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“That is what makes him a predator”: Graham Norton names worst ever guest

Graham Norton has called out his "least favourite guest" on his long-running talk show in his new tell-all book. The BBC presenter was on a book tour for his new memoir Forever Home in his native Dublin when he opened up about the star's "chilling" behaviour before he even arrived on set. Two years before the avalanche of allegations about convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein came to light in 2017, he appeared on Graham's famous red sofa. He joined Doctor Who actor David Tennant, Oscar winner Olivia Colman and singer Jessie J in 2015. “I often talk around who my least favourite guest was, but someone reminded me, I have a really good answer to this now,” Norton said, according to Irish news outlet <a title="www.joe.ie" href="https://www.joe.ie/movies-tv/graham-norton-worst-guest-756066?fbclid=IwAR16hRsekgbR7OCKoYxJMIzG08n1nkAKcuASfa4ErXuXOpByUu3Y0X3WXeE">Joe</a>. “And actually, it was weird, because he asked for my e-mail. And he e-mailed me something very nice, a complimentary thing. And then he decided he wanted to be on the show, because he was going to promote something." “And it was a show that was fully booked, so I replied saying ‘Oh, thank you so much, but the show is fully booked’. He e-mailed back: ‘What if I blah de blah de blah’." “And he e-mailed back again, ‘But I think...’, and I just had to turn to my booker and say ‘Can you please deal with this?’ And at the time, I thought that sort of attitude, that kind of ‘Oh no, I’m going on’, that is what makes you a very good producer." “But of course, now that we know what we know, that is what makes him a predator. It was that kind of weird, tunnel-vision thing. And it was sort of chilling in retrospect, because I was just laughing at those emails. But you realise ‘Oh my God, that is an insight into how that man is’.” Weinstein is serving a 23-year prison sentence after a New York jury found him guilty of sexual assault. Image credits: Getty Images

Aussie town welcomes first baby in 15 years

A remote Australian town has welcomed its first baby in 15 years with the father just making the delivery after trekking a crazy 280km. Jessie Harvey rushed to Richmond Hospital in outback Queensland about 3am on April 30 when she started experiencing contractions. There were no midwives or births at Richmond Hospital and the doctor who had checked Jessie fainted soon after telling her she was 8cm dilated. The hospital called for help from the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and staff were relieved to have someone experienced on hand. However, the only problem was Jessie’s partner Sam McGrath was 280km away working on a remote cattle station at East Creek, Woodstock when he received the surprising news. He immediately jumped into his ute and drove the hundreds of kilometres and shockingly made it in time for his son’s birth. “I had just taken a sip out of my coffee when I got the call. I grabbed my bag and chucked it on the ute then had to high-tail it into town,” he told Daily Mail Australia. RFDS doctor Shima Ghedia helped deliver baby Darby who was welcomed into the world with cheers after being the first baby born in 15 years in the remote town. “It was honestly amazing everyone was so stoked, so happy to see a child being born [at Richmond],” Sam said. “It was pretty well a cheering vibe, everyone was quite ecstatic.” Image: Facebook

Family & Pets

Revealed: Who this Lord of the Rings orc was based on

Elijah Wood, the actor who played Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings, has revealed that one particular orc <a rel="noopener" href="https://happymag.tv/lord-of-the-rings-orc-harvey-weinsteins-appearance/" target="_blank">was modelled</a> after a real person in an act of revenge. Appearing on Armchair Expert, hosted by actor and comedian Dax Shepard, Wood shared that it was the orc named Gothmog, who made an appearance in Return of the King, after Jackson was threatened to be replaced if he didn’t condense the trilogy into one film. But who was the subject of the revenge? “One of the orc masks - and I remember this vividly - was designed to look like Harvey Weinstein as a sort of f**k you,” Wood said. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844672/orc-weinstein.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2b7b8ba14511436eb31235973ddb06b5" /> Gothmog the orc (left) appears to be the character that most resembles Weinstein (right). Image: New Line Cinema, Getty Images According to Wood, it was a way for the film’s production team to take revenge against the entertainment mogul and convicted sex offender after he made their lives hard during production. Initially, Weinstein’s company Miramax was set to produce The Lord of the Rings. But, Weinstein refused to make three movies, demanding that director Peter Jackson condense them into just one. Weinstein then threatened to pass the film on to fellow directors Quentin Tarantino or John Madden if Jackson didn’t do as he asked. After Jackson reportedly asked for permission to get a different producer, Weinstein agreed but only gave him one weekend to do so. “The window of time was insane,” Wood said. “They shopped it around town. Peter made a pitch video that’s pretty impressive, taken to a variety of places. Most people were balking at the notion of doing more than one film. The popular opinion was, ‘No, you have to see how [the initial movie] does and then invest the rest of your money’.” The franchise was later scooped up by Bob Shaye, the founder of New Line Cinema. “I think the lore is that they were coming with two and it was Bob Shaye who said, ‘We have to do three,’ which is insane,” said Wood. The trilogy would go on to make $2.92 billion at the box office, and is considered to be one of the most successful franchises of all time. Image: New Line Cinema

