Filmmaker Roman Polanski Has a Few Things to Say About the #MeToo Movement (Is He Right?)

Let’s just start this out by saying: Dude, you drugged and raped a 13-year old girl.

Now with that bit of knowledge, right off the top, we can address the mewling protestations of kiddie toucher filmmaker, Roman Polanski.

Polanski is the 84-year old director of some pretty decent films. My favorite would probably be 2002’s “The Pianist,” with Adrien Brody.

That doesn’t absolve him of what he did.

Polanski was in Poland last week, speaking with the Polish version of Newsweek, while promoting an upcoming film.

Wouldn’t you know it? He targeted the #MeToo movement – a movement aimed at exposing the intimidation by and sexual misconduct of powerful men that has long been suspected, but actively covered up through the years.

To date, the movement has run roughshod across the entertainment, media, political, and business worlds.

It has razed the strongholds that have long stood to protect some of the worst offenders, beginning with movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, and eventually enveloping men like NBC’s Matt Lauer and casino magnate, Steve Wynn.

I’d say it was necessary to force this ugliness to the surface, but has it gotten out of control?

I’ll agree that some who are now beginning to grumble their objections may have a point.

And I’ll say this: If a man holds a door for me, or compliments my new hairstyle, I don’t feel the need to call a press conference or fall into a screeching fit of feminist hysteria.

Because I’m sane. I actually appreciate that stuff. I know how to say, “Thank you,” and go on with my life.

But back to Chester the Molester Mr. Polanski.

On May 3, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted to strip Roman Polanski of his membership, something he’s maintained for almost 50 years – including through the time he was accused of drugging a 13-year old model and taking advantage of her, in 1977.

Even after he fled the country to a non-extraditable country, to avoid prosecution.

Even after years of Hollywood elitists praising his body of work, knowing he was a fugitive from justice.

The #MeToo movement forced them to adjust their public face.

The interview Polanski did for Newsweek was conducted before the announcement of the Academy that he was being ousted.

I can only imagine what he said afterwards, given what he said before.

In his interview Polanski said that to him, #MeToo is a “collective hysteria of the kind that sometimes happens in the society.”

“Everyone is trying to sign up, chiefly out of fear,” he said, comparing it to North Korea’s public mourning for its leaders when everyone cries so much that “you can’t help laughing.”

“To me this is total hypocrisy,” he said, but did not elaborate.

He’s not entirely wrong, but let’s not forget:

You drugged and raped a 13-year old girl.

There may come a time when #MeToo runs its course. And I actually get the frustration of those who feel that something that started out as necessary has become an intimidation tool.

I’m about at my end with the whole “girl power” thing. It feels like overcompensation, and that’s not an honest appreciation of the contributions of women.

Men and women were created to complement each other, to work in tandem. Now it’s all about beating down the men, pretend women are superheroes, with no limitations or things they would actually need a man’s help with.

Neither of those options are rooted in reality.

Polanski’s attorney, Jan Olszewski, has described Polanski’s reaction to the news of his dismissal from the Academy as “indignant.”

Yeah. I guess so, but –

He drugged and raped a 13-year old girl!

Olszewski told The Associated Press that stripping Polanski of his Academy membership bore signs of “psychological abuse of an elderly person” for “populist goals.”

I don’t even know what that means. Sure. He’s elderly, but he’s also a fugitive from justice, and had he done the right thing years ago, none of this would be on him, right now.

As for me, I’m hoping to see balance return, where men are more respectful and women don’t feel the need to march with something they call “pu**y hats” on, or in vagina costumes, while also expecting to be taken seriously.

Men and women can actually have rational, respectful conversations without histrionics. Let’s aim for that, and everything else will fall into place.