A resurfaced joke from Nathan Lane at the 2002 Oscars has raised eyebrows as people question how much other celebrities knew about Harvey Weinstein's crimes.
In February last year, Weinstein pleaded for mercy as a California judge sentenced him to an additional 16 years behind bars. This followed a jury's conviction of three counts of rape and sexual assault, adding to his existing 23-year sentence in New York for similar charges in 2020.
Weinstein, once a powerful figure in the film industry, faced the additional sentence for the rape of an actress, identified as Jane Doe 1 for anonymity, at a Beverly Hills hotel in 2013, per Sky News.
The conviction was a significant moment in the #MeToo movement, bringing attention to sexual abuse and harassment prevalent in the film and television industry.
In the courtroom, Weinstein made an emotional plea, stating: "This is a made-up story. Jane Doe 1 is an actress. She can turn the tears on. Please don't sentence me to life in prison. I don't deserve it. There are so many things wrong with this case."
He added: "There are too many loopholes. Too many things wrong with this case. This is a setup. This is not the way to act in this situation. I beg your mercy."
Now, a resurfaced 2002 Academy Awards clip featuring Nathan Lane making a joke about Weinstein has recently resurfaced, and it's pretty alarming.
As Lane presented the award for Best Animated Feature Film, won by Aron Warner’s Shrek, he delivered a punchline that caught many off guard.
"Gosh, up until now I thought Monsters Incorporated was a documentary on the Weinsteins," Lane quipped, causing muffled and awkward laughter from the audience. He then added: "Oh, we kid the rich and powerful because we love them."
This clip has sparked a conversation online, with one person writing: "That weinstein joke is incredible but jesus its bad just how much everyone knew."
A second person said: "The joke about Weinstein is excellent, yet it's also gross and scary," while a third said: "Weinstein joke be hitting a tad different now we know what we know now."
The context behind Lane's jab dates back to an October 2000 event, where Weinstein reportedly confronted Lane for making a joke about the former Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani's hair.
Vulture reported that Weinstein allegedly threw Lane against a wall, asserting: "This is my f***ing show, we don't need you." In 2017, Lane alluded to the incident, revealing he had told Weinstein: "You can't hurt me, I don't have a film career."
Weinstein has consistently claimed that all his sexual encounters were consensual and denies any wrongdoing.
