Blind Item #2
Apparently all the sexual harassment/casting couch stuff has not stopped the recording industry from continuing its practices. In the past two weeks I have heard of this former B+ list tweener turned adult singer having to orally service a singer to get him to join her on a track and this foreign born solo singer who spent more time in a manufactured group than solo actually had to have sex with a singer so he would add some vocals to her song.
Selena Gomez and Canilla Cabello?
ReplyDeleteThis isnt broads being forced to do anything, it is broads whoring themselves out to get what they want.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Count!!
ReplyDeleteI'd work at McDonald's before I'd stoop to the level these "women" and "girls" drop to in order to be famous.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't harassment. This is quid pro quo.
If these females want respect, maybe they should stop letting every Tom, Dick, and Harriet dip into their goodie boxes. They're all nasty AF.
'This isn't harassment. This is quid pro quo.'
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not rape and I would never compare this behaviour to rape or a forced physical assault. However, if this kind of 'quid pro quo' is so pervasive that you have to do it to have any kind of career and your agent is telling you to do it because that's just the way the world works, your sycophant friends say why not? at least you're getting something from it and your PR person encourages you because it'll be so great on your resume to say you've worked with XYZ Actor / Director / Producer, it's not exactly consensual either. It's abusing a position of power.
Here in the UK the age of consent is 16. No, ifs ands or buts; it is 16. Now, if we take your premise that it's just quid pro quo, then we can also assume that it's okay for teachers to ask students for a bit on the side for better grades. Fortunately you wouldn't get away with that, because it'd be deemed to be abusing a position of trust and power. No different with these people. They are abusing the power they have over others who are in a far weaker and more isolated position. It's very, very seedy and murky to pull that sh*t on someone, especially when you know they'll probably go for it because they've been passed around so many times before. That's how you end up with the broken Amandas, Britneys, Demis and Selenas of the world.
+1 @Shotinthedark. Well said.
Delete+100
DeleteCamila Cabello for sure for #2.
ReplyDeleteThey have a choice.
ReplyDeleteIf they have a choice, and they choose to trade sex for whatever, that is not harassment.
No one is abusing a position of trust or power here, either.
These men aren't their agents or bosses.
Look, at some point, when do women when they have the opportunity take the high road instead of taking the low road and then blaming men?
This situation is nowhere NEAR a teacher trading sex for good grades.
This is, "I want you to sing on my record." followed by, "I will if you blow me." followed by her saying, "OK. I will blow you. Thanks for singing with me."
I'm very empathetic and sympathetic to the children having been molested myself. Not so much those who are grown and so eager to be famous or make money that the deets of the how that happens don't matter.
People need to own their BS.
The guys also have a choice to not be asses & ask for sex to do something that will also help their own careers. Why the hell are guys demanding sex to do their jobs? How many guys did the men in this scenario have to blow to get their albums made?
ReplyDeleteThank you. THIS 👆
DeleteHell yes. I actually want the woman to be interested in me before she is doing anything downstairs or anywhere else on me. It’s pretty disgusting.
DeleteSex should never enter the equation when negotiating anything for work, whether you are a singer, an actor or a CPA. I agree these women shouldn't do this but more importantly, they shouldn't be asked to in the first place. Also, what self respecting man wants someone to get them off who doesn't want to do it? Find somebody who does. Preferably outside of your work relationships. It's not that hard.
ReplyDeleteIt's not rape, and it may not be harassment (though it would be if the women objected, and would be in any normal business setting), but it is prostitution, and it's not the sort of thing a decent society would consider acceptable.
ReplyDeleteWhen the pendulum on social morals swings back from the current peak, it's going to swing hard.
The bimbos dont have to whore themselves out, they can just find a different guy to sing on their song. They should be happy it is just a blow job. If i was already a millionaire performer, it would take a lot more than a blowjob to get me out of bed and into a studio.
ReplyDeleteThese types of arrangements are straight up prostitution, not sexual harrassment.
ReplyDeletewwax & unfrump, well said. I think the point Enty is trying to make is that it's so pervasive that these young women don't feel like they have a choice. If #1 is Selena, keep in mind that she was a child actor.
ReplyDeleteIf this were happening at my company, we'd investigate too see how wide it was and the 2 men (along with their accomplices) would be fired. We'd get the women some help and give them my direct line. We don't victim shame.
