Robert Weide is defending Woody Allen this morning against the ridiculous essay published by his biological son, Ronan Farrow, a couple of weeks ago. Weide is the award winning director of Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” He also directed a two part documentary about Woody for PBS and wrote a defense of him for The Daily Beast.
His letter is called “Hard Questions for Ronan Farrow.”
Weide is properly outraged by Farrow’s ambush of Allen in the Hollywood Reporter on the day “Cafe Society” opened in Cannes back on May 13th.
Weide notes that Farrow’s mother, actress Mia Farrow, defended Roman Polanski when he was arrested for rape of an underage girl in 1978.
Mia– Weide notes– wrote: “[He’s] a loyal friend, important to me, a distinguished director, important to the motion picture industry, and a brave and brilliant man, important to all people.”
Mia Farrow, Weide points out, never reached out to Polanski’s victim, Samantha Geimer. She’s also never spoken about her own brother, who is in jail serving time for molestation of young boys. Weide also points out that Moses Farrow, Ronan’s brother, accused Mia of beating him.
Weide is also outraged that Ronan Farrow dragged Bill Cosby into the argument. Cosby has 50 or more accusers. Woody Allen has only had one, and the court decided that there wasn’t enough evidence to proceed in a case. Woody was never charged with or tried for any crime– because the crime didn’t exist.
Weide writes: I read your recent article for the Hollywood Reporter, in which you hold the media accountable for giving your father a pass, and not asking him “the hard questions.” I found the piece to be disingenuous, irresponsible, and even dangerous. You and your mother have both asked that the press continue to hold Woody Allen’s feet to the fire in the name of “women everywhere” and “all abuse survivors.” But there is plenty of evidence to suggest this isn’t really your primary concern.
Good work by Weide. It’s time to gain a little sanity here.
