Harvey Weinstein‘s back in the hospital, moaning about the “inhumane” digs at Rikers Island, and it’s hard not to indulge in a bit of dark irony.
The man whose actions toward numerous women were nothing short of deplorable now finds himself in a place that’s a pretty good match for the toxic scenes he forced on others. Sorry if I’m not exactly teary-eyed over his plight.
Weinstein’s attorney, Imran H. Ansari, is raising hell, claiming that his client has been “suffering from a lack of adequate medical care” and “enduring deplorable and inhumane conditions” at Rikers. Apparently, a foreboding blood test prompted Weinstein’s emergency trip to Bellevue Hospital, where he’s now demanding “immediate medical attention.” Ansari calls this “medical malpractice” and a “violation of his constitutional rights.” Okay.
This year alone, Weinstein has been a regular at Bellevue, battling everything from COVID-19 to pneumonia, and even squeezing in some heart surgery. Now, he’s back with a cancer diagnosis in tow. In October, the disgraced producer had been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a cancer that targets the blood and bone marrow. CML floods the body with too many immature white blood cells, leading to symptoms like fatigue, weight loss, and an enlarged spleen. It’s almost as if years of living a life of excess and abuse have finally caught up with Weinstein.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying prisoners don’t deserve proper medical care. But pardon me if I don’t weep for Weinstein. For years, this man used his position of power to prey on vulnerable women, dangling career opportunities in front of them like bait, only to snatch them away if they refused to submit to his sickening demands. Those who resisted saw their careers torpedoed by a vengeful tyrant who had way too much power in Hollywood. It wasn’t until the #MeToo movement caught fire in 2017 that Weinstein’s many victims began stepping forward in droves.
In 2020, Weinstein finally got his comeuppance when he was convicted of rape and sexual assault in New York and handed a hefty 23 years behind bars. It felt like a real “gotcha” moment, a sign that maybe, just maybe, the big shots aren’t untouchable after all. But hold the applause — Weinstein’s conviction was overturned in April due to technicalities and errors made by the trial judge. Though he still faces similar charges in California, the overturning of his New York conviction was a blow to his victims and a reminder of how difficult it can be to achieve justice in sexual assault cases.
As Weinstein’s health hits the skids, let’s remember where the spotlight really belongs: on the gutsy women who stepped up to share their stories and hold him accountable. These survivors have weathered storms you wouldn’t wish on anyone, namely endless scrutiny, blame games, and the Herculean effort of piecing their lives back together post-Weinstein. No amount of jail time or medical care for Weinstein can undo that damage. Now, as he lies in a hospital bed confronting his own mortality, one has to wonder if any remorse for the lives he’s shattered ever crosses his mind.