Oprah Winfreyhas pulled back from her plannedRussell Simmons#MeToo documentary.
The media mogul, 65, was set to be an executive producer on the untitled film, which is slated for a Sundance Film Festival premiere later this month.
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They continued, “The #MeToo experiences of Black women deserve to be heard, especially against powerful men, so we will continue with our plans to bring the film to The Sundance Film Festival. This film more than two years in the making, will be our eighth to premiere at Sundance.”
“The film is a beacon of hope for voices that have long been suppressed, and an inspiration for anyone wanting to regain their personal power,” they added.
Tina Tchen, president and CEO of TIME’S UP Foundation said in a statement the organization “is in full support of the survivors who have spoken out about Russell Simmons. These women are brave. We believe them.”
Simmons made his feelings about the documentary known on social media in December when he shared a photo of himself and Winfrey from a previousSuper Soul Sundaysession in which he was a guest.
“Dearest OPRAH,you have been a shining light to my family and my community. Contributing so much to my life that I couldn’t list a fraction of it in this blog.Ihave given you the gift of meditation and the groundbreaking book”THE POWER OF NOW “we bonded to say the least,” Simmons began. “This is why it’s so troubling that you choose me to single out in your recent documentry. I have already admitted to being a playboy more (appropriately titled today “womanizer”) sleeping with and putting myself in more compromising situations than almost any man I know. Not 8 or 14 thousand like Warren Beatty or Wilt Chamberlain, but still an embarrassing number. So many that some could reinterpret or reimagine a different recollection of the same experiences.”
“Now that you have reviewed the facts and you SHOULD have learned what I know; that these stories are UNUSABLE and that “hurt people hurt people”. Today I received a call from an old girlfriend from the early 1980s which means that they are using my words/evidence against me and their COMMITMENT/ (all of the claims are 25 to 40 years old) It is impossible to prove what happened 40 years ago, but in my case proof exists of what didn’t happen, mostly signed letters from their own parents, siblings, roommates, band members, interns, and in the case of 2 of your 3 accusers,their own words in their books. Shocking how many people have misused this important powerful revolution for relevance and money.”
Simmons denied the allegations that he had “forced” himself on women in his post, writing, “… In closing, I am guilty of exploiting, supporting, and making the soundtrack for a grossly unequal society, but i have never been violent or forced myself on anyone. Still I am here to help support a necessary shift in power and consciousness. Let us get to work on uplifting humanity and put this moment and old narrative behind us.”
Multiple women have accused the music producer of sexual misconduct including Drew Dixon, who is the subject of the documentary and one of the first women to come forward with accusations toward Simmons.
Dixon alleges his behavior culminated in rape one day in his Manhattan apartment. “I was broken,” she told theTimes, adding that Simmons allegedly pinned her to his bed and she later woke up naked in his hot tub after blacking out despite not having any alcohol.
source: people.com