Movies

Chinese defector has new theory on COVID origins

A Chinese defector has suggested the COVID-19 pandemic began after the virus was potentially leaked amongst participants of the military games in Wuhan in October 2019, months before the deadly outbreak was confirmed by China. Defector and democracy campaigner Wei Jingsheng was speaking with Sky News journalist Sharri Markson for her new book What Really Happened in Wuhan. He said thousands of athletes from around the world came to Wuhan for the Military World Games in October and this was likely the first superspreader event. Jingsheng said: “I thought that the Chinese government would take this opportunity to spread the virus during the Military Games, as many foreigners would show up there,” he said. He claims he was aware of Chinese authorities experimenting with "strange biological weapons", a tip off from a government source, and tried to warn the US but was unsuccessful. Many athletes from different countries reported sickness <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8fddf3839bed4bb6be443112db24b245" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.2971342383107px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844291/wei-military-games-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8fddf3839bed4bb6be443112db24b245" /> Multiple athletes from around the world later reported sickness and symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Last month the US's Republican Foreign Affairs Committee released a report claiming Beijing was rushing to cover up the virus's spread around the time of the military games. Republican Representative Michael McCaul said: "When they realised what happened, Chinese Communist Party officials and scientists at the WIV began frantically covering up the leak.” "But their coverup was too late — the virus was already spreading throughout the megacity of Wuhan," he added. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4f8f86d22ea94363be718fe6352928ca" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.1804008908686px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844293/wei-jingshang-lab-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4f8f86d22ea94363be718fe6352928ca" /> China suggests other countries are responsible for COVID China has pointed to overseas, including Italy, France and the US, where it says the virus was detected long before it reported its first official cases in December 2019 but Jingsheng’s theory provides an explanation for such cases. The Communist Party of China has become angry over what it claims is a concerted effort from the West to smear China when it comes to the investigation of the origins of COVID. Beijing has suggested it was the US who imported the virus to Wuhan during the military games, calling for investigations into its Fort Detrick facility. Former US president Donald Trump suggest the evidence points to a lab leak <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/687e3da31a264cff9642b3b46f5b8426" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.2018489984592px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844292/wei-trump-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/687e3da31a264cff9642b3b46f5b8426" /> Former US president Donald Trump also spoke with Markson for her book and he claimed it’s “obvious” the virus had been leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Trump made a point of saying he didn’t think the virus was “intentionally” spread but that it escaped via an accidental leak. “I don’t know if they had bad thoughts or whether it was gross incompetence, but one way or the other, it came out of Wuhan, and it came from the Wuhan lab,” Trump said. Trump added one indication was the early emergence of stories filtering into his office about body bags being piled up outside the lab. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also talked with Markson and he said there was “enormous, albeit indirect, evidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the centrepoint for this.” “The cumulative evidence that one can see points singularly to the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” he said. Pompeo added the US has intelligence three scientists at the lab fell ill two months before the first cases of COVID were officially reported in December 2019. Former US director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe says these scientists are now missing. Another claim that was delivered to Trump was that a lab worker left for lunch and met his girlfriend, infecting her with the virus. WHO chief calls for more investigation of the lab leak theory Initially criticised for his soft approach with China, World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus surprisingly questioned the findings of a joint mission into the origins of COVID earlier this year, calling for more to be done to investigate the lab leak theory. Image: Getty Images and Sky News

Travel Trouble

“I never worked with him again”: Angelina Jolie on Harvey Weinstein

Angelina Jolie has shared more about her experience with convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein, revealing in a new interview that she turned down a role in Martin Scorsese’s 2004 film The Aviator to avoid working with him. “If you get yourself out of the room, you think he attempted but didn’t, right?” Jolie told The Guardian while reflecting on filming the Weinstein-produced film Playing by Heart in 1998 when she was 21. “The truth is that the attempt and the experience of the attempt is the assault.” Jolie has previously spoken about the incident with Weinstein as a “bad experience”, but now labels it as an assault. “It was beyond a pass, it was something I had to escape. I stayed away and warned people about him,” she said in the interview. “I remember telling Johnny [Lee Miller], my first husband, who was great about it, to spread the word to other guys - don’t let girls go alone with him. “I was asked to do Aviator, but I said no because he was involved. I never associated or worked with him again.” Though her first husband stood by her, her most recent partner, Brad Pitt, was initially less supportive. Pitt starred in Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, which was distributed and co-financed by the Weinstein Company. <img style="width: 500px; height: 364.2578125px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844005/gettyimages-89735716.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62a14e4af83e4f809a3a1e0a97149d57" /> Image: Getty Images Jolie also alleged in the interview that Pitt approached Weinstein to produce his 2012 film Killing Them Softly against her wishes. The Weinstein Company eventually distributed the film, which resulted in Jolie avoiding attending promotional events for it. “We fought about it. Of course it hurt,” Jolie said. “It was hard for me when Brad [worked with him].” Pitt later made headlines for a 2019 interview with CNN, where he disavowed Weinstein. The Fight Club star also said he had confronted Weinstein in 1995, after his then-girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow said the producer had sexually harassed her. Pitt is currently producing She Said, a film on the New York Times’ investigation of Weinstein. Jolie and Pitt finalised their divorce in 2019, though a battle over custody of their six children continues. Weinstein has responded to the allegations in a statement provided to TMZ, saying the claims were “brazenly untrue and clickbait publicity”. “You’re Angelina Jolie, every female and male in the world, I’m sure, shows interest in you. Is the whole world assaulting you?” the statement read. “It’s very clear to me that this is for more sales on Angie’s BOOK,” he added. Image: Getty Images

