Celeb TV Host Gets Attacked by Hillary Aides After He Dared to Criticize Her Weinstein Statement
Hillary Clinton and her 2016 campaign's national press secretary, Brian Fallon / Getty Images
Current and former aides to Hillary Clinton ganged up on Anthony Bourdain on Twitter after Bourdain criticized Clinton for her delayed response to the sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein.
Clinton received criticism for initially staying silent after the New York Times reported last week that several women have accused Weinstein, the powerful Hollywood producer and Democratic mega-donor, of sexual harassment, assault, and even rape. The New Yorker subsequently published a story detailing how Italian actress Ambra Battilana Gutierrez staged a sting operation with the police, during which she secretly recorded Weinstein admitting he groped her and that he does so to other women often.
Weinstein has donated thousands of dollars to Clinton throughout her political career. He maxed out donations ($5,400) to Clinton's failed 2016 presidential campaign and gave more than $30,000 to the Hillary Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee between Clinton's campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and more than 30 state Democratic parties.
The Hollywood mogul has also given at least $250,000 to the Clinton Foundation.
Five days after the initial Times story broke, amid growing criticism, Clinton released a statement condemning Weinstein.
"I was shocked and appalled by the revelations about Harvey Weinstein," Clinton said in the statement. "The behavior described by women coming forward cannot be tolerated. Their courage and the support of others is critical in helping to stop this kind of behavior."
Clinton then conducted an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria, clips of which aired Wednesday night, in which the former presidential candidate said she would re-donate the money she received from Weinstein, but did not specify where it would go.
Bourdain, host of CNN's "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown," criticized Clinton for her tepid response on Wednesday night.
And I have to say, Hillary's interview with Fareed Zakaria was shameful in its deflection and its disingenuousness.
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) October 11, 2017know what Hillary Clinton is NOT? She's not stupid. Or unsophisticated about the world. The Weinstein stories had been out there for years
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) October 11, 2017Mindless Hillary hate aside, this was a terrible response to questions about a "friend" who's been tormenting women for decades.
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) October 11, 2017I have met Hillary Clinton. I liked her. I admired much about her. This interview was a real disappointment.
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) October 11, 2017And please..this is not about blame or equivalency . My feelings about Mr. Trump are well known. No one should take satisfaction from this
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) October 12, 2017Hillary is CLEARLY not responsible for anything Weinstein Thats screamingly obvious. Her response to questions though has been uninspiring
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) October 12, 2017Secretary Clinton was one of the most intelligent, well prepared, well briefed politicians ever. So, yes. I'd hoped for a better response
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) October 12, 2017The Weinstein controversy is personal for Bourdain. He is dating Italian actress and director Asia Argento, one of Weinstein's alleged victims.
I can assure you that the victims of Mr. Weinstein's three decades of predatory behavior are disappointed too. I'm sitting next to one.
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) October 12, 2017Clinton aides quickly came to their current or former boss's defense. Clinton's communications director, Nick Merrill, first told Bourdain to "get a grip."
Seriously @Bourdain, get a grip. She did an honest interview, condemned HW, is returning contributions. I’m tossing all my @LuckyPeach mags. https://t.co/YcShUYfX4t
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 12, 2017Her former campaign spokesman, Brian Fallon, told Bourdain to "go eat a scorpion."
Go eat a scorpion or something.https://t.co/jlKBC2TDmI
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) October 12, 2017Clinton adviser Adam Parkhomenko called Bourdain's comments "sad."
On Hillary Clinton’s wedding anniversary, @Bourdain had nothing better to do than attack her. Sad. https://t.co/LbeQzL8V7s
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) October 12, 2017The Clinton aides also went after CNN media reporter Dylan Byers, who tweeted that Clinton should donate the Weinstein money on top of what she already gives to charity "in order to mean something."
It’s 2 separate points.HRC gives 10% of her money to charity, personally.Also, she will donate campaign contributions from HW to charity. https://t.co/FbhelxHtJh
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 12, 2017Trump is the President. He committed sexual assault. And he gives nothing to charity.Let's worry about him instead.https://t.co/PF76IQDXqK
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) October 12, 2017MARVIN X ON HARVEY WEINSTEIN AND THE MYTHOLOGY OF PUSSY AND DICK
The matter of sexual improprieties transcends patriarchal culture, race and gender into pure power relationships between human beings. Yes, sexual improprieties are pervasive in the arts, academia, the corporate workplace, in all religions and every other social institution and/or environment. As per Hollywood and the casting couch, let us be honest, Hollywood is not the only villain, but all the arts: even in the Black Arts Movement, and alas, in the Black Liberation Movement, such sexual improprieties were pervasive, and I repeat, in academia as well, including Black studies, along with all other academic studies.When I taught English at a certain university and a student complained to my dean, and after I denied all charges, the dean made me agree to have sexual encounters with grad students only, leave the freshman girls alone. She noted that I had been under surveillance and was observed in a restaurant having dinner with the freshman student who complained about my sexual behavior as an instructor.
As a writer, director, producer, actor and lecturer and visiting professor in academia, I took full advantage of my position saturated in male privilege. If Harvey Weinstein is guilty, let me be hyperbolic: so is every man. As I examine global patriarchal culture, I conclude men are predators, women are prey. In war, we know men are expendable and disposable but women are booty or spoils of war.
But as I said at the outset, sexual domination transcends gender. We have known gay men in theatre who demanded sexual liberties with young gay actors or said in classical language, demanded the young brothers join them on the casting couch. And don't think for a moment lesbian women in the arts do not take full advantage of their power positions as per young females, demanding sexual improprieties for career advancement. Of course this madness goes on in the corporate workplace.
The American South has a sordid history of black women performing sexual acts to keep their jobs, alas, with full knowledge of their husbands! As they say in Houston, Texas, "You better AX somebody!" And not to put this madness on the "Dirty South," years ago Jet Magazine (the Negro Bible), revealed a great percentage of Black women confessed to having sex with the boss on the job!
This entire matter is about power and privilege, not gender, although in the majority global patriarchal culture, men are the villains, though other genders are on the rise. Again, this is a global pandemic that encompasses all religions, no matter Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Yoruba, Hindu, et al. Certainly, we must note the pedophilia in the Catholic church, Muslim madrassas, Yoruba manhood training rites, etc. It is well known America allows Afghanistan soldiers to have sexual relations with young boys as a cultural rite.
And it well known 30% of USA soldiers are victims of rape, alas, male and female! I asked a former female member of the US Army, why and how was she violated since she was armed when she was raped, she replied, "We are not trained to retaliate!"
So the Mythology of Pussy and Dick continues and no solution is in sight as long as the patriarchal culture dominates, and again, it is quite doubtful the matriarchal culture will deconstruct this abomination. Alas, did not Hillary Clinton, socalled champion of women's rights, defend her husband's sexual improprieties and try to destroy the women he debased? So much for the feminine mystique!
Without the total destruction of mythological religiosity in all spiritual institutions, along with the deconstruction of white supremacy capitalism and its newborn babe globalism that transcends racism, pathological sexual relations shall persist! There is a light at the end of the tunnel: women will soon be able to drive in Saudi Arabia!
--Marvin X/El Muhajir
10/10/17