8 chapters across the catalog
The hosts revisit a controversial clip of Whoopi Goldberg defending Roman Polanski, where she distinguished his crime from "rape-rape." They use this to illustrate the "Hollywood" double standard regarding sexual crimes against minors. Mo argues that this culture of protection for "friends" in high places is exactly what the public is beginning to rebel against.
The hosts examine how the Duke case served as a catalyst for university faculty to attack their own institution's "patriarchy." They compare the social climate to the Tawana Brawley case of the 1980s and discuss the emergence of "rape culture" as a dominant academic theme. Mo suggests that political and social motives often outweighed the pursuit of factual evidence during the investigation.
The hosts revisit the Roman Polanski case, including his victim Samantha Geimer's request to drop the charges after 40 years. They play a controversial clip from *The View* where Whoopi Goldberg distinguishes between "rape" and "rape-rape" in defense of Polanski. The discussion highlights the perceived hypocrisy in how the media and celebrities defend certain figures while condemning others.
Hollywood reporter Mark Ebner discusses the connection between Bill Cosby, Hugh Hefner, and Dr. Mark Saganor, who allegedly provided "thigh openers" (Quaaludes) to mansion guests. Ebner also mentions the suspicious death of playmate Paige Young. The hosts suggest that Hefner's knowledge of powerful people's secrets protected him from the scrutiny Cosby eventually faced.
The hosts highlight the hypocrisy of activists who decry "rape culture" and "environmental racism" while accepting funding from a company like Shell, which has been accused of using rape as a weapon in Nigeria. They argue that such financial ties ruin the integrity of social justice projects.
The Washington Post suspended reporter Felicia Sonmez after she tweeted a link to a 2016 article regarding Kobe Bryant's 2003 rape case hours after his death. Sonmez received thousands of death threats and was doxxed, leading the Newspaper Guild to protest her suspension on safety grounds. The Post eventually reinstated her, determining that while her tweets were ill-timed, they did not violate social media policies.
During the Oscars where Kobe Bryant won for his animated short "Dear Basketball," TMZ reporters were reportedly instructed to ask attendees about Bryant's past rape allegations. Most celebrities avoided the questions, having been coached to remain positive and celebrate the event. This effort to stir controversy failed to gain traction with the "Me Too" movement at the time, as Bryant was viewed as a valuable corporate asset for entities like Nike.
Gayle King faced severe criticism for questioning former WNBA star Lisa Leslie about Kobe Bryant's 2003 rape charge during a memorial interview. King pressed Leslie on whether Bryant's legacy was "complicated," even after Leslie defended his character. King later blamed CBS for posting an "out of context" clip, but full audio reveals she continued to challenge Leslie's defense of Bryant, suggesting Leslie's friendship blinded her to the truth.
