Televangelists

Back in the 1980s, there were a number of prominent television evangelists, with large followings and the ability to solicit significant donations for their ministry.  But many proved to be not who they claimed.  On camera, they could always be seen, with their perfect families, making ostentatious displays of piety.  But off camera, they were sampling the seven deadly sins and violating several of the Ten Commandments.

Today, in Hollywood, we're seeing just how corrupt the industry is, with many accusations of serial sexual abuse.  These are people who ostentatiously displayed their own piety, mouthing the right platitudes, supporting the right causes, donating to the right politicians.  But off camera, they were harassing, sexually abusing, sexually assaulting, and raping men, women, and children.

If you think of everyone in Hollywood as a televangelist, it all starts to make sense.

But the Hollywood sexual abuse scandal is far worse.  No one had a reasonable expectation that a specific televangelist was a secret sinner, save for the Biblical notion that all men are sinners.

In Hollywood, there's the casting couch.  Say those two words, and even people not in the industry know what you mean.  But for someone not in the industry, it is possible to imagine that only happens with sleazy producers at the fringe of the industry.  But it's coming out now that everyone knew.  Everyone knew; they all had agents and publicists, and a Hollywood-obsessed media that would give them camera time; yet no one spoke.

So take any Hollywood fundraiser over the past 50 years supporting women's issues, or one for a politician supporting those causes, and you will find it was filled entirely with abusers, or the "Hollywood everyone", the everyone who knew.

There's a reason for this.  I've read about what could be called "Hollywood nice".  In an industry that's all about people and connections, actors of various levels or tiers will mingle.  Two people may have a friendly interaction, but the minute one sees someone who can help her career, she can dump the other person and try to ingratiate herself with the higher tier person.

If it would help his or her career, an actor would condemn thousands of people to abuse.

It makes me wish for the days when the worst offenders were these original televangelists.