So over the past couple of nights, many sat down and watched in shock, disappointment, and horror the documentary Surviving R Kelly. Here folks saw everyone from his former wife to former girlfriends speaking out about the abuse they suffered at the hands of Kelly. We saw an array of folks speak about his intimate sexual encounters with underage girls. We saw a thorough breakdown of his 2008 Child pornography trial in which he was acquitted.
This documentary put together by executive film producer dream hampton is one that has triggered a lot of discussion and debate. Many are simply disgusted and wondering how and why R Kelly is not in jail and why he was given so much support in the music industry.
Sadly there are a number of other debates popping up that in spite the compelling information and backstories revealed in this documentary by many of those victimized by Kelly, there are folks defending R Kelly.
With respect to that, here are a few things to keep in mind… First, there will always be folks who thrive on notoriety. If you go right, they will go left. If you go up, they will go down.. They like the attention derived from trolling. or being contrarian. Personally, I feel many of those folks who show up and post and cape for R Kelly on social media platforms are part of a PR Crisies Team and are paid to try and shift public
There are some folks who sadly will side with Kelly because they believe people like him and Bill Cosby are being unfairly attacked and in the name of ‘Black Unity’ must be defended at all costs. One of the repeated themes from folks holding this type of position is to compare R Kelly with the way white celebrities are treated.
In the wake of the R Kelly documentary, I saw a large number of folks post up pieces demanding to know why R Kelly is the subject of a documentary and not sexual abuse monsters like Harvey Weinstein?
Where’re the documentaries on the Catholic Church and Roman Polanski, why pick on Kels?
I thought that was an interesting query on a couple of fronts
Second, as someone who watches lots of TV and news reports, I knew there were tons of news stories, documentaries, mini-documentaries, award-winning movies and News specials detailing the dirt that Weinstein and others had done.
For example, with Weinstein, everyone from ABC’s 20/20 to the BBC to 60 minutes just to name a few have all done lengthy news specials, that easily reached more people than the R Kelly documentary. There is no shortage of coverage. In fact, from what I could tell, the coverage on Weinstein is more extensive and easily more accessible.
I just think because many of those folks and the scandals didn’t have a direct impact on many in our community, we didn’t pay these movies, documentaries any mind. For example, how many of us watched the lifetime movie on actress Mia Farrow who aired out film director Woody Allen? Did we really care? In our universe, R Kelly is big news so of course, everyone is gonna talk about while it may, in fact, be greeted indifferently elsewhere and in other communities.
But since that seemed to be a big sticking point, I figured I’d give folks a short list of movies and documentaries on some key Hollywood figures and institutions involved in sexual assault and abuse scandal. I’m sure I overlooked a couple so feel free on.
- Harvey Weinstein Australia 60 Minutes
- Harvey Weinstein Australia 60 Minutes
- Harvey Weinstein Hollyweird Working w/ Weinstein
- Harvey Weinstein 20/20 Shame and Scandal in Hollywood
- Harvey Werinstein: BBC Harvey’s Secrets
- Harvey Weinstein: The Reckoning Harvey Weinstein/ Me Too Documentar
- Harevy Weinstein: The Harvey Weinstein Scandal
- Harvey Weinstein: ABC Nightline Documentary on Harvey Weinstei
- Harvey Weinstein: The New Yorker How Weinstein’s Coverup Fell Apa
- Harvey Weinstein: ABC/ BBC Ashley Judd Speaks out on Harvey
- Roman Polanski HBO Special: Wanted and Desired
- Roman Polanski : Odd Man Out (Roman Polanski Sex Abuse Scandal)
- Catholic Church: Mea Maxima Culpa Silence in the House of God
- Catholic Church: Spotlight Catholic Church Cover Up
- Catholic Church: Deliver us From Evil
- Catholic Church: BBC Sex Crimes and the Vatican
- Woody Allen: Mia Farrow an Intimate Portrait
- US Military: Invisible War Rape and coverup in the US Military
- US Military: Sex in the Army (US Military has a Rape Problem)
I don’t excuse anything R.Kelly has done but we know why he’s getting showered on, it’s the same narrative in America that’s old as the founders. When it comes to the church, I’ve been saying for awhile how everyone seems to look totally the other way when it comes to abuse. The abusers there are rarely brought to justice, Plus they are usually just covered and reassigned to another location many times in another country where they just do it again.
“Showered on” No pun intended, right?
he’s getting showered on because he is a black male pedophile that molested black underage female. if you think because white systemic racism is the reason to excuse his behavior because he might get treated unfairly, black people are more screwed up than I thought. How sick is our thinking that we are willing to excuse the behavior of a black male pedophile who is molesting children in OUR communities because he might get treated differently from white America……..
U didn’t read this article and at all
So sad
“Pick on”? Please. He molested and altered the lives of the young victims. Just because others preditors beat his record doesn’t excuse his guilt. STOP comparing degree of molester damage. Focus on the women and probably men damaged by all of them! STOP THEM ALL!
And this one — that literally came out this time last year — about Woody Allen:
Weinstein documentary
I’m sure is on the way . . . the outing of Polanski and The CC have been done ad nauseam and still the victims are vilified, blamed, and shamed. . . .
This is one of the problems, still covering, protecting predators at all costs. I DON’T CARE WHAT COLOR THEY ARE, THEY ARE A PREDATOR!!!!
R. Kelly is disgusting predator so is Weinstein,Allen and the church.
Don’t leave out the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. SURVIVING DONALD TRUMP
no offence, like the Jim Crow days the black man is still “the hunted” and easy prey except now due to years of brainwashing like the old KKK black folks are now leading the lynch mob with the rop , they couldn’t get the judge and they ain’t got Trump so in order to satisfy their thrust for male blood they have zero in on R. Kelly.
“Spotlight” documented the church. Sundance is premiering ”The Reckoning” documentary about Harvey Weinstein. “Wanted and Desired” was the 2008 documentary on Polanski. Thank you misssir for the one on Woody Allen.
assante for sharing this good brother!! as the misogyny anf pedophilia persist in commercial slophop!!
Funny thing is a majority of those specials were aired overseas with the exception of the one’s that aired on ABC which nobody made a big stink over. This article is being very disingenuous. The there were no “Mute Harvey Weinstein” campaigns or “Stop Attending Mass” campaigns at the Catholic church. When people point that out it’s not defending R. Kelly but calling out the utter hypocrisy.
Funny thing is a majority of those specials were aired overseas with the exception of the one’s that aired on ABC which nobody made a big stink over. This article is being very disingenuous. The there were no “Mute Harvey Weinstein” campaigns or “Stop Attending Mass” campaigns at the Catholic church. When people point that out it’s not defending R. Kelly but calling out the utter hypocrisy and obvious fake manufactured outrage.
Obviously, the person that wrote the article missed the specials on all that he questions. I’ve seen the one of the Catholic Church and just watch on on Weinstein. All these situations are different equally as gross but you are missing the point that R KELLY LIKES KIDS. So until he fucks yours I guess some won’t be all that concerned. Black people are our own worse enemies. The black community failed on the R Kelly thing. And now we are failing each other arguing about a pedophile. so so sad. What about surviving the Christian church my people have been victims of that every since white folks converted us to Christianity. IJS…
I would add “The Keepers” the Netflix documentary series about the sexual abuse and murder scandal in the Catholic Church & a Catholic Highschool and the cover-up by the archdiocese.
Truly important to not exacerbate the issue by attempting to deflect or point the finger by bringing up someone else. All of these men are abusers. But that said, I appreciate the fact that the question was asked but also answered. This happens to be a pretty good point of reference of very riveting films that cover all scumbags