Relationships

Billionaire actress Zhao Wei erased from history

Zhao Wei, one of China’s top actresses, has all but vanished from the internet after the Chinese government scrubbed any record of her online. Serials and chat shows featuring the actress are no longer available on Chinese streaming sites and her name has been removed from online credits for movies she has appeared in. Ms Wei rose to fame in the late 1990s after appearing on China’s highly popular television series, My Fair Princess. Since then, she has gone on to become a director, pop singer, and businesswoman on top of being an A-list actress. But, after Ms Wei was accused of being unpatriotic in hiring a Taiwanese actor for a leading role in a 2016 film, she began to run into trouble. Her hiring decision was overturned and Ms Wei’s business acquisitions soon came under close regulatory and taxation scrutiny. Last month, a public relations agency she owns was hit with a nationalistic scandal after one of its clients took a selfie during a visit to Japan’s Yasukuni war dead shrine. Over the weekend, Chinese news sites reported that Ms Wei had fled the country and was spotted at France’s Bordeaux airport. The crackdown on Ms Wei comes as Beijing’s Cyberspace Administration agency issued a series of instructions for social media and internet operators to “rectify” issues with fan communities. The new instructions aim to ensure “political and ideological safety in the cyberspace as well as creating a clean internet”. This also means celebrities can no longer be ranked in terms of popularity, talent agencies must be overseen by the Community Party, and fan clubs must be licenced and officially authorised. Previously, China’s National Radio and Television Administration ordered that actors be banished if their “morality is not noble”, are “tasteless, vulgar and obscene”, or if their “ideological level is low and [they] have no class”. Ms Wei has also been accused by the Communist Party-controlled Global Times of being “entangled in various scandals over the years”, but provides no official reason for her erasure. Any discussions of why she has been erased is also being censored on social media. Image: Getty Images

Technology

"As fake as they come": Oprah blasted by fellow Hollywood star

The talk show queen has come under fire by fellow Hollywood star, Rose McGowan, who claims her “fake” persona hides the “ugly truth”. Oprah was well-known for her top-rating talk show but now she’s become famous for being able to get all the biggest names to talk to her about how they really feel – including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. But now she’s being accused of faking her support of the #MeToo movement by activist and actress Rose McGowan. Known for her roles in major movies and the TV series Charmed, McGowan posted a scathing tweet about the talk show queen, describing her as “as fake as they come”. “I am glad more are seeing the ugly truth of @Oprah,” McGowan tweeted, along with an old photo of Winfrey, now 67, virtually kissing convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein. “I wish she were real, but she isn’t.” tweets McGowan. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I am glad more are seeing the ugly truth of <a href="https://twitter.com/Oprah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Oprah</a>. I wish she were real, but she isn’t. From being pals with Weinstein to abandoning & destroying Russell Simmon’s victims, she is about supporting a sick power structure for personal gain, she is as fake as they come. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lizard?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lizard</a> <a href="https://t.co/RCuXNpWCU0">pic.twitter.com/RCuXNpWCU0</a> — Rose 🌊McGowan (@rosemcgowan) <a href="https://twitter.com/rosemcgowan/status/1432065449903153157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2021</a></blockquote> Herself an outspoken survivor of sexual assault, McGowan continues: “From being pals with Weinstein to abandoning & destroying Russell Simmon’s [sic] victims, she is about supporting a sick power structure for personal gain, she is as fake as they come. #lizard.” Weinstein’s long list of alleged sexual assaults dating back to the 1970s was the catalyst for the #MeToo movement in October 2017, with McGowan being one of the first of dozens of women to accuse him of rape. The disgraced film producer, who has denied having “any non-consensual sex,” was found guilty of two felonies in February 2020 and is currently serving time in Wende Correctional Facility. Meanwhile, Russell Simmons has also been accused of rape and sexual misconduct by 20 women. The music executive, 63, has denied the accusations and kept a low profile in recent years, though he resurfaced in the Hamptons earlier this month. McGowan’s tweet refers to an earlier documentary It appears McGowan’s tweet refers to an earlier documentary which Oprah was going to be involved with. This 2020 documentary titled On The Record was centred around Simmons’ alleged sexual misconduct. While she was originally on board to executive-produce the project, she ended up backing out, citing differences with the film’s directors. In a statement, Winfrey said: “I have decided that I will no longer be executive producer on the untitled Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering documentary, and it will not air on Apple TV+,” Winfrey said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter in January 2020. “I want it to be known that I unequivocally believe and support the women. Their stories deserve to be told and heard. In my opinion, there is more work to be done on the film to illuminate the full scope of what the victims endured, and it has become clear that the filmmakers and I are not aligned in that creative vision.” Not the first time McGowan has accused a celebrity of ‘faking’ it This is not the first time McGowan has publicly accused a high-profile figure of faking their support of the #MeToo movement. Last year, she hit out at her Charmed co-star Alyssa Milano, calling her a #MeToo “fraud”. The ugly Twitter spat occurred when Milano expressed her support for then-Presidential candidate Joe Biden and the Democratic Party. McGowan has long been opposed to Biden after claims he had sexually assaulted Tara Reade, leading her to label Milano a fraud and a liar. Image: Twitter

