Bryan Cranston is catching some flak for suggesting that Hollywood sexual predators, such as Harvey
Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, could one day be rehabilitated. In one sense, his comments could be helpful - in reacting to these scandals, these damaged men have the opportunity to actually repent and try to do good things out of a redemptive urge to right their wrongs. However, the problem is if we think their careers or personalities can be rehabilitated. They were serial, unapologetic predators for decades - I don't think that's possible.
Cranston, who played Walter White in Breaking Bad, said in a new BBC interview:
"It would take time...It would take a society to forgive them and it would take tremendous contrition on their part. And a knowingness that they have a deeply rooted psychological and emotional problem. If they were to show us that they put the work in and are truly sorry and making amends and are not defending their actions but asking for forgiveness, then maybe down the road there is room for that, maybe so ... Then it would be up to us to determine, case by case, whether this person deserves a second chance."
Cranston, frustrated, continued:
"Sexual predatory behaviour is not a Hollywood problem, it's a societal problem and we're seeing that everywhere. What's so great [is] that it's being exposed. Young men and women should not have to tolerate being mistreated. We're an enlightened society, enough already. I don't want my daughter to be raised in an environment where she has to monitor her behaviour and avoid [walking past] a construction site."
Of course, Cranston sounds a bit naive here. How are we an 'enlightened society'? We're currently turning the planet too hot for our comfortable habitation, and are at endless war and social struggle with sexual assault, racism, classism, oligarchy, hypocrisy...I wouldn't describe any society on Earth as 'enlightened'. And why does sexism have to come from a 'construction site', i.e., blue-collar males? It seems pretty bigoted of Cranston to stereotype the working class as more sexist than the 'elites', especially when his fellow elites are the ones now being exposed for decades upon decades of power-drunk sexual harassments and assaults.
Cranston also commented on trump's victory, and a strain of thought behind Trump that was legitimate:
"It's a legitimate feeling to feel disenfranchised and not listened to, and they [Trump voters] latched on to his message of supreme accomplishment. He didn't burden himself with truth - don't worry about that, just listen to the message. He has this compulsion to need to talk, to feel like he's in control. A person doesn't always need to talk to be in control of the situation. Just be smart - sometimes being quiet and introspective is a good thing."
What do you think of Cranston's comments? Is it far too soon to consider if people like Weinstein and
Spacey can return to polite society, even while they fight allegations and deny dozens of accusers? Perhaps someone like
Louis CK is more redeemable than Weinstein, but even then, they will have to do a lot than talking. They will have to put resources and money and aid into causes that can help the problem, and they need to personally own up to their actions and live as examples of how to accept your own demons and stop doing terrible things.
