Celebrity Whore Mongering
Scandal after scandal in Hollywood over the past several decades have proven one thing: movie stars don’t have to play by the rules. Stars of the big screen have been involved in salacious scandals dating back to the silent film era. Whether it be sex scandals, drugs, infidelity, whore mongering, domestic violence, or theft, movie stars have literally and figuratively been getting away with murder for nearly a century.
Back in the good old days of Hollywood, film actors had their pick of underage girls and boys and nobody batted an eye. Roman Polanski sodomized a 13 year old girl in Jack Nicholson’s jacuzzi in the late seventies, and although he had to flee the country, he is still considered a darling in Hollywood circles, who has been wrongly persecuted. Speaking of Jack Nicholson, he once beat a man’s car headlights out with a golf club at a Studio City intersection after a traffic dispute. He was let go with a slap on the wrist – after all he donates to the police protective association. It is also rumored that Jack sold weed to finance his acting before he made it. No big deal.
Rolls Royce in Hollywood
Of course the most famous case of a “movie star” or celebrity getting away with murder was the OJ Simpson ordeal. OJ benefited from a an expert legal team and jury consultant. Back in the days of the OJ trial, I was driving limos, and I drove one of the nation’s top jury consultants to make an appearance on a talk show. This guy was the jury consultant for John Gotti. He told me then that OJ would walk, because OJ had hired the number 2 jury consultant in the country and he was right. Also, people have a hard time believing that there favorite movie stars are capable of heinous behavior – “He seems like such a nice guy!”
Movie Stars Bad Behavior
- Fatty Arbuckle Scandal
- Roman Polanski’s “persecution”
- OJ found “innocent”
- Good Time Charlie ongoing debacles
- Woody Allen marries stepdaughter
Hollywood Walk of Fame
In the novel, “Palm Avenue,” I explore this idea of movie stars, bad behavior, and this attitude of entitlement and being above the law. The character, Jack Wrangler assaults a hotel desk clerk because he didn’t feel he was getting fast enough service: “Jack had a temper and was abusive toward his assistants, drivers, hotel staff, and restaurant staff. He acted either aloof to people, or outwardly hostile. One night they returned from Mulberry Street to the hotel and Jack was very drunk. He couldn’t find the hotel key so he returned to the front desk to get another one. An obviously gay male at the front desk was talking to some other customers when Jack appeared at the desk with Ashley in tow. Jack didn’t feel like the desk attendant gave him the proper respect. Finally the other people walked away and Jack was seething.
“Didn’t you see me standing here, cocksucker?” Jack said.
The desk attendant was stunned by Jack’s hostility.
“I’m sorry Mr. Wrangler, I had to finish up with those people…”
Jack cut him off,” I don’t give a fuck about those fat pieces of shit! Get me a new room key, pillowbiter!” Jack said, just before he slapped the desk attendant’s face.
Of course, not all movie stars behave like this, and some go through phases. It is what money, constant adoration, fame, and power often does to people. The sense of entitlement may manifest itself in small ways in the beginning, and then gradually, a full scale God complex develops.
Palm Avenue Series 