Comments on: Would you let Roman Polanski coach your child?

By: Austin Considine

Austin Considine — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:15:12 +0000

Nice one, Bob,

I found it beyond apalling that the foreign ministers of France and Poland would actually take the time to write a letter on Polanski’s behalf to Sec. of State Clinton. Because he’s such a great guy to stand up for, right? Why in the fuck would a government official stick his neck out like that over a self-admitted child rapist? Who gives a shit who he is?

In a letter, Harvey Weinstein referred to anally raping a 13-year-old as a “so-called crime” and said that Polanski had served his time. I guess the 42 days he spent confined for psychiatric evaluation before he fled the country counts as time served in Hollywood. Who the hell do these people think they are?

Woody Allen was hardly a surprise — and you’re right, it’s funnier than probably his last 10 movies. Scorcese lost his edge years ago, so it doesn’t surprise me that the self-important artiste would sign on as well. But I confess I am really bummed that David Lynch signed on. I expected a little more perspective from the guy who directed “Mullholland Drive.”

Polanski is a great director. It doesn’t get much better than “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Repulsion,” is an important film, and, yeah, I totally cried watching “The Piano.” It doesn’t matter. We can suspend our judgment of the man when we examine his art. But this isn’t an examination of his art. It’s about drugging and raping a little kid. How do all these people go to bat for this guy in good conscience? Supporting him seems to me like one of those points of view that’s best kept to one’s self.

By: Thomas Medlicott

Thomas Medlicott — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:02:43 +0000

What a creepy lot, this Hollywood crew, to be so indignant about Roman Polanski’s incarceration and, hopefully, extradition back to California’s justice system.
Steve Lopez writes in the LA Times today, after reading documents from the DA’s office written at the time of the rape, that Polanski did not suddenly find himself in bed with this 13 year old. He had a systematic plan to intoxicate and seduce her. But the girl resisted – her side of the testimony – and said “no, don’t,” and “I have to leave” and direct requests to not have intercourse – which he did. One of our close family members was raped at age twelve. The woman is in her sixties now and has really had a life of turmoil, partly associated with that one tragic trip to the market. Her rapist worked in a dry cleaning store and was caught and harshly sentenced. I know the scenario is different – famous damaged movie director, Jack Nicholson’s house (fuck him and his courtside seats) but a thirteen year old girl was raped, sodomized, and orally copulated. Readers should check the stats of violent sexual offenders – they are usually repeat offenders. Polanski had a life that most would envy. He also had unimaginable horrors visited upon him. Therapy should not include raping thirteen year olds. Tom Medlicott

By: hidflect

hidflect — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:20:54 +0000

Are we all ignoring the racial elephant in the room here? BBC World certainly isn’t… with its harping on about the holocaust in their segment on Polanski. I lost a lot of relative too in WWII. Doesn’t excuse me from buggery, sodomy and rape, does it?

By: Susan Toepfer

Susan Toepfer — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:02:21 +0000

You gotta wonder what’s in Woody Allen’s head that he would sign this petition; it only brings attention back to his own creepy conduct in that long-ago seduction of his girlfriend’s daughter. As for the others–it boggles the mind that anyone could justify child rape, or excuse it because artists are somehow exempt.

Even the French are starting to balk–a new poll indicates 70 percent of the French do not believe their government should speak out in Polanski’s defense.