Harvey Weinstein has given an on camera interview to conservative right wing podcaster Candace Owens. In the interview he says mainstream media won’t help him. Only Owens and Joe Rogan are people he trusts.
I can tell you not many of Weinstein’s team are thrilled with Owens.
In the interview Harvey — who sounds exactly like himself from the old days — says he was shocked no one stood up for him after the accusations against him.
Often, he tears up, especially speaking about his children. But he’s also voluble, relaying funny anecdotes, and shooting from the hip.
He says he couldn’t get anyone to testify for him in the trials because they feared being canceled. “Everyone was scared to be canceled. I wish this had happened to someone else. I would have fought for them. No one fought for me.”
About Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt: “It’s a complete fabrication. She was originally scheduled to be in Woody Allen’s “Everyone Says I Love You.” We had a meeting and I wanted her to do Emma instead. At the end of the meeting I Said, I asked her to give me a massage. She said Yech, and didn’t do it. I didn’t touch her.”
“Brad called and very manly very cool said Just don’t do that again. And that was that. We made 11 movies together. Classic movies…and now I heard she thought the relationship was abusive. There are pictures of her hugging me in the hospital.”
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Skipping to the end of the interview: Harvey says he cheated because he was under pressure of his work. “That was my excuse for the cheating. Treat yourself.”
Back to the beginning:
“I’ve asked to have a lie detector test in the prison. I passed it. I know they’re not admissible but I’d like the women to do it, too.”
Harvey and Owens also discuss the fact that Brad Pitt produced the movie “She Said” from the NY Times journalists. “But it bombed so badly. It was a $30 million. It grossed two and a half million dollars. There was no interest in me, or the case.”
“I read an article by Clark Patterson showing that there was no reporting [by the NY Times reporters]. They were just taking dictation. Rose McGowan said she donated money to an organization. They never checked. “Ashley Judd’s claims are ridiculous. I never touched her, came on to her.They say I banned her. I fought for her on Good Will Hunting and I lost that battle. I thought she’d get an Oscar nomination. But people forget.”
He hopes the Pulitzer Prize judges reconsider Meghan Twohey and Jodi Kantor receiving awards for their work.
Owens eggs Weinstein on throughout the interview, taking his side that “there was something more about the takedown of you.”
Harvey says his relationship with the NY Times was always “rocky because he was friendly with the owner.”
Owens questions how the women could have even received Pulitzers.
“They broke me in half. I’ve lost two of my children, I haven’t spoken to, my Ruthie and my Emma in seven years.I do see my younger children and I do see my eldest daughter. It’s the only thing that gets me through. They’ve had to deal with some derision in school.”
Harvey praised ex wife Georgina Chapman. He said was so stealthy about his behavior “she never knew a thing.” He called her “brilliant.”
“She’s a great mom.”
Harvey says he waits in a cell with rats for two hours after court waiting for transportation to see his kids. “It’s just beyond belief.”
“I’d love the opportunity to produce movies again but I doubt I would get that chance.”
He talked about his philanthropy work with the Robin Hood Foundation. If he gets out of jail he wants to work on counseling other prisoners who get out of prison to help them adjust.
“Rikers Island is medieval. They said they were going to close it down. They never did.”
“I have bone marrow cancer, stenosis, and diabetes.” He says the medical treatment at Rikers Island is horrid.
“I recently read Graydon Carter’s book. I’m the villain in the piece.” He says Carter always claimed he was bringing extra people with him to the Vanity Fair Oscar party. Harvey concedes he’d charge $250,000 to people who would donate to amFAR along with him to the Vanity Fair Oscar party. “I’d try to sneak people into the party.”
Otherwise, he says, Carter’s book “is one of the best of all time.”
He says people slip him their screenplays for advice and notes.
Harvey says in the original script of “Good Will Hunting” Matt Damon and Ben Affleck had written that the Robin Williams and Stellan Skarsgard characters had gay sex. He says Affleck and Damon put it there to see if anyone was reading their script.
Harvey cites “Pulp Fiction,” the Tarantino movies, and Scorsese movies as is favorites that he made, as well as the “Shakespeare in Love” types.
“There was two sides of me…maybe I was in touch with feminine side.”
He cited George Clooney’s movie “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” as one he loved that needed better marketing. He asks the the owners of Miramax to re-release it.
Harvey says he got terrible advice from lawyers defending himself. He says a story Ronan Farrow wrote about him having sex in his office is untrue. “Believe me, not at three thirty in the afternoon.” He says all of his encounters were in hotel rooms only, never in the office.
“Asia Argento, I went out with her for four years.” He recounts her charges against him of rape, etc. “And then we had a relationship with her for four years?”
Weinstein concedes he can’t talk about the current case.
He says he’s been reading classic books from his high school days like “A Farewell to Arms.” He wants a pass just for the idea of remaking the movie of that novel.
He’s made friendships in jail with people he’d like to help. He cites a Mexican who’s next to him in jail who’s an artist.
But he also says there are dangerous people all around him in prison including murderers. “There’s danger where I am.” He adds: Prisons should be rehabilitative.”
Harvey’s leukemia: “They say I can live if I follow their regime.” He adds: “The care at Rikers is horrendous.” He’s currently at Bellevue in the hospital.
He adds: “I persevere and I try my best to do my best.”
