologies. Do something right or go f*ck yourselves. Until I have something to add to the conversation I will treat it like I do anything else, I will educate myself. He has admitted what he's done, there's the proof. I don't know when she said this but I give Ashley Judd an enormous amount of credit coming forward. I know it's not fair for other victims but it is just more loaded coming from a well known successful actress or unfortunately maybe more 'newsworthy.'"
Gloria Allred disapproves of daughter Lisa Bloom defending Weinstein, and she made that very clear by releasing a statement.
"Had I been asked by Mr. Weinstein to represent him, I would have declined, because I do not represent individuals accused of sex harassment. I only represent those who allege that they are victims of sexual harassment. While I would not represent Mr. Weinstein, I would consider representing anyone who accused Mr. Weinstein of sexual harassment, even if it meant that my daughter was the opposing counsel," she said in the statement.
Bloom, for her part, maintains that she's doing the right thing by helping the Hollywood power house to reform his ways.
"As a women's rights advocate, I have been blunt with Harvey and he has listened to me. I have told him that times have changed, it is 2017, and he needs to evolve to a higher standard. I have found Harvey to be refreshingly candid and receptive to my message. He has acknowledged mistakes he has made. He is reading books and going to therapy. He is an old dinosaur learning new ways," she said in her own statement.
The person we feel the most sorry for in this whole thing is his publicist!