Roman Polanski Blasts #MeToo and Threatens to Sue Academy
*By Max Godnick*
Movie fans are used to hearing stars thank the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but it's rare for an Oscar winner to say he wants to sue it.
The Academy-award winning director Roman Polanski threatened to take legal action against the Academy after it voted May 3 to expel him from its ranks.
The expulsion comes more than 40 years after Polanski, the filmmaker behind "Rosemary's Baby" and "Chinatown," pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl, and 16 years since the Academy honored him as best director for "The Pianist."
Polanski's lawyer, Harland Braun, said in a letter to the Academy obtained by the [Hollywood Reporter] (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/roman-polanskis-attorney-threatens-sue-academy-directors-expulsion-1109821) that the Academy did not give his client a chance to argue his case.
The Academy revised its rules in January, with new guidelines for membership and standards of conduct after accusations of sexual assault and harassment against the Academy member Harvey Weinstein. The revelations about Weinstein's conduct led to the widespread #MeToo movement, which Polanski called "collective hysteria" and "total hypocrisy."
"I think that it's the height of hypocrisy for a known pedophile and a sex offender to disparage and criticize people that have come forward after being sexually abused by powerful people in the media and Hollywood," said Jennifer Cunningham, senior editor at the African-American-focused entertainment news site Bossip.
So why did it take the Academy so many years to take action?
"I think they did not have a choice at this point," said Cunningham, in an interview with Cheddar. "Especially with Bill Cosby's conviction, maybe they were just trying to clean house and really distance themselves from these individuals."
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expelled Cosby and Polanski on the same day.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/bill-and-ted-reunite-for-a-threequel).
Two recent studies by Conference Board, ESGauge, and Spencer Stuart find that the number of Black directors at S&P 500 companies is growing, but more needs to be done in order to see real gains in the boardroom. Jerusha Stewart, CEO of Take Your Seat joins Cheddar News to discuss what more needs to be done for a more inclusive workplace.
Hunter Walker joins Cheddar News to talk about his report in Rolling Stone that revealed how members of Congress and the White House helped plan the protest that turned violent on January 6.
If you plan on hosting family and friends this holiday season, you may want to start stocking up on gifts right now. That's because major retailers don't anticipate the national supply chain crisis to end anytime soon. President Biden even says he's considering deploying the National Guard to ease the supply chain crisis. Melissa Gonzalez, CEO and founder of The Lionesque Group, joins Cheddar News to breakdown what consumers should expect.
It's no doubt that the pandemic has been tough on the job market. According to the Labor Department, a record four million people quit their jobs in April. Now, a new survey from Oracle is touching on mental health and how employees are demanding more from their work lives. Juergen Lindner, SVP of global software for SaaS at Oracle, joins Cheddar Wellness to talk about the findings.
The new 2023 C8 Corvette Z06 is finally here. GM's Chevrolet is holding a livestream feature film to debut the car. A panel discussion will also take place to break down everything you need to know about the vehicle. Tadge Juechter, Corvette's executive chief engineer, joins Cheddar News to talk about the new model.
Award-winning author Marita Golden is taking a closer look at what makes Black women strong and dispelling the myth of the 'strong Black woman' trope that's often pushed in society. In her new book, 'The Strong Black Woman: How a Myth Endangers the Physical and Mental Health of Black Women,' she takes a closer look at how the stigma surrounding mental illness in the Black community has left women in the dark about seeking help. Author Marita Golden joins Cheddar Wellness to talk more about the project. The book is available to purchase on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Black-Woman-Endangers-Physical/dp/1642506834
The Roots' Questlove joined Cheddar's 'Between Bells' to talk about partnering with The Balvenie Scotch whisky on a new web series called 'Quest for Craft,' where he interviews big-name guests about their creative processes. He noted that he hopes the series can act as a guide for recent college grads who might be confused about their personal path to take toward success.
Jill and Carlo discuss the pending approval for Pfizer's vaccine for kids, the state of anti-Semitism three years after Tree of Life, potential criminal charges in the 'Rust' prop gun shooting and more.