Harvey Weinstein tests positive for coronavirus

Former Hollywood producer and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for the new coronavirus. The 68-year-old has been placed in isolation at maximum security prison Wende Correctional Facility in New York, according to Michael Powers, president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association. At least one other inmate there has tested positive, NBC reported. Weinstein is serving a 23-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault. His lawyers are looking to appeal against his conviction. A lawyer for Weinstein said on Sunday night his team had not been informed of the diagnosis. “Given Mr Weinstein’s state of health, we are of course concerned, if this is the case, and we are vigilantly monitoring the situation,” said lawyer Imran Ansari. Weinstein was found guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013. More than 100 other women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein.

Legal

“Very sad day”: Disgraced star Bill Cosby offers support to rapist Harvey Weinstein

Convicted sex offender Bill Cosby has shared a statement in support of Harvey Weinstein, claiming the movie executive’s rape trial was not fair and saying his conviction marked a “very sad day”. The disgraced comedian’s publicist Andrew Wyatt took to Instagram to release a statement which questioned where “wealthy and famous men” can “go in this country to find fairness and impartiality”. Yesterday, Weinstein was convicted of raping a former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and sexually assaulting a slew of other women in 2013. Cosby’s account suggested the verdict was “not shocking” – but he placed the blame on the legal process. He said because jurors were exposed to media coverage of the high-profile case, they were swayed by “the sentiments of public opinion”. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B89geHGnjfT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B89geHGnjfT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Official Statement From Andrew Wyatt Regarding The Verdict Of Harvey Weinstein: This is not shocking because these jurors were not sequestered, which gave them access to media coverage and the sentiments of public opinion. There’s no way you would have anyone believe that Mr. Weinstein was going to receive a fair and impartial trial. Also, this judge showed that he wanted a conviction by sending the jurors back to deliberate, after they were hung on many of the counts. Here’s the question that should haunt all Americans, especially wealthy and famous men...Where do we go in this country to find fairness and impartiality in the judicial system; and where do we go in this country to find Due Process? Lastly, if the #metoo movement isn’t just about Becky [White women], I would challenge #metoo and ask them to go back 400+ years and tarnish the names of those oppressors that raped slaves. This is a very sad day in the American Judicial System. #FreeBillCosby #FarFromFinished #DueProcess #JusticeReform</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/billcosby/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Bill Cosby</a> (@billcosby) on Feb 24, 2020 at 11:17am PST </div> </blockquote> “There’s no way you would have anyone believe that Mr Weinstein was going to receive a fair and impartial trial,” said the statement. It also suggested the judge “wanted a conviction" as he told jurors to spend more time deliberating when they had been hung over some of the charges. “Here’s the question that should haunt all Americans, especially wealthy and famous men … where do we go in this country to find fairness and impartiality in the judicial system,” read the statement. It was then accompanied by hashtags including “#FreeBillCosby” and “#FarFromFinished”. In 2018, Cosby was found guilty on three counts of aggravated indecent assault and sentenced to serve three to 10 years in prison.

Legal

Special treatment for Weinstein amid fears of “another Jeffrey Epstein incident”

Convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein will reportedly be given special treatment as jail officials raise concerns over another possible “Epstein incident”. According to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2020/02/26/harvey-weinstein-worries-nyc-prison-officials-rikers-jeffrey-epstein/">TMZ</a>, officials at New York City Department of Correction are taking extraordinary measures to monitor Weinstein amid fears of an event similar to the death of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who was found hanging in his federal jail cell at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correctional Center in July 2019. “The last thing you want is another Jeffrey Epstein incident,” a source told <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/02/26/harvey-weinstein-may-stay-out-of-city-jails-to-avoid-another-epstein-incident/">The New York Post</a>. “Harvey is going to be isolated as much as possible and will always have a detail with him throughout the prison. He’s never going to be like other prisoners, able to walk down the hallway or sit in the canteen alone.” The special surveillance has started on Monday at Bellevue Hospital Center, where Weinstein was being treated for chest pains following his conviction of third-degree rape and sexual assault. A jail captain escorted Weinstein on every move and the entire hospital unit was shut down to prevent him from encountering other inmates, Joe Russo, president of the Assistant Deputy Wardens / Deputy Wardens Association told <a href="https://thecity.nyc/2020/02/convicted-rapist-harvey-weinstein-may-avoid-rikers-island.html">The City</a>. “There seems to be a Jeffrey Epstein influence here,” Russo said. Russo said Weinstein could get an entire housing unit just for himself if he is sent to Rikers Island as expected. “He’s very high-profile and you can’t put him with somebody else.” Sources told The Post state officials will have the final decision on where Weinstein will stay. Weinstein faces up to 29 years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping former actress Jessica Mann in 2013. The 67-year-old faces more charges in Los Angeles, but <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-26/harvey-weinsteins-life-now-that-he-has-been-convicted/12001272">no date has been set for the case to begin</a>.

Legal

"Stoic and strong": Weinstein's legal team responds to guilty verdict

For decades, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein got whatever he wanted, when he wanted it. That included sex with Hollywood’s biggest names and those who aren’t as well known – even if that meant by force. But now, the tide has turned as the disgraced Oscar-winning producer was convicted today on two of five sexual assault charges, ending a high profile rape trial in New York. After five days of deliberation, a jury unanimously agreed that Weinstein was guilty of raping an aspiring actress in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and forcibly performing oral sex on another woman, TV and film production assistant Mimi Haleyi, in 2006. The 67-year-old was convicted of first degree sexual assault and third degree rape. He is facing up to 29 years in prison and will be sentenced on March 11. The first charge carries a sentence of 5-25 years behind bars with the second carrying a minimum probationary period and a maximum four year jail term. Speaking to news.com.au, Weinstein’s lawyer Arthur Aidala said that his team will appeal the convictions which he said is “disappointing”. “Harvey was unbelievably stoic and strong and powerful,” said Mr Aidala. “The words he said over and over again to me is: ‘I’m innocent, I’m innocent, I’m innocent. How could this happen in America?” Donna Rutonna, lead defence lawyer told reporters outside court that “the fight is not over”. “Harvey is very strong. Harvey is unbelievably strong. He took it like a man,” she said. Meanwhile, a slew of global celebrities took to social media to express their heartfelt reactions to the verdict: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Gratitude to the brave women who’ve testified and to the jury for seeing through the dirty tactics of the defense .we will change the laws in the future so that rape victims are heard and not discredited and so that it’s easier for people to report their rapes — Rosanna Arquette🌎✌🏼 (@RoArquette) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoArquette/status/1231991023384973313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> off he goes to prison - where he belongs - over 80 women accused him of rape - imagine the total number? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarveyWeinsteinGUILTY?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HarveyWeinsteinGUILTY</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RAPIST?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RAPIST</a> and lets not forget <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/trumpSEXcrimes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#trumpSEXcrimes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/guilty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#guilty</a> — ROSIE (@Rosie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rosie/status/1231995057483452426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> For the women who testified in this case, and walked through traumatic hell, you did a public service to girls and women everywhere, thank you.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ConvictWeinstein?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ConvictWeinstein</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Guilty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Guilty</a> — ashley judd (@AshleyJudd) <a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyJudd/status/1231995493888266242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The beginning of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/justice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#justice</a>. More to come, my sisters. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/weinsteinguilty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#weinsteinguilty</a> — Mira Sorvino (@MiraSorvino) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiraSorvino/status/1232000389664235525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2020</a></blockquote>

News

No guilt, no liability: Stunning details of the massive Harvey Weinstein settlements

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein has come to an agreement with his several accusers that does not require an admission of guilt. After a two-year legal battle, Weinstein has agreed to a $US25 million settlement with over 30 actresses and former Weinstein employees, who in lawsuits have accused him of multiple offences ranging from sexual harassment to rape. The 67-year-old will not be paying out the settlement from his own pocket, but rather, his insurance companies representing his former company, the Weinstein Company, will be responsible for handing over the large sum. The company is currently in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings. The deal, which requires court approval and a final sign-off by all parties, marks the end of almost every lawsuit filed against the former Hollywood heavyweight. He is still scheduled to go to trial in New York in early January on charges of sexual assault involving two women, claims he denies. Speaking to the New York Times, Katherine Kendall, an actress who said Weinstein chased her around his New York apartment naked in 1993 after she was under the impression that she was meeting him for a work chat, said she only agreed to the terms because she didn’t want to block fellow plaintiffs from getting whatever recompense they could. “I don’t love it, but I don’t know how to go after him,” she said. “I don’t know what I can really do.” On Wednesday, Weinstein’s bail was increased from $1 million to $5 million, over allegations he violated his bail conditions by mishandling his electronic ankle monitor. </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="post-actions-component"> <div class="upper-row"></div> </div> </div>

