When “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star Terry Crews took to Twitter on Tuesday to discuss the sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein, he opened up about his own victimization at the hands of the Hollywood elite as well. In this, he was only continuing his pronounced trend of being a total mensch.
First, read Crews’ tweet essay in full.
This whole thing with Harvey Weinstein is giving me PTSD. Why? Because this kind of thing happened to ME. (1/Cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
My wife n I were at a Hollywood function last year n a high level Hollywood executive came over 2 me and groped my privates. (2/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
Jumping back I said What are you doing?! My wife saw everything n we looked at him like he was crazy. He just grinned like a jerk. (3/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
I was going to kick his ass right then— but I thought twice about how the whole thing would appear. (4/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
“240 lbs. Black Man stomps out Hollywood Honcho” would be the headline the next day. (5/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
Only I probably wouldn’t have been able to read it because I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL. So we left.
(6/cont.)— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
That night and the next day I talked to everyone I knew that worked with him about what happened. (7/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
He called me the next day with an apology but never really explained why he did what he did. (8/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
I decided not 2 take it further becuz I didn’t want 2b ostracized— par 4 the course when the predator has power n influence. (9/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
I let it go. And I understand why many women who this happens to let it go. (10/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
Who’s going 2 believe you? ( few) What r the repercussions?(many) Do u want 2 work again? (Yes) R you prepared 2b ostracized?(No)(11/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
I love what I do. But it’s a shame and the height of disappointment when someone tries to takes advantage of that. (12/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
He knows who he is. But sumtimes Uhav2 wait & compare notes w/ others who’ve been victimized in order 2gain a position of strength. (13cont)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
I understand and empathize with those who have remained silent. But Harvey Weinstein is not the only perpetrator. (14/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
Hollywood is not the only business we’re this happens, and to the casualties of this behavior— you are not alone. (15/cont.)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
Hopefully, me coming forward with my story will deter a predator and encourage someone who feels hopeless. (16/end)
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
Yes, Crews’ anecdote is a really, really big deal. For one thing, it is very unusual for muscular men widely associated with machismo to allow themselves to appear vulnerable at all. Crews was willing to describe an incident that must have made him feel very powerless and victimized in a matter of fact and honest way — that’s rare. Not only is his willingness to join the long list of people preyed on by men commendable, it’s a markedly radical take on masculinity as well.
But this is far from the first time that Crews has spoken out about uncomfortable truths. On this occasion, he described one involving predatory men in positions of power who sexually exploit other people because they can get away with it. But really, it’s just one of the times he has delved into his personal past to shed light on hard issues.
Last year Crews posted a series of videos on Facebook that discussed his own crippling addiction to pornography.
“Some people say, ‘Hey, man . . . you can’t really be addicted to pornography.’ But I’m gonna tell you something: If day turns into night and you are still watching, you probably have got a problem. And that was me,” Crews admitted in those videos.
“It changes the way you think about people. People become objects. People become body parts; they become things to be used rather than people to be loved.”
There are also rumblings that Crews once decided to teach his kids a lesson about acting privileged by giving away their presents to a local girls’ orphanage. He proudly described his children as “so happy and overjoyed. They were like, ‘I get it dad, I understand why you did this. I understand why we couldn’t get anything. We got it.’ It was the best Christmas of all time.”
Crews has also spoken out in favor of feminism in the past.
“I’m not here to tell guys that it’s their responsibility to come to a woman’s rescue,” Crews said in 2015. “Women are more than capable of handling themselves, and have been doing so wonderfully for years. What I am saying is, as one man to another man, examine your own mind-set. Examine what makes you tick. Because if you feel that you are more valuable than your wife and kids, that’s a problem.”
He expressed this same opinion one year earlier.
“I think the big thing about feminism is that it scares men because, you know — the big deal is that people are scared of being controlled . . .” Crews said in 2014. “I want to be clear that feminism is not saying ‘women are better than men.’ That’s not what’s going on. . . . The problem is that men have always felt like they’re more valuable. . . . I have been that guy, where I felt I was more valuable than my wife and kids.”
Indeed, Crews dipped his toe into the water of filmmaking with a project that he funded himself — and which had a strong social message.
“It’s a prodigal son story about two kids who got involved in the drug game. I had plenty of friends and family members involved in drugs, and I saw what could go wrong. I wanted to help people avoid that,” Crews told ReelTalk Reviews about his independent film “Young Boys Incorporated.” He says, “We shot it all in Detroit and I spent my own money. The movie was horrible, but I got the bug.”
As the world continues to reel at the horrible misdeeds of famous and powerful men such as Harvey Weinstein, we can at least take comfort in reminding ourselves that there are also men out there like Terry Crews. It’s not enough, but it’s a start.
