Charisma Opens Up About Whedon

[Veronique]

If he touched her sexually or spoke to her about sexual things, he could, but if he leered at her and made her feel slimy, that is probably not a prosecutable offense. At this point, even if he had touched her, the statute of limitations may be up. The fact she was that young may allow a case to go forward. I guess we will find out. So very sad. It is time that predators and abusers have their lives ruined instead of destroying the lives of others. It is a tragedy that a show that has such a deeply moral message was created by someone so destructive and hurtful. No matter his own tragedies, he had no right to visit them on others. No matter his power, he had no right to abuse it.

Bad comes from good, I suppose. Still, it is horrible that people suffered abuse and personal and career destruction because of one person's darkness.

I will be forever grateful that 'Buffy' the series got made and now deeply thankful for the strength and grace of the cast for what THEY created in spite of what they survived.

What a creep. But people will say he was checking the wardrobe and it was ‘acctidental; ’We don’t know what happened.’

Hope all comes out soon.

 

[DeepBlueJoy]

I will watch Buffy and marvel at the talent and professionalism of the cast. I am proud of them. They've earned the right not to have their contribution cancelled. I won't be paying for any future work of JW, however.

Funny how it was easy to bully Charisma about her pregnancy and her tattoos but if you look at Seth Green, his hair and his appearance changed from episode to episode. He, of course, was already acting in films and perhaps had better representation and more power. For whatever reason, his ever changing appearance became part of his character. I suspect he made acceptance of his changes part of his contract.

I suspect now that the reason Buffy hated season 6 was that she was pushed into something she didn't want to because she didn't have the right of refusal. Sad, because it was some of her best work. None of us, however, should be forced into exposure and situations we abhor, however. I have heard JM was uncomfortable about what HE had to do too. So many sad questions. I wonder how many of those questions will be answered now people have stopped being afraid?

Regarding DB, he had some weight issues for a while in Angel, but he got past it and never had a weight problem in Bones or since. He was almost skinny back in his Buffy days.

 

[Professor Walsh]

More and more these days, I find that Joss comes across like that teacher at school that everyone thought was cool and friendly but could actually be an underhanded, manipulative person that enjoyed bullying people.

Trust me, I knew several teachers that would put on a facade of being funny and nice, but at a moment's notice would just start picking on kids for no reason other than to feel like they're in control.

Not just teachers, either. There's rather a few unsavoury stories showing up all over the sports world now. More often than not, I have the impression that the offenders have been well liked in general, and that at lot of people have not only put a blind eye to things, but not seen it at all. I probably have missed things happening in my vicinity because I wasn't suspicious enough to look and because I used to take all friendliness at face value.

I would apply that to the pregnancy as well. Doesn't excuse any abuse but if you're on a seasonal contract that requires you to look a certain way and work certain hours then you honour that contract and then do whatever afterwards.

In theory, yes. Sometimes, though, life decides differently. My husband sometimes jokes that we have attempted to have kids twice, but got three. The last kid defied the contraception. Those things happen.

Power corrupts people. Power and a poisonous culture, where what is actually degrading is often brushed aside with "if you can't take the heat ..." has created so much devastation.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

if you look at Seth Green, his hair and his appearance changed from episode to episode.

I just took that as being part of the character. Rock star, etc. It seemed completely normal to me that that would happen. Less so a "normal" person.

 

[Veronique]

In theory, yes. Sometimes, though, life decides differently. My husband sometimes jokes that we have attempted to have kids twice, but got three. The last kid defied the contraception. Those things happen.

Power corrupts people. Power and a poisonous culture, where what is actually degrading is often brushed aside with "if you can't take the heat ..." has created so much devastation.

Thank you for saying this. I'm tired of those acting 'holier-than-thou' and re-victimizing actors who speak and finally have the courage to share their side. Nothing excuses that behavior and abuse.

 

[DeepBlueJoy]

Not just teachers, either. There's rather a few unsavoury stories showing up all over the sports world now. More often than not, I have the impression that the offenders have been well liked in general, and that at lot of people have not only put a blind eye to things, but not seen it at all. I probably have missed things happening in my vicinity because I wasn't suspicious enough to look and because I used to take all friendliness at face value.



In theory, yes. Sometimes, though, life decides differently. My husband sometimes jokes that we have attempted to have kids twice, but got three. The last kid defied the contraception. Those things happen.

Power corrupts people. Power and a poisonous culture, where what is actually degrading is often brushed aside with "if you can't take the heat ..." has created so much devastation.

I was so determined not to have kids at the inappropriate time, I never had any and I regret it every time I see my friends with their kids and now, some with their grand children. If I had managed to become pregnant later on, I would not have let anything take that from me. Having a child is a great gift and while I would understand them being annoyed at her being pregnant at an inopportune time, TV actors have been accommodated on many shows over the decades. Sometimes the pregnancy has even been written into the show. Others have hid behind furniture, some have been temporarily written out, and in more than a few cases, they shot around the pregnancy. I think it was Crossing Jordan that came back late one year because the actress was pregnant. LIFE happens. It remains more important than ANY entertainment. Real men understand that women are human too.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Others have hid behind furniture,

This made me laugh. Was thinking the kids being hid behind furniture and then started thinking seeing their little faces peering out from behind sofa cushions or something. Just made me chuckle. Then started thinking maybe the show sets are like the People Under The Stairs and they have all kinds of offspring hidden behind the props. I think too much sometimes I think.

