The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have voted to remove Bill Cosby and Roman Polanksi from its membership ranks, finally.
The decision was made on May 1st and Harvey Weinstein was expelled from the Academy last year after exposés in the New Yorker and New York Times detailed years of sexual harassment allegations against the now-disgraced mogul.
The full AMPAS statement as shared by Variety:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors met on Tuesday night (May 1) and has voted to expel actor Bill Cosby and director Roman Polanski from its membership in accordance with the organization’s Standards of Conduct. The Board continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to uphold the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity.
In addition to this, Yale rescinded Bill Cosby’s honorary degree, something they have never done before.
The official statement released by Yale said that it is committed to “the elimination of sexual misconduct and the adherence to due process,” and that their decision was based on “clear and convincing evidence” from Cosby’s retrial on three counts of aggravated indecent assault.
“The decision is based on a court record providing clear and convincing evidence of conduct that violates fundamental standards of decency shared by all members of the Yale community, conduct that was unknown to the board at the time the degree was awarded.”
Other universities to do the same are Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh; Boston College in Boston, and Notre Dame in South Bend.
Now, I am excited that Bill Cosby is getting the accolades stripped away in the wake of his rape convictions, however, I am still irritated that Roman Polanski wasn’t removed until now. Roman Polanski’s already pleaded guilty of unlawful sex with a minor, and instead of facing prison, because he believed probation was good enough, he fled to Paris.
That was over 40 years ago and in that time, Polanski has made more movies, won another Oscar, all while Hollywood happily gave him a standing ovation. If it wasn’t for #MeToo this wouldn’t be happening, and I think that is what makes me upset. That it took #MeToo for there to be justice for Cosby’s victims, and to finally get Hollywood to act against Polanski. It is truly too little, too late in a lot of ways, especially when the “redemption” talk for some of the predators started way before any real justice was done.
So I’m glad this is happening, but when #MeToo is no longer in the forefront will people start slipping through the cracks again? That is my greatest fear.
(via Variety, image: Mark Makela/Getty Images)
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