Legal

"He brought these people into the royal fold": Unearthed pic of Epstein, Weinstein and Maxwell at Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday

A photograph of smiling Jeffrey Weinstein, his alleged pimp Ghislaine Maxwell and disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein celebrating at Princess Beatrice’s 18th birthday party has been uncovered. The shocking image was obtained exclusively by The Sun and shows the trio grinning happily at the camera. The three are believed to have been invited to be in the presence of royalty by Prince Andrew. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B53MPiFgqnl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B53MPiFgqnl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by New York Post (@nypost)</a> on Dec 9, 2019 at 10:50am PST </div> </blockquote> While Epstein, Weinstein and Maxwell mingled at the lavish birthday party in 2006, police had already prepared an arrest warrant for Epstein on child sex abuse charges and were raiding his Florida mansion. Eight days after the billionaire posed in a US Navy Seal uniform for what would become an astonishing snap, he was in cuffs. Tuxedo-wearing Weinstein was due in court the month after the photo was taken on account of a sex offence. Maxwell, seen in a gold mask and red headdress, is currently being investigated by the FBI on suspicion of procuring underage girls for Epstein. A source told The Sun on Sunday: “This photograph sums up just why the Epstein affair has been so disastrous for Andrew. “He brought these people into the royal fold, to Windsor Castle no less, where they could rub shoulders with the great and good. “It is an astounding lack of judgment at the very least. “This picture will raise further questions about Andrew’s interaction with these individuals.” The disturbing picture was taken at the AUD $770,296 birthday ball bash in Berkshire on July 15, 2006. Around 400 guests turned up in mainly Victorian dress for the party’s 1888 theme marking 100 years before Beatrice had been born. The now-shunned group were photographed on a patio, next to a wicker sofa, in front of the lush Windsor grounds. It is an identical backdrop to official photos released of the event showing Andrew, ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice and sister Princess Eugenie. The ball continued the Queen’s tradition of giving her grandchildren a party to mark their entry into adulthood. However she and Prince Philip did not attend the ceremony. Royals at the bash included Peter and Zara Phillips and Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex. Guests guzzled down 400 bottles of expensive champagne and ate 4000 canapes. An estimated 250 guests were invited to a three-course dinner, and later on a further 150 arrived for canapes and champagne at 10pm. Princess Beatrice wore a AUD$19,251 blue taffeta gown, which was created by Fergie’s British designer friend Georgina Chapman. Interestingly enough, she would become the wife of Weinstein who she went on to divorce following the #MeToo scandal and dozens of women claimed he had sexually abused or harassed them. In his Newsnight interview last month, a 59-year-old Prince Andrew claimed he had no idea of the probe into Epstein at the time of the Windsor Castle birthday bash. Jack Scarola, 72, a lawyer for Epstein’s victims, told The Sun on Sunday: “There was a fairly extensive investigation under way by then. “It is absolutely certain that at the time of the Windsor Castle gathering, Jeffrey Epstein was aware an investigation was going on – a search warrant had been executed on his home. “I will leave it to others to judge whether it goes to the heart of concerns about the conduct of Prince Andrew.”

News

Helen Mirren breaks silence on Hollywood sexual harassment scandal

In an exclusive interview with the <a href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/celeb-news/helen-mirren-on-hollywoods-scandal-44474" target="_blank">Australian Women’s Weekly</a>, Helen Mirren has opened up for the first time about the sexual harassment scandal that’s rocked Hollywood in recent months. “The shift has been coming, the volcano has been bubbling away there,” she said. “It was weird, all of them – not just [Harvey] Weinstein; Bill O’Reilly [Fox News host], Roger Ailes [Fox News Chairman]. Weird. Ew! Men are weird! Obviously it’s absolutely nothing to do with sex, it's more to do with power, and what is it in men that needs that?” Mirren, 72, like hundreds of the entertainment world’s biggest stars, had previously worked on films distributed by Weinstein. “The irony and the contradiction and the pain of the whole thing, if you like, the loss of Harvey, is that he did the kind of movies that an awful lot of filmmakers want to do, the independent films, the interesting films. “The very first time I met and worked with Harvey was on The Cook The Thief His Wife And Her Lover, which he distributed in America. He’s very courageous and he took that little, low-budget, high-art movie and he made sure that it was seen in America.” But despite admitting the disgraced producer was a “bully”, the screen legend had no idea of the evil lurking inside him. “I knew that Harvey could be very, very aggressive, very bullying, very demeaning to people he worked with. And a lot of people in Hollywood can be like that, incidentally.” Mirren’s husband, director Taylor Hackford, was just as shocked as his wife. “He was like me, I don't think he had any concept of that. He had a concept of the nature of people losing it and shouting at people and demeaning people in front of other people, that sort of thing. “It's part and parcel of existence in Hollywood, really, and people know that and they toughen up and they deal with it and they get on with it… But yes a major shift has happened.”

