Australian comedian Jim Jefferies slammed Harvey Weinstein as a ‘sexual predator and a total piece of s***’ and said he and other men have been ‘ignorant’ for believing sexual harassment is ‘rare’.
Jefferies spoke out about the sexual assault allegations against Weinstein during a segment on his self-titled Comedy Central show Tuesday night and said all of Hollywood can ‘do better’ when it comes to taking accusations seriously.
‘If this latest news has made me realize anything, it’s that we as men have been incredibly ignorant about what’s happening right underneath our noses,’ said Jefferies, known for his caustic comedic style.
Australian comedian Jim Jefferies spoke out about the sexual assault allegations during a segment on his self-titled Comedy Central show, during which he said all of Hollywood can ‘do better’
As he opened up about the allegations nearly two weeks after they came to light, he made the disclaimer that he has ‘been known to make the occasional inappropriate or sexist joke’.
He said that if some of the ‘richest, most powerful and beloved women in the country, are fearful of speaking out, just imagine how hard it must be for every other woman in the world’.
‘I was stupid to think that people like Harvey Weinstein were rare,’ he added.
Jefferies openly called Weinstein a ‘sexual predator’ during his monologue about the film mogul, who just headed to rehab for sex addiction.
‘Many of the women who have spoken out about Weinstein say we shouldn’t be surprised by his actions, and I agree,’ he said. ‘What’s shocking is how easy it is for a guy like him to get away with this kind of behavior.’
The Australian made several jokes about Weinstein’s behavior and Fox News’s attempt to blame Hillary Clinton – particularly Sean Hannity, who he called ‘the wilted lettuce in a sexual predator club sandwich’.
‘It’s pretty rich hearing that from you,’ he said of Hannity, noting that former president of his network Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly were both ‘accused sexual predators.
He added that President Donald Trump, who spoke to Hannity last week, ‘is a sexual predator’.
As he opened up about the allegations nearly two weeks after they came to light, he made the disclaimer that he has ‘been known to make the occasional inappropriate or sexist joke’
Jefferies also applauded the women who have come forward with the hashtag ‘#metoo’ to talk about their own sexual assault and harassment experiences.
‘Chances are that every woman you know has experienced harassment or worse,’ he said to a subdued audience.
‘I thought I was a pretty good guy with all the not-raping I’ve done,’ he added, prompting the first laugh from the audience in several minutes. ‘But it turns out, that’s not enough. It’s a start, but it’s not enough.
‘We need to create a culture where women feel safe coming forward about their experiences. When they do, we need to hear them.’
Around 40 actresses, including stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Mira Sorvino have come forward saying they were sexually harassed, abused or raped by Weinstein over the last several decades.
On Tuesday, Game Of Thrones actress Lena Headey became the latest to detail alleged encounters with the mogul at the Venice Film Festival and in Los Angeles.
In a series of tweets, the English actress said after she told him she was uninterested in anything other than work, the studio boss was left ‘furious.’
The avalanche of accusations against the twice-married, 65-year-old father of five include rape, assault and sexual harassment. He insists any sexual encounters were consensual.
For years one of the most powerful moguls in Hollywood, his films have received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 statuettes. But he was expelled last week from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Revelations about Weinstein, first revealed by The New York Times and The New Yorker magazine, have seen a growing number of women share experiences of sexual harassment — both in Hollywood and the wider world.
As the Weinstein harassment allegations reverberate around the world, thousands of women have taken to social media in response to an appeal by actress Alyssa Milano to respond ‘me too’ if they have been sexually assaulted or harassed.