with Stephen Meyler

#AlPorter

#StarTrek

#AustraliaEquality

CELEBRITY SCANDAL FOREVER

At the time of writing, comedian Al Porter was the latest public figure to resign a job because of allegations of inappropriate behaviour. Unlike most of the global names caught up in this tide of stories, he’s young, the same age, in fact, that many of the people abused by Weinstein, Spacey, Bill Cosby and the rest were when the attacks took place.

Nonetheless, Porter seems in big trouble, even if his statement about resigning from Today FM suggested the excuse that whatever behaviour he indulged in was down to his “outrageous” entertainment persona and he apologised if anyone was unintentionally hurt.

The many revelations about celebrity types, multiplied immediately and globally by social media (without the need for anything as boring as evidence), are often just as swiftly followed by admissions of guilt (or illness) and the disappearance of the accused. Even if they deny the accusations, the damage is done.

It’s not justice, but most people, seeing how rarely the law has been involved in preventing these ‘casting couch’ attacks in the past, wouldn’t be too worried about what happens to the alleged attackers. People on the receiving end of an abusive power relationship – usually women, but some young men too – have been avenged by the digital court of public opinion and the world is a little better, right?

Have things changed in the recent past, as the list of accused grows? Look at Mel Gibson for example. In 2010, he admitted far worse things than groping his former partner, Oksana Grigorieva, including violent assaults, not to mention making disgusting statements about her to anyone who would listen. There was plenty of evidence for these crimes.

Not to diminish the trauma the 14-year-old Anthony Rapp underwent at the hands of Kevin Spacey (or any of the many young men he is now accused of attacking), but it seems like Mel Gibson got offlightly for more serious crimes. He’s now so rehabilitated that talk show hosts can ask his opinion about all the other assaults that have emerged since his own. What’s the difference? It’s not homophobia, since Harvey Weinstein is heterosexual, but could it be that the woman who he attacked was his partner and so his crime was perceived as less heinous and more rehabilitation-friendly?

While it’s great that abusive power has been held to account in these cases, it’s telling that the legal element only seems to come into effect after social media has its say. Okay, so the abusers’ careers are destroyed (or temporarily damaged), but how possible is a fair trial, if absolutely everyone has already made up their minds?

Then there’s the fatigue effect. How many victims of abusers out there, who may have pressed their memories of the attack deep down so they can get on with life, now find that impossible? If they go public about the attacks in a few months or years, will the fickle global gaze have turned to some other, in the news, outrage, and this moment of imperfect retribution will have passed? Let’s hope not.

TO BOLDLY GO…

Speaking of Anthony Rapp, Star Trek fans got very excited recently by the first proper gay relationship and kiss on the latest version of the 50-year-old show, Discovery. His character, who flies the ship with spores (or something) is in a committed and often referenced relationship with the ship’s doctor (played by Wilson Cruz, who also played the equally ground-breaking Rickie Vasquez in ’90s cult favourite, My So-Called Life). While Discovery continues the Star Trek tradition of being socially progressive (it’s hard to imagine how radical the ‘interracial kiss’ between William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols was in the 1960s USA), why has it taken so long for the show to boldly go gay?

While it’s great that abusive power has been held to account in these cases, it’s telling that the legal element only seems to come into ef ect at er social media has its say.

IRISH INFLUENCE DOWN UNDER

The Australians decided by a quaint sounding postal vote that they want marriage equality and it’s likely their parliament will give it to them soon. A great victory for the people who worked for the change in a campaign where it seemed the No side was better financed than it was here in 2015. Many of the Australian Yes campaigners say they were inspired by the Irish victory, in a ‘C’mon liberal Australia, if a supposedly Catholic country like Ireland can change, then surely, so can we?’ kind of way.

Australians were surprised by the Irish Yes vote and hopefully the inspiration to change they took from us might help undo some of their more negative attitudes to Irish people. We hear so many stories of Irish people living in Australia for a few years in their 20s, there to have a good time, with the wrecked rental apartments and violent drunkenness that sometimes go with the party. So, it’s refreshing to be seen as leading by example in this case.