Movies

The Crown star Matt Smith on sexual harassment: “This happens to men, too”

From <a href="/entertainment/movies/2017/10/jane-fonda-ashamed-of-the-secret-she-kept-about-harvey-weinstein/" target="_blank">disgraced Hollywood film executive Harvey Weinstein</a> to <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/2017/11/don-burke-calls-in-lawyers-over-shocking-claims/" target="_blank">Australia’s Don Burke</a>, the list of powerful men in the entertainment industry being named in sexual harassment allegations grows each day – and it’s not just women being targeted. Matt Smith, former star of Doctor Who who is currently promoting the new season of Netflix series The Crown (in which he plays Prince Philip), admitted that he too had experienced sexual misconduct. “The conversation shouldn’t stop at this industry just because these are ‘celebrities’ who we know about who are involved. It has to be broader,” the 35-year-old told The Telegraph Magazine. “People in other industries have to have a platform to be heard as well. What happens to the cleaner or the lady who works in a clothes shop? That’s not to say I haven’t been objectified before by men, because I have – just like women are objectified. It is not exclusive to them. This happens to men, too.” Smith didn’t go into details about his own experiences, but did confirm that he had met Weinstein in the past and had heard rumours of his wrongdoing, but had no idea just how deep the scandal went.

George Clooney reveals wife Amal was sexually harassed

George Clooney is the latest Hollywood star to speak out about sexual harassment in the wake of <a href="/entertainment/movies/2017/10/nicole-kidman-and-cate-blanchett-on-harvey-weinstein-scandal/" target="_blank">allegations against Harvey Weinstein</a>, revealing in a new interview that his own wife, human rights lawyer Amal, has experienced it in her line of work. “My wife is a very smart, very together, very accomplished human rights lawyer and she said, ‘There have been times in my life, in the law community, [that] I had to tell someone to knock it off,’ so it happens everywhere,” the 56-year-old told <a href="http://extratv.com/2017/10/22/george-clooney-dishes-on-twins-personalities-and-has-strong-words-on-weinstein-scandal/" target="_blank">Extra</a>. The Money Monster star added that he hopes the growing number of accusations of sexual harassment and assault will change the culture of Hollywood heavyweights abusing their positions of power. “This wasn’t just guys hitting on girls, this is assault,” he said. “If we don’t address this and really go after Harvey, it will come back. There has to be some good that comes out of all of this and the good is going to have to be that women feel safe to speak up, that they are believed and hopefully be enough that it scares any man who would behave like that from doing it.” In another interview with <a href="http://variety.com/2017/scene/vpage/matt-damon-george-clooney-harvey-weinstein-scandal-1202596217/" target="_blank">Variety</a>, Clooney slammed director Woody Allen (who has long been the subject of sexual assault allegations himself) for defending Weinstein and urging against a “witch hunt”. “That’s a stupid thing to say,” Clooney fumed. “The reality is, it’s not a witch hunt to these women who are trapped in a hotel room and told they’re going to get a part and, suddenly, here comes Harvey Weinstein in his birthday suit. That’s not a witch hunt; that’s an assault."

Movies

Doing this in France will earn you a hefty on-the-spot fine

Ask any women of any age if she’s ever been catcalled before, and the answer is most likely “yes”. Now, in the wake of the <a href="/entertainment/movies/2017/10/jane-fonda-ashamed-of-the-secret-she-kept-about-harvey-weinstein/" target="_blank">explosive sexual assault allegations</a> against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, one country is taking a drastic step towards curbing sexual harassment. In a recent televised interview, French President Emmanuel Macron announced his government would be proposing new laws against sexual harassment, in addition to stripping Weinstein of his prestigious Legion D’Honneur award. The day after his TV appearance, the country’s gender equality minister, Marlène Schiappa, outlined the proposed changes (which would include instant fines for catcalling and lecherous behaviour in public) to La Croix newspaper. “The idea is that society as a whole redefines what is acceptable or not,” she said. Speaking to RTL radio, Schiappa described the bill, which will be put to parliament next year, as “completely necessary because at the moment street harassment is not defined in the law”. This means that currently, women who experience harassment in the street cannot file legal complaints. As for what constitutes “street harassment”, Schiappa gives the example of a man following a woman for blocks, or persistently asking for her phone number despite being ignored or told “no”. “We know very well at what point we start feeling intimidated, unsafe or harassed in the street," she said. If the bill passes, France will join New Zealand (as well as countries such as Belgium, Portugal and Argentina) in making street harassment and catcalling illegal.

