Comments on: all the subtext in Kevin Spacey’s apology

By: Al and Louie | SorryWatch

Al and Louie | SorryWatch — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 21:21:54 +0000

[…] far better than their predecessors. This is a low bar. There was no attempt at distraction (a la YEP I’M GAY) and no accompanying legal threats, so, uh, […]

By: Old Rockin' Dave

Old Rockin' Dave — Sat, 11 Nov 2017 07:08:35 +0000

What is a shaken apology?
It’s obvious. Leon Wieseltier prefers his apologies shaken, not stirred.
And taken with vodka, and a little vermouth.

By: Duane Day

Duane Day — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 19:33:40 +0000

Consider a hypothetical: Rapp’s description is 100% accurate, but Spacey honestly has no memory whatsoever of assaulting Rapp. Spacey is aware that he has a history of “deeply inappropriate drunken behavior,” including behavior of a nature that makes Rapp’s account entirely plausible to him. Spacey also knows that his previous unwillingness to “deal with [his sexual orientation] honestly and openly” has caused him to issue false public statements (e.g. after the 2004 incident in a London park). To continue to “protect his privacy” at this moment would require him to act as if Rapp’s accusation couldn’t be true. Thus, Rapp’s accusation being made public creates an absolute moral imperative for Spacey to drop his long-held public pretense that he isn’t gay.

That’s the subtext I’m seeing in the totality of Spacey’s statement. I don’t see one iota of “it probably didn’t happen” anywhere in there. I also don’t see any apology for being gay, but I do see an implicit acknowledgement that trying to hide his sexuality has caused him to be dishonest in the past, and that continuing that effort at the present moment would be unthinkable. And in the linking of his coming out to his responding to this accusation, and in the absence of any denial that he’d ever done anything like what Rapp says he did, I see an implicit acknowledgement that it’s plausible to Spacey that the accusation is entirely true.

I’m a fan of Sorrywatch, but I think you may have gotten this one wrong. I’m not saying Spacey’s apology is anywhere near perfect, but I think there’s a whole lot more genuine “mea culpa” in there than you perceived.

By: snarly

snarly — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 00:54:53 +0000

In reply to Cat. Point taken. You're right -- age is the deciding factor. Thanks for the comment.

By: Cat

Cat — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 23:12:54 +0000

one little thing in this (otherwise stellar) post: the “look at him when he was 14” bit is a little… unpleasant. it opens the door for people who make comments like “well he/she LOOKED much older”. age is the deciding factor here, the ONLY relevant factor. not his appearance.

By: Frako Loden

Frako Loden — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 01:10:11 +0000

Go you! You are master of the GIF.