Let’s not pretend like movie sets operate just like any other office building. Obviously they have their own rules, their own brand of etiquette and their own relationships. And since I’ve never worked on a movie set, I probably don’t understand all of the unspoken codes of conduct. However, I’m pretty sure that demanding a woman show your her breasts is not considered acceptable behavior. Or God I hope it isn’t.
On the set of Eric Idle‘s musical What About Dick?, production was apparently halted for two hours because Russell Brand refused to perform until his wardrobe girl showed him her tits. That’s right, a grown man an paid professional just sat there like a toddler who was refused candy because he wanted to see a woman’s breasts.
According to the story reported in The Sun, the woman involved was not happy about the request and refused to give in for quite a while. It wasn’t until she started to get worried about the movie production itself and the time delays that she finally acquiesced, apparently saving an entire film with one lift of her shirt. That wasn’t so hard, right? Wrong.
I guess we’re all supposed to feel better about this disgusting incident because Bill Connolly ha a conscious an gave the comedian a stern lecture about appropriate behavior. The whole thing is being brushed off as “a bit of fun.” And an insider reports,
“Russell is a charming scoundrel and everybody let him get away with murder on set — except Billy.
But after their heart-to-heart he settled down and gave a great performance and filmed the scenes like a consummate professional.”
I’m sorry, random anonymous source, but no. Russell Brand doesn’t get to be referred to as a “consummate professional” after an incident like that. It wasn’t just a schoolyard prank that Brand pulled before having his wrist slapped.
This is a grown man who demanded that a woman, who was simply trying to do her job, expose her breasts to him. She HAD to do it, just because he was powerful and he said she did. This isn’t just “a bit of fun.” It’s disgusting. This behavior is absolutely unacceptable.
As a female working in any industry, I would love to know where the directors an producers were during all of this. Where were all the people waiting for Brand while he was refusing to work until he could see some boobs? Because if they were aware of what was going on and they did nothing to remove this woman from the situation and correct Brand’s completely horrible behavior, they’re just as despicable as he is.
Russell Brand’s behavior wasn’t just a bit of fun, it was sexism as its worst. It was degrading, not just to the female who was put on the spot, but to working women everywhere who are more than a set of breasts for a guy to ogle. The actor and anyone who stood by and watched it happen should all be ashamed of themselves.
(Photo: Daniel Tanner/ WENN.com)
