The Weinstein Effect

The project, The Weinstein Effect, or The Hollywood Purge of 2017, is aimed to cover events and notables accused or accusing of sexual misconduct starting to snowball in the latter half of 2017 (the post Weinstein era) plus notables who inspired this phenomenon and were involved in the build-up to it. One way or another.

The epicenter of the Weinstein Effect was the Hollywood mogul, Harvey Weinstein, Ambra Gutierrez, and later Alyssa Milano, who may be famous for something. She launched the #MeToo campaign, which went viral, caused a tsunami, swept all over the world, so to speak... And it remains to be seen what follows from all of this.

Background:

Harvey Weinstein is an American film producer and executive who achieved international fame as an independent film producer and co-founder of Miramax Films and The Weinstein Company.

In 2015 The New York Times reported that Weinstein was questioned by police "after a 22-year-old woman accused him of touching her inappropriately". The woman, later identified as Italian model Ambra Gutierrez, cooperated with the NYPD wearing a wire to obtain an audio recording where Weinstein admitted to having inappropriately touched her.

In the end, the prosecutor dropped the charges and In the end, the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., announced he would not press charges. Once the criminal case was closed, Mr. Weinstein silenced Ms. Battilana with a In the end, the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., announced he would not press charges. Once the criminal case was closed, Mr. Weinstein silenced Ms. Battilana with a substantial payment.

In October 2017, The New York Times and The New Yorker reported that dozens of women accused Weinstein of sexual abuse over a period of at least 30 years. More than 80 women in the film industry have subsequently accused Weinstein of such acts. Weinstein denied "any non-consensual sex".

The scandal triggered many similar allegations against powerful men around the world, and led to the ousting of many of them from their positions. It also led a great number of women to share their own experiences of sexual assault, harassment, or rape on social media under the hashtag #MeToo. The scandal's impact on powerful men, and women, in various industries came to be called the "Weinstein effect".

The Accused

Harvey Weinstein, Da man himself.

1. Roger Ailes, the former Chair and CEO of the Fox News, charged of sexual harassment in June 2016 by the former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson.
2. Bill Cosby has been the subject of highly publicized sexual assault allegations, dating from the mid-1960s, and Cosby has been accused by more than 50 women of either rape, drug facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, child sexual abuse, and/or sexual misconduct.
3. Ron Jeremy, accused by Ginger Lynn and Jennifer Steele in an interview for the Rolling Stone magazine. As a consequence, he later was banned from 2018 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo and Awards in Las Vegas.
4. Andy Kreisberg is (was) an American television writer, producer and comic book writer. On November 10, 2017, Kreisberg was suspended from his role as showrunner on number of shows after 15 women and 4 men accused him of sexual harassment. On November 29, 2017 he was fired from all Warner Bros. Television projects.
5. Matt Lauer, host of The Today Show, who, following allegations of his inappropriate sexual behavior towards a colleague, was purged by NBC in November 2017.
6. James Lawrence Levine is an American conductor and pianist. He is primarily known for his tenure as Music Director of the Met, a position he held for 40 years (1976–2016). He was formally terminated by the Met from all his positions and affiliations with the company on March 12, 2018 over sexual misconduct allegations which he denies. Four men have accused Levine of sexually molesting them (three of them minors.)
7. Roy Moore is an American politician and jurist who served as the 27th and 31st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama. In November 2017, nine women accused Moore of sexual misconduct.
8. Brett Rattner is an American director and producer. In late 2017, a former talent agency employee, Natasha Henstridge, accused Ratner of rape and seven other women accused him of sexual misconduct and harassment.
9. Charlie Rose is an American television journalist and former talk show host. From 1991 to 2017, he was the host and executive producer of the talk show Charlie Rose on PBS and Bloomberg LP. In November 2017, Rose's employment at CBS was terminated, and his eponymous show Charlie Rose on PBS was cancelled after in-house allegations of sexual harassment.
10. Kevin Spacey, who, on October 29, 2017, was alleged that, Spacey, apparently drunk, made a sexual advance toward an actor Anthony Rapp in 1986 when Rapp was but 14. Spacey was further accused by some 15 people, including a former member of the Norwegian Royal Family Ari Behn. Following the allegations, Spacey came out of the closet, so to speak, but this was widely considered as bad timing.
11. Jeffery Tambor was, on November 8, 2017 accused of sexual misconduct by his former assistant, Van Barnes. On November 16, 2017, actress Trace Lysette additionally made accusations against Tambor.
12. President Donald Trump vs. Stormy Daniels.
13. Leon Wieseltier is an American writer, critic, philosopher and magazine editor. From 1983 to 2014, he was the literary editor of The New Republic. He was a contributing editor and critic at The Atlantic until October 27, 2017, when the magazine terminated his employment due to allegations of sexual harassment.

The Accusers

Ambra Gutierrez, credited for the first Big Time accusation towards Harvey Weinstein in 2015.

Alyssa Milano, tweeted "#MeToo".

1. Ari Behn, former member of the Norwegial Royal Family, accused Spacey.
2. Gretchen Carlson, sued Roger Ailes.
3. Stormy Damiels, an adult film actress who settled a case with Donald Trump, now wants to unsettle it.
4. Natasha Henstridge against Brett Ratner.
5. Ginger Lynn quoted in the Rolling Stone saying that Ron Jeremy raped her in 1983.
6. Anthony Rapp, vs. Kevin Spacey.

The Survivors

Bob Weinstein, brother to Harvey. Right after Harvey's case came public, Bob was also accused of sexual harassment as well. In the story in the Rolling Stone magazine, he had asked somebody if somebody was single. Pretty lame.

1. Charlie Sheen, posited by The Daily Beast that misconduct of most any kind being is just part of Mr. Sheen's brand. "There is one accused man who seems to survive no matter what." But while Daily Beast labels Sheen a serial abuser, his ex spouse Ginger Lynn says he, not once, was violent.

The Bystanders and other notables worthwhile mentioining

1. Laurene Powell Jobs, widow to Steve Jobs, fired Leon Wieseltier.
2. Cyrus Vance, Jr., district attorney of Manhattan who refused to raise a case against Weinstein regarding the case of Ambra Gutierrez.

Additional Reading

1. Harvey Weinstein in Wikipedia.
2. Allegations against Weinstein in Wikipedia.
3. The Weinstein Effect in Wikipedia.
4. Political Scandals related to the Purge of 2017-2018 in Wikipedia.
5. Ambra Gutierrez in Wikipedia.
6. Tarana Burke in Wikipedia.
7. Alyssa Milano in Wikipedia.
8. #MeToo Movement in Wikipedia.