 

[darkspook]

Show gets picked up on a seasonal basis. Sign a contract to be available for whatever it is 3—12 months. Complete that and then evaluate if you want to resign.

As @Taake said though there could be special clauses and time frames which is why I mentioned the timing of the agency calls being important for context.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Whedon is a common problem in workplace issues. I wonder if we'll see a documentary in the future detailing the behind the scenes of some of these shows.

Very true but there is also the human condition and cycle of life. TV has to have an element of flexibility in its working. A lead actor is injured that causes a rewrite, 2 characters are you as a show runner are going to be huge with the fans don’t work out, a recurring guest star gets a permanent gig on another network etc.

An actress getting pregnant is not something new. Many shows have had to deal with it. They shoot around it even!

To harass, undermine and bully a pregnant woman is not the way to go.

 

[DeepBlueJoy]

This made me laugh. Was thinking the kids being hid behind furniture and then started thinking seeing their little faces peering out from behind sofa cushions or something. Just made me chuckle. Then started thinking maybe the show sets are like the People Under The Stairs and they have all kinds of offspring hidden behind the props. I think too much sometimes I think.

This!!! this is what makes writers. Imagination is a weird and wonderful creature!

 

[Priceless]

The thing about Charismas pregnancy is that they did hide it, until they incorporated it in the show. It's not like CC got pregnant and they sacked her, they used the pregnancy in the story. They could have left CC in a coma until the baby was born, then bring her out of it. I imagine that could have been the plan until they were pushed into taking Spike on the show and Whedon maybe thought this would be a good time to get rid of CC.

 

[Veronique]

Very true but there is also the human condition and cycle of life. TV has to have an element of flexibility in its working. A lead actor is injured that causes a rewrite, 2 characters are you as a show runner are going to be huge with the fans don’t work out, a recurring guest star gets a permanent gig on another network etc.

An actress getting pregnant is not something new. Many shows have had to deal with it. They shoot around it even!

To harass, undermine and bully a pregnant woman is not the way to go.

and yet, it is the first thing people brings up when defending Joss and blaming CC. For a feminist show and a feminist group of fans, excusing the man while blaming the woman is very sad. I stopped reading those conversations, i get angry when they bent over backwards to defend him.

 

[The Bronze]

To harass, undermine and bully a pregnant woman is not the way to go.

Of course.

Accidents happen. If Charisma made him aware straight away then that's all anyone can ask. If she put off telling him it's an issue. We don't know the timeline.

 

[Btvs fan]

The thing about Charismas pregnancy is that they did hide it, until they incorporated it in the show. It's not like CC got pregnant and they sacked her, they used the pregnancy in the story. They could have left CC in a coma until the baby was born, then bring her out of it. I imagine that could have been the plan until they were pushed into taking Spike on the show and Whedon maybe thought this would be a good time to get rid of CC.

The original plan for the 100th episode was for SMG to do it. She said no so they got CC back.
Tbh the MT comments have moved it way beyond that now

 

[darkspook]

and yet, it is the first thing people brings up when defending Joss and blaming CC. For a feminist show and a feminist group of fans, excusing the man while blaming the woman is very sad. I stopped reading those conversations, i get angry when they bent over backwards to defend him.

I think it is quite clear that it was a toxic set with some major issues in house.

 

[darkspook]

Of course.

Accidents happen. If Charisma made him aware straight away then that's all anyone can ask. If she put off telling him it's an issue. We don't know the timeline.

An issue he deals with by make a pregnant woman work at 1am after making a joke months before that she fat?

Defending a man’s actions over a woman a show that is meant to be about female empowerment... hmm the irony.

 

[Cheese Slices]

The thing about Charismas pregnancy is that they did hide it, until they incorporated it in the show. It's not like CC got pregnant and they sacked her, they used the pregnancy in the story. They could have left CC in a coma until the baby was born, then bring her out of it. I imagine that could have been the plan until they were pushed into taking Spike on the show and Whedon maybe thought this would be a good time to get rid of CC.

My understanding is that the original plan involved her doing a bunch of physical stuff and the pregnancy threw a wrench in that, so they had to rewrite everything and incorporate it. Can anyone confirm ?

 

[Antho]

Is it possible that NB not showing up in the reunion ( at least not with all the group) is somewhere related to that ? I know that rumors say that it is David Boreanaz who didn’t want him but what if it was some of the women ? Knowing now that Amber is calling the ambiance on Buffy « toxic » and knowing NB’s attitudes over the last decades I’m wondering if NB didn’t have toxic behavior along with joss at that time. And maybe the actresses of the show didn’t want him to be there.. they couldn’t prevent Joss to be there as it is a producers, but another actor they sure can. I just want to say that I’m not attacking NB and I’m not even sure what I’m saying makes sense I’m just asking.

 

[nightshade]

I think a lot of people forget that maternity leave isn't really a thing in America, and a lot of women will work right up to the due date. I wonder if that attitude contributes to the way Hollywood, Joss etc deals with actresses that do get pregnant

 

[Btvs fan]

My understanding is that the original plan involved her doing a bunch of physical stuff and the pregnancy threw a wrench in that, so they had to rewrite everything and incorporate it. Can anyone confirm ?

Ironic as DB had injured his Ankle just before S5 so he didn't much physical stuff either and spent much of the season in a chair. But they don't do much anyway, its the stunt doubles who do that

 

[Skanky Vamp]

We don't know the timeline.

We kinda do know the timeline. She waited until the last possible moment because of past issues with pregnancies. She's admitted that much in the past.