Showbiz Sandbox 385: Hollywood Finally Addresses Concerns Over Sexual Harassment

The recent and voluminous sexual harassment claims against mega-producer Harvey Weinstein have ignited a firestorm of similar allegations by women against numerous professionals throughout the industry. It has grown into a day of reckoning that is reaching directors, agents and executives in Hollywood, to encompass the music, publishing and video game industries too.

Last week it was revealed that filmmaker James Toback sexually harassed upwards of 38 women over a course of decades. At the same time Nickelodeon fired Chris Savino, the creator behind one of its most popular series, over harassment claims and the head of amazon Studios stepped down under a cloud of similar accusations.

Meanwhile, Ticketmaster may have finally found a way to squelch scalpers from buying up all the best seats at live events. Its Verified Fan program is getting great, albeit expensive, tickets into the hands of actual fans. Now all they have to do is work on the technology to make it work more effectively.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Netflix continues to expand its subscriber base, Justin Timberlake will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show and HBO will bring its international productions to the United States.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of October 22, 2017
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-october-22-2017-300540932.html

Jack Gao Departs Wanda Group, Legendary Entertainment
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/jack-gao-departs-wanda-group-legendary-entertainment-1202591716/

‘Nancy Drew’ Reboot Being Redeveloped at NBC
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nancy-drew-reboot-being-redeveloped-at-nbc-1049293

‘Magnum P.I.’ Reboot in the Works at CBS
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/magnum-pi-reboot-works-at-cbs-1050888

I Can’t Breathe by Matt Taibbi – BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2016/10/31/i-cant-breathe/

The Rooster Bar by John Grisham – BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2017/04/19/new-legal-thriller/

How ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Is Cashing in on Broadway
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-is-cashing-in-on-broadway-2017-10-20

Broadway’s Soaring ‘Springsteen,’ Megahit Ticket Prices Transforming the Great White Way, Experts Say
https://www.amny.com/entertainment/springsteen-broadway-ticket-prices-1.14583070

Netflix Adds 5.3 Million Subs in Q3, Beating Forecasts
http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/netflix-q3-2017-adds-5-3-million-subscribers-1202591159/

Netflix Content Budget May Grow to $8 Billion in 2018
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflix-content-budget-may-grow-8-billion-2018-1049308

Netflix Plans to Release 80 Original Films in 2018
http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/netflix-80-films-release-2018-ted-sarandos-1202591430/

Nielsen will tell clients who’s watching on Netflix and other streaming video services
http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-netflix-nielsen-20171018-story.html

Chelsea Handler, Ending Netflix Show, Says She Will Focus on Political Activism

It’s Official: Justin Timberlake to Headline Super Bowl Halftime
http://variety.com/2017/music/news/justin-timberlake-super-bowl-halftime-1202596199/

YouTube Suspends Account of Chinese Dissident
http://freebeacon.com/national-security/youtube-suspends-account-chinese-dissident/

HBO to Bring International Originals To US
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017101749286/hbo-to-bring-international-originals-to-us.html

George Saunders Wins the Man Booker Prize for ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/books/george-saunders-wins-man-booker-prize-lincoln-in-the-bardo.html

CNN Fights ‘Fake News’ Claims With New ‘Facts First’ Campaign
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/cnn-advertising-fake-news-facts-first-1202596220/

Online Content Consumption Gains Ground In India
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017101849304/online-content-consumption-gains-ground-in-india.html

Facebook Orders Online Teen Drama ‘Skam’
http://variety.com/2017/digital/global/facebook-orders-skam-1202593108/

Governor Cuomo Outlaws Use of Elephants for Entertainment
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/20/arts/governor-cuomo-outlaws-use-of-elephants-for-entertainment.html

Roy Price Resigns From Amazon Studios
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/roy-price-amazon-1202591604/

Tarantino on Weinstein: ‘I Knew Enough to Do More Than I Did’
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/19/movies/tarantino-weinstein.html

Nickelodeon Fires ‘Loud House’ Creator After Sexual Harassment Allegations
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nickelodeon-fires-loud-house-creator-sexual-harassment-allegations-1050485

Vox Media Fires Editorial Director Lockhart Steele Over Misconduct
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/vox-media-fires-editorial-director-lockhart-steele-misconduct-1050658

Netflix Settles With Executive Claiming Sexual Harassment
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/netflix-settles-executive-claiming-widespread-sexual-harassment-1050313

‘Stranger Things’ Star Finn Wolfhard Fires Agent Over Former Actor’s Sexual Abuse Claim
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stranger-things-star-finn-wolfhard-fires-agent-sexual-abuse-claim-1049897

APA Agent Tyler Grasham Fired Amid Sexual Abuse Claims
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/apa-agent-tyler-grasham-fired-sexual-abuse-claims-1050883

Bill O’Reilly Settled New Harassment Claim, Then Fox Renewed His Contract
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/21/business/media/bill-oreilly-sexual-harassment.html

8 Women Have Come Forward to Accuse Director James Toback of Sexual Harassment
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-mn-james-toback-sexual-harassment-allegations-20171018-story.html

Video Game Forum NeoGAF Offline Amid Sex Allegations Against Owner
http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/neogaf-offline-amidst-sex-assault-allegations-against-owner-w509871

Bob Weinstein Accused of Sexual Harassment by TV Showrunner
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/bob-weinstein-sexual-harassment-1202592165/

Reese Witherspoon Reveals She Was Sexually Assaulted by a Director at 16
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/reese-witherspoon-reveals-she-was-sexually-assaulted-at-16-1049500

Comedy Writer Reveals Lurid Details of Harassment on Set — and Why It Cost Her a Job
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/comedy-writer-reveals-lurid-details-harassment-set-why-it-cost-her-a-job-guest-column-1049647

All the Other Harvey Weinsteins
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/all-the-other-harveys

The Price of Smiling for the Photos
https://www.thecut.com/2017/10/emma-cline-the-price-of-smiling-for-the-photos.html

Lupita Nyong’o: Speaking Out About Harvey Weinstein
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/19/opinion/lupita-nyongo-harvey-weinstein.html?_r=0

Actress Sean Young Claims Harvey Weinstein Exposed Himself to Her
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/actress-sean-young-claims-harvey-weinstein-exposed-himself-her-1050676

The Women of Publishing Say #MeToo
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/75175-sexual-harassment-is-a-problem-in-publishing.html

Female Animators Demand End to Sexual Harassment in Open Letter: “This Abuse Has Got to Stop”
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/female-animators-demand-end-sexual-harassment-open-letter-abuse-has-got-stop-1050696

California Lawmaker Wants to Ban Secret Settlements in Sexual Harassment Cases After Weinstein Scandal
http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-california-lawmaker-wants-to-ban-secret-1508428198-htmlstory.html

Watch MGMT’s Sinister New ‘Little Dark Age’ Video
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-mgmts-sinister-new-little-dark-age-video-w509356