Harvey Weinstein is making headlines yet again.
The disgraced media mogul appeared Wednesday at an event put on by Actor’s Hour at the Downtime Bar in New York City and was confronted by at least three women, including performers Amber Rollo, Kelly Bachman and Zoe Stuckless, during the evening. The actresses and audience members claim they were heckled and ultimately asked to leave.
In a Twitter thread after the event, Rollo wrote, “I was shocked to see him out, but not because I thought he would have shame, he is a sociopath and clearly has no shame. I’m shocked that he was at an event put on by and for artists.”
She further said that Weinstein was invited by Actor’s Hour to participate in the evening. “Not only was he invited, he was supported,” wrote Rollo. “My friend and badass comedian Kelly Bachman was performing on the show and when she went after the “Freddy Krueger” in the room she was booed and told to shut up.”
Rollo went on to describe the evening, a “speakeasy” for artists, according to its event description: “Some people didn’t realize what was going on, some artists knew and were scared and some were outright supporting this fucking serial rapist monster.”
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to the event organizer for comment.
Rollo added that during the program’s intermission, an individual [identified on Twitter as Stuckless] began yelling about Weinstein’s appearance, growing increasingly upset, and was asked to leave. In a lengthy post penned on Facebook, Stuckless wrote about the decision to get involved. “I thought about all the voices that have been silenced over the years. I thought about the artists, the women, who are paralyzed by the same fear I felt, surrounded by colleagues who were intimidated into a culture of silence and passivity. The room was a microcosm of our whole community. And I couldn’t sit there and let him laugh. So I spoke up.”
Rollo further wrote on Twitter that she called the accused sex offender a “monster” and told him he should disappear, at which point she said she was guided out of the bar by a woman at Weinstein’s table.
I was shocked to see him out, but not because I thought he would have shame, he is a sociopath and clearly has no shame. I’m shocked because he was invited to an event put on by and for artists.
— clever, but make it spooky (@ambercrollo) October 24, 2019
Stuckless added in a post, “In some ways, tonight was a horrible, painful reminder of the power a man like Weinstein holds even now. It was a reminder that even in this time of relative awareness it is hypnotically easy to be pulled into a culture of silence. However, it is also a reminder that our voices have so much more power when we stand together.”
Following the threads on social media and much discussion after the fact, the bar addressed concerns to their patrons.
“We want to address some concerns about a recent incident at Downtime,” a spokesperson wrote on Facebook. “A company called Actor’s Hour rented our bar for a private event, with a guest list all their own. Shortly into the evening, one guest began heckling another, causing a disturbance to everyone in attendance. After several requests to stop were ignored, we kindly asked the heckler to leave.”
The statement continued: “Please know that our goal at Downtime is to create an environment where everyone feels welcome. We respect the privacy of our patrons and event partners, and want to ensure that all guests are treated equally, with the same service and respect. In keeping with this goal, we made a decision that would allow the evening to continue as planned. Thank you, Downtime.”
Since this all transpired, the Yelp page for Downtime Bar has received negative reviews from patrons expressing their concern that Weinstein was permitted to attend the event. One review read, “You should be ashamed of yourself for allowing Harvey Weinstein to dine at your bar, while kicking two women who confronted him out. What a disgrace. I will never set foot in your bar — and I’m not the only one. Shame on you. This was your opportunity to take a stance, and you screwed it royally. Good luck recovering from this.” Additional reviews mention the presence of a “sexual predator” and “serial rapist,” while another notes that the bar has yet to accept accountability for its “lack of judgement and morals.”
When contacted by THR, a representative for Weinstein said, “Harvey Weinstein was out with friends enjoying the music and trying to find some solace in his life that has been turned upside down. This scene was uncalled for, downright rude and an example of how due process today is being squashed by the public, trying to take it away in the courtroom too.”
The statement continued, “As an aside — Harvey in fact suggested the woman should be allowed to talk and ask him any questions. The venue’s personnel asked the woman to leave, not Harvey’s. I would just point out that he is being treated as if he has been convicted. Accusations are, in fact, not convictions. Due process is still the foundation of each and every one of our civil rights in this country. Please don’t lose sight of that definitive conviction when you write. Anyone should be allowed to be there if they are acting in accordance with the norms of the space. As for the name calling, it was 100 percent not anyone in HW’s employ and not someone speaking on HW’s behalf.”
Weinstein reportedly offered to “address anyone’s questions” and said that “we should all be offered the courtesy to voice opinions and be heard, and to even get answers. I am glad we all still have these rights.”
Weinstein stands accused of sexual assault harassment and is awaiting trial for predatory sexual assault and a criminal sexual act in the first degree. He has denied all charges of nonconsensual acts.
The below video shows Bachman calling out Weinstein’s appearance at the event. See Stuckless’ encounter with Weinstein here.
Oct. 25, 11:03 a.m.: Updated with recent Yelp reviews of Downtime Bar.
