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It's not right to equate sexual assault with misplaced compliments: Morgan Freeman

It's not right to equate sexual assault with misplaced compliments: Morgan Freeman

Freeman said in a statement late Friday that the CNN report has devastated him
27 May, 2018

Morgan Freeman says he likes to compliment people to make them feel at ease around him but that he has never sexually assaulted women.

The Academy Award-winning actor is fighting back against charges of bad behavior made by multiple women in a CNN report this week. He said in a statement late Friday that the report has devastated him and that “it is not right to equate horrific incidents of sexual assault with misplaced compliments or humor.”

Following the report, Visa announced it was suspending all of its marketing that features the actor’s voice.

CNN’s story includes one movie production assistant who said Freeman unsuccessfully tried to lift her skirt. Other women talked about unwanted touching on their backs and shoulders. Mostly, Freeman’s accusers say he would comment about their bodies or clothes or make them uncomfortable by staring. A male former employee of Freeman’s production company said the 80-year-old actor would behave like a “creepy uncle.”

One of the article’s authors, Chloe Melas, began working on it following a press junket where she said Freeman clasped her hand, looked her up and down and made comments like, “you are ripe.”

“I admit that I am someone who feels a need to try to make women, and men, feel appreciated and at ease around me,” Freeman said. “As a part of that, I would often try to joke with and compliment women, in what I thought was a light-hearted and humorous way. Clearly I was not always coming across the way I intended.”

He said that he did not assault women, create unsafe work environments or offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex.

His reference to equating his behavior with others was unclear. The accusations against Freeman came out the same day word spread that New York City authorities were filing rape charges against disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Freeman’s statement was reminiscent of an email written by longtime television anchor Tom Brokaw sent to friends recently after a former colleague had accused him of unwanted sexual advances.

“I am devastated that 80 years of my life is at risk of being undermined, in the blink of an eye, by Thursday’s media reports,” Freeman said.

Freeman won the 2005 Oscar for best supporting actor for Million Dollar Baby. He was nominated four other times, including for Driving Miss Daisy and The Shawshank Redemption. His voice is familiar on commercials and as a narrator for documentaries and other productions.

Comments

Truth May 27, 2018 05:04pm
So, patting a female on her behind should be considered a sign of affection and compliment too??
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad May 27, 2018 07:38pm
What a weird, misplaced, naive, mind-blowing, fantastic and mind-boggling way of admitting his sexual assault charges?
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chengez k May 27, 2018 10:33pm
Good times have ended for you.................SIR !!!!
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jaredlee67 May 28, 2018 03:00am
Very interesting to see how men and women who themselves are not perfect, collectively try to implicate others based on their PAST interactions. Again, we see women (and men) blaming someone as a group and not as individuals. Where were these women and men when Morgan Freeman (allegedly) assaulted them? Why did they stay in the industry? Why they didn't report those incidents then? Something fishy is going on here. Perhaps, there are those who want to play a sympathy card to move further up the corporate ladder. All these allegations suggest are like reaching the age of 50 and instead of accepting the realities of life, one starts blaming one's parents for not bringing their kids up properly. Whining, whining, and more whining.
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Helloall May 29, 2018 12:18am
This guy's behavior is disgusting. He made women feel extremely uncomfortable with his vile comments and sexual innuendos.. not 'comfortable' as puts it. He must be punished for his atrocious behavior towards women staff who were usuallly 40-50 years younger than him. Disgusting!!!
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