ACTOR ANTHONY RAPP felt compelled to speak to BuzzFeed News this week about sexual misconduct in Hollywood when he witnessed huge numbers of women speaking out about their experiences.
Rapp alleged that in 1986, he was left traumatised after actor Kevin Spacey (who was 26-years-old at the time) invited 14-year-old Rapp to a New York nightclub. At the time, Anthony was accompanied by a 17-year-old friend. They were both entertained in the VIP area of the nightclub by Kevin Spacey.
Kevin then extended an invitation for an after party in his apartment, which the 14-year-old boy accepted. He said that he had been “kind of bored” for most of the party, and spent the evening watching TV in a bedroom. Towards the end of the night, Rapp saw Spacey standing in the doorway and realised that all of the other guests had left.
Spacey “picked [Anthony] up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold.” Rapp, unsure of what was going on, didn’t attempt to free himself. It was only when 26-year-old Spacey lay down on top of the young teenager that Rapp says he “froze.” Eventually, he squirmed free and locked himself in the bathroom, before telling Spacey that he was leaving.
Spacey asked Rapp if he was sure that he wanted to leave, and Rapp firmly told him “Yes, goodnight”, before exiting.
Kevin Spacey posted an official statement on Twitter this morning, responding to the accusations.
The actor claimed that he could not remember the encounter, but says that if he did behave in the manner described by Anthony Rapp, he offers his “sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour” and apologises for “the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.” Spacey then goes on to come out as gay.
The fact that Spacey chose this moment to share his sexuality with the world was something that bothered a lot of people.
The actor did not acknowledge the fact that the accuser was basically a child, and used his coming out to put the attention on himself, rather than the victim.
Spacey’s coming out when accused of making sexual advances towards a child suggests that soliciting children is part and parcel of being gay. It’s not.
Rose McGowan called on people ensure that accusations against Kevin Spacey don’t turn into a kind of coming out party.
McGowan wants to the focus to remain on Anthony Rapp and what he has to say, not Kevin Spacey essentially saying “I might have done it, I’m not sure. I could have done it and been too drunk to remember, sorry. But more importantly, I want everyone to know that I’m gay.”
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Not one part of the statement apologises for the fact that if it did happen, it happened to a 14-year-old boy.
The vast majority of drunk 26-year-old adults would never even consider inviting a 14-year-old boy to their apartment for an after party. These are things of much greater importance to address than Spacey’s sexuality, but they were casually ignored in his statement.
Rose McGowan, Billy Eichner, comedian Cameron Esposito, author Dan Savage and many other celebrities slammed Spacey’s statement.