If you did the identical thing in a business office, you would be fired for harassment. If someone said, "Before I loan you my time to help out on your report, you will have to service me", someone would be unemployed for a very long time. And someone else would be very wealthy from an EEOC lawsuit.
ReplyDeleteIt's fucking creepy/douchey/rapey is what. We don't know what went through the minds of the girls involved (whether they felt violated, coerced or maybe high-fiving) but we do know what the men felt like.
ReplyDeleteHow many times do you have to face men like this before you give up or give in? Men who know that if YOU don't then some other fame-hungry slut Will? Who know that they hold all the cards. And yet it's the WOMEN who everyone disses, not these dick-slapping creeps who behave like every teenage boy wishes he could.
The teacher analogy probably doesn't hold, but imagine being paired with some douchey boy for a school project who won't do his bit unless you gag on his wiener. And will deny it if you tell anyone and will get all his douchey mates to drag you down if you don't.
YUCK!
@potpourri: It isnt an office. They independent contractors.
ReplyDelete@mrs meat: the women are the ones trading their body to get what they want. Dudes didnt approach them and say "i'm going to sing on your next song, so get on yer knees." The bimbos approached them and were fine with sucking some dick to get what they want. It is a woman's body, she should be able to do with it whatever she wants, but she aint the victim when she makes the choice.
This appears to be SOP in the music industry, especially when it comes to pretty young girls from manufactured acts who don't write or produce themselves. They are at the mercy of producers/agents/other acts who take advantage. BTW you can bet madonna did the same thing in her early days to get ahead. Hell 'inches for inches' is now a thing where even journalists ask for 'favours' from young acts for better coverage. Gross.
ReplyDelete@Count, being independent contractors does not make it less despicable. It's just loophole in the law. The record companies could still be held liable for their vendors' (in this case, the artists) actions if they're aware & depending on their contract, the vendor/artist may have to indemnify the record company. Then there's the PR angle with the mini-van majority.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is despicable for them bimbos to take advantage of the obvious sex addiction those men have, by plying them with oral favors. They should just offer enough money to get the men to sing for them.
ReplyDeleteNo one should be put in a position where they are even asked to trade sex quid pro quo in a professional setting, period.
ReplyDeleteUnless these women were being pressured by their labels or producers to do whatever it takes to get whoever these guys are on their records, this is not "casting coach stuff" and it is only harassment if asking for sex in any scenario is harassment. (And getting consent is not possible if you don't ask for sex, so where does that leave us then?) They have power as famous successful recording artists. They have agency. Say no and find someone else. There are very few artists whose presence on a track will guarantee a hit. Does anyone honestly believe that "Havana" is a hit because Young Thug is on it? He had had two top 40 hits before the highest of which reached number 16. (I'm not saying this is Young Thug; I'm just using that as an example.)
ReplyDeleteWe're going back to a model where women are completely fragile and helpless and without any power whatsoever and it's absurd.
@cd: probably means manhating Fugazi Enty is running the show. The thought of empowered and capable women has no place when when demonizing testicles is the agenda for the day.
ReplyDeleteI'm a female independent contractor. Do you know what every single one of my project negotiations has involved? Money. Good old fashioned cash. If a man asked me to service him in order to get onto a good project I'd slap him with my hand and a lawsuit. If you don't agree that it's harassment, hopefully everyone can at least agree it's highly unprofessional.
ReplyDelete@CD, you assume they're playing on a level playing field. Did it occur to you that record companies are not as likely to fund projects by young women as opposed to young men? The pay gap is everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWhat are they supposed to do when most male singers are demanding this? Do you remember this little piece of gossip? Even Ed Sheeran, who tries to project this wholesome image, is totally doing the quid-pro-quo thing.
http://www.vulture.com/2017/03/ed-sheeran-loved-hooking-up-with-taylor-swifts-squad.html
Unfrump: ever consider the guys didnt want to work on garbage pop, so the bimbos offered favors? There is nothing in the blind that says the men demanded anything, everyone just assumes it.
ReplyDeleteWhen this happens, these gals (or guys) need to call a press conference and announce what happened. Bonus points if they are caught on tape.