International Travel

Reese Witherspoon opens up about horror assault by director aged just 16

Reese Witherspoon has revealed she was assaulted by a famous Hollywood director at age 16, during a Hollywood event honouring the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/2017/10/nicole-kidman-and-cate-blanchett-on-harvey-weinstein-scandal/" target="_blank">women who have spoken out</a> in detail about sexual assault and harassment in the film industry. Witherspoon told the audience at Elle Woman, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/2017/10/jane-fonda-ashamed-of-the-secret-she-kept-about-harvey-weinstein/" target="_blank">recent allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein</a> had prompted her to share her own experiences. <blockquote class="twitter-video"> Reese Witherspoon is the latest celebrity to come forward to talk about how she was sexually assaulted by a Hollywood director. Witherspoon opened up about being sexually assaulted at age 16: "I have found it hard to sleep, hard to think, hard to communicate." <a href="https://t.co/MQHKeePs32">pic.twitter.com/MQHKeePs32</a> — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) <a href="https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/920316259362852870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2017</a></blockquote> Witherspoon said she had "true disgust at the director who assaulted me when I was 16-years-old and anger at the agents and the producers who made me feel that silence was a condition of my employment". Witherspoon hasn’t named the director at this stage. The actress also expressed regret for not being more vocal about her experience earlier, and claimed she felt anxiety about being honest, and guilt for not speaking out earlier. What are your thoughts?

Movies

Jane Fonda ashamed of the secret she kept about Harvey Weinstein

The Harvey Weinstein saga is the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/2017/10/nicole-kidman-and-cate-blanchett-on-harvey-weinstein-scandal/" target="_blank">scandal that’s engulfed Hollywood</a>, and as more victims emerge you get the feeling it’s not going to disappear anytime soon. Jane Fonda is the latest personality to come out in criticism of the influential producer, claiming she found out about Weinstein’s history of sexual abuse one year ago, in a stunning interview that’s set to air on US television on Friday. <blockquote class="twitter-video"> NEW: <a href="https://twitter.com/Janefonda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Janefonda</a> tells me: “I found out about [Harvey Weinstein] about a year ago. And I’m ashamed that I didn’t say anything right then.” <a href="https://t.co/i98SJiiUHT">pic.twitter.com/i98SJiiUHT</a> — Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) <a href="https://twitter.com/camanpour/status/918488191174356993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2017</a></blockquote> While the 79-year-old wasn’t harassed by the mogul herself, she was told of the abuse by one of his victims, Rosanna Arquette, and says the fact that she wasn’t willing to speak up at the time has left her “ashamed” of her actions. <blockquote class="twitter-video"> “I only met Harvey when I was old," <a href="https://twitter.com/Janefonda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Janefonda</a> tells me. "And Harvey goes for young, because that’s more vulnerable.” <a href="https://t.co/RbrjxCFU6w">pic.twitter.com/RbrjxCFU6w</a> — Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) <a href="https://twitter.com/camanpour/status/918490369834258432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2017</a></blockquote> “I found out about Harvey a year ago and I'm ashamed I didn't say anything back then,” Fonda told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in the interview. She added that she was proud of the women who had the courage to speak out. “This is not unique, this goes on at the most horrendous high levels,” she said. “I'm glad it's coming out, I'm so proud of those fellow actors that are speaking up. I know that it has taken a long time. It is a very, very, very hard thing to do. You don't get anything out of it as the person who has been victimized but it is important that it come out. “Let's not think that this is some unique, horrific... this goes on all the time, this male entitlement in Hollywood and everywhere - in offices and businesses all over the world, in bars, in restaurants, in stores women are assaulted, abused, harassed.” What’s your take on this whole sorry saga?

Movies

Deaf singer captivates Simon Cowell on America’s Got Talent

Simon Cowell was stunned by a performance from a deaf singer on America’s Got Talent. The performance, which has been dubbed as one of the most emotional performances in the show’s history, saw 29-year-old Many Harvey deliver her original song “Try”. After Many finished her performance she was received with a standing ovation and Simon Cowell immediately pressed the Golden Buzzer which resulted in confetti falling on stage. <iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZKSWXzAnVe0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Before she sung, Mandy told the judges how she lost her hearing from a connective tissue disorder at 18. “I've been singing since I was 4 so I left music after I lost my hearing and then figured out how to get back into singing with muscle memory, using visual tuners and trusting my pitch," she explained. With her translator Sarah standing behind the judges, Mandy said that she uses her feet to feel "the tempo and the beat through the floor." Following the performance, Simon ran to the stage and hugged the singer. He said, "I've done this a long time. That was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen and heard." "Honestly, I never think I'm gonna be surprised or amazed by people, and then you turn up. Just the fact that you are you, but it was your voice, your tone, the song was beautiful."

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No guilt, no liability: Stunning details of the massive Harvey Weinstein settlements

"He brought these people into the royal fold": Unearthed pic of Epstein, Weinstein and Maxwell at Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday

Helen Mirren breaks silence on Hollywood sexual harassment scandal

The Crown star Matt Smith on sexual harassment: “This happens to men, too”

George Clooney reveals wife Amal was sexually harassed

Doing this in France will earn you a hefty on-the-spot fine

Reese Witherspoon opens up about horror assault by director aged just 16

Jane Fonda ashamed of the secret she kept about Harvey Weinstein

Deaf singer captivates Simon Cowell on America’s Got Talent