Oh Boy, Someone’s Documenting All The Kevin Spacey Jokes On ‘Difficult People’
There are... so many.
This post discusses sexual harassment and assault.
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Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Hannibal Buress did it with Bill Cosby. 30 Rock, Seth MacFarlane (!) and Entourage (!!!!) did it with Harvey Weinstein. Now, Difficult People has joined the ranks with Kevin Spacey.
You know the cycle: a Hollywood juggernaut is accused of grossly predatory behaviour, everyone is shocked, and then we catch up on the masses of jokes and comments and winks that have squirrelled their way into popular culture over the years that indicate everyone had heard it all before. It’s exhausting. It’s saddening. And, yep, here we are again.
Kevin Spacey was accused of sexual harassment by actor Anthony Rapp earlier this week. Rapp alleged the Academy Award-winning actor made a forceful sexual advance on him at a party in 1986. Rapp was just 14 years old at the time of the alleged incident. In response, Spacey said he had no recollection of the event, though, “If I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology”. He also used the statement to come out as gay — a move which has been severely criticised as a deflection tactic.
Now, a Difficult People fan is chronicling the many, many, many references the show has made to Spacey that seem to reflect this kind of story. The show’s co-creators, Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner, have riffed on rumours on Spacey’s sexuality and alleged sexual aggression since the show began on Hulu in 2015.
“Maybe I should just give up trying to find love, you know?” Eichner’s character, a struggling actor, said in one episode. “I’m gonna go the Kevin Spacey route and just focus on getting famous, and then after I have a Netflix show, focus all my frustrations on a boyfriend young enough to be my own son.”
The show’s co-creator Julie Klausner is not exactly being coy about the similarities between these kind of jokes and Anthony Rapp’s allegation:
No need to “dig” or “uncover” Kevin Spacey jokes from Difficult People, journos!
— Julie Klausner (@julieklausner) October 30, 2017
Follow @difficultpsycho for screenshots of every Kevin Spacey joke made on #DifficultPeople; it's too exhausting to RT.
— Julie Klausner (@julieklausner) October 31, 2017
Klausner is not overexaggerating. There are just so many.
— dp trash (@difficultpsycho) October 31, 2017
#KevinSpacey pic.twitter.com/6PJyCUXOrO
— dp trash (@difficultpsycho) October 31, 2017
#KevinSpacey pic.twitter.com/GiVgGC8J51
— dp trash (@difficultpsycho) October 31, 2017
#KevinSpacey jokes from #DifficultPeople https://t.co/yjrhuRIZ9u pic.twitter.com/xhIXuxG4Vj
— dp trash (@difficultpsycho) November 1, 2017
Difficult People is densely packed with jokes (some often relatively impenetrable to Hollywood outsiders) about figures in the entertainment industry. It doesn’t shy away from heavy topics either; check out their treatment of Woody Allen. But, even with that in mind, it’s startling to see this level of continued scrutiny go on for so long with no mainstream or journalistic interrogation before now. Again.
Hell, even Family Guy had a crack at a Spacey joke back in 2005. 2005!!!
PSA: next time we hear a slightly confusing joke about a high-profile man in Hollywood, maybe let’s follow that shit up.
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If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
Men can access anonymous confidential telephone counselling to help to stop using violent and controlling behaviour through the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.