ReplyDeleteAt some point, I think the tween turned adult singer could be powerful enough by now to find someone who sounds just as good - maybe? I mean, the men are disgusting is without question but, how many break out tracks are there featuring some moderately known dude? She should have asked an empowered female singer someone else and flipped it on their asses. Not slut shaming, but someone has to stand up to these fucking boys. Clearly she has weight if they would even consider singing on the track to begin with but I get it that these women are conditioned to the boys make the rules bullshit.
ReplyDeletei KNOW many women who are willing to get what they want without truly working for it - its called bypass. Not just millionaire performers like in this blind, but us. Showing cleavage can give us a bypass. Breast enhancements; popular bypass. Bypass the lineup at clubs? strut to the front leaving our less-scantily-clad-sisters dusted - there is also a price to be paid for that... bouncers hand on ass?
ReplyDeleteIt has been said on this blog that most women have been sexually abused, harassed or raped. Whats interesting is that a few, who dont seem MORE talented prettier or connected than their peers, get ahead exponentially... soar to the front of the pack defying logic (are they the quiet ones right now?). (i now wonder about JLaw's ascension)
We ALL have choices. Its harder to make the right ones when younger (and been abused) and many of us have horrific abuse stories to tell, and hopefully we learn the price we pay for our choices - even victims knowwww we pay a price. WE must face ourself in the mirror. Hence numbing is such a popular past time.
Well that’s another way of saying “they were asking for it.” We all make bad judgments, but showing cleavage or wearing a short skirt is not an invitation to touch...or something worse. NOBODY should be soliciting sex in the workplace or in a professional setting. You want to be friendly? How about complimenting them on THEIR WORK.
ReplyDeleteBayAreaGirl, I think you are missing Lulu's point that there are ABSOLUTELY women and men out there who recognize the imbalance of power in these sorts of situations, and choose to make the empowered decision to utilize their sexuality as their fair means to balance that scale, and they do so willingly and without any feelings of shame or regret. A great example would be Rita Ora, who seems to seek these opportunities out aggressively.
DeleteWho is anyone to assume that a sexually confident male or female, with the knowledge of the inner workings of the entertainment industry, can't make the empowered choice to willingly engage in sexual activity for career benefits? Some may choose to view with a "Beat 'em at their own game" mentality, or some may *gasp* actually enjoy themselves.
My point is that not everyone who engages in the casting couch qualifies as a coerced and fearful victim. There are certainly willing participants who seek those opportunities out for career boosts and maybe even some sexual gratification for themselves. People seem to forget that some people view sex through far less conservative lenses as the majority does.
With this all being said...is it unfortunate that the entertainment industry has failed to evolve to a state where the implication that trading sex for career boosts is unnecessary and punishable by law (as it is across other industries)? Of course it is! However, I don't think it's fair to assume that the women and men there who proudly and eagerly utilize the status quo to their advantage be viewed upon as victims, because they simply don't qualify that way to me. I reserve the victim status to the women and men who engage driven to do so by FEAR as their fuel...not by ambition.
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ReplyDelete@BayAreaGirl Has Ed Sheeran written something for or has he been featured in any song by Haims, Goulding, Lorde or Selena? No, as far as I remember. Those seem to be normal hookups, no quid-pro-quo thing.
ReplyDeleteAre people seriously saying that Marshmello and Young Thug are more powerful than Selena Gomez and Camilla Cabello? Are you f****** serious? These are not a couple of nobodies who have to sleep with a manager to get representation or with a label executive to get a recording deal (same with the teacher-student relationship, that's an imbalance of power that favours the demander of sex, not to mention that you HAVE to go to school and you HAVE to be graded, there is not an obligation to get a collaboration for your new album). They are the powerful ones, and yet they decide to use their sexuality to stay at the top. Sure, the guys are pathetic and twisted for participating in this, and considering I doubt any of them has any trouble to get laid they do seem to be like Harvey Weinstein and the others, get the thrill of making someone to sleep with you, but that's all, they are not in a powerful position, the only power they have is the limitless ambition of those women and how thirsty they are. It's not comparable. These are two powerful women willing to prostitute themselves with their inferiors to keep their privileged position, I think it's not comparable with vulnerable singers/actresses being casting-couched.
ReplyDeleteThese females do it to get something back. Until people stop using sex as payment then this will go on forever.
ReplyDelete