In August 2011, Corey Feldman told ABC’s Nightline, “the number one problem in Hollywood was, and is, always will be paedophilia. That’s the biggest problem for children in this industry… it’s all done under the radar. It’s the big secret.”
Feldman landed his first Hollywood acting role at age 13, starring in films Stand By Me, Gremlins, Friday the 13th and The Lost Boys.
The actor, who is now the lead singer of a rock band, alleges that he and his best friend Corey Haim were victims of child molestation in the 1980s.
The death of Haim was likely the catalyst for Feldman coming forward, as he said, "There is one person to blame in the death of Corey Haim, and that person happens to be a Hollywood mogul - and that person needs to be exposed but unfortunately I can't be the one to do it."
In his book, Coreyography: A Memoir, published in 2013, Feldman details the alleged abuse, writing that older men convinced younger boys that it was "perfectly normal" to have sexual relationships with one another.
As part of the publicity for his book, Feldman appeared on The View, a daytime American TV show hosted by an all women panel.
Now, four years after the episode aired, the footage has reemerged because of its eerie relevance to the most recent allegations of sexual abuse in Hollywood advanced by dozens of men and women.
Listen: Everything you need to know about Harvey Weinstein. (Post continues...)
"I'm saying that the people who did this to both me and Corey are still working... that they are still out there... and they're some of the richest most powerful people in this business," Feldman said to an aghast Barbara Walters.
"Are you saying that they're paedophiles and they're still in this business?" she asked.
"Yes," he responded.
Walters then noticeably rolled her eyes and held her hand to her head, sighing.
As the interview continued, Feldman said, "Be careful what you wish for... that's what I'll tell you... don't go into it with naivety..."
"You're damaging an entire industry!" Walters exclaimed.
"I'm sorry I'm not trying to," Feldman responded. "I'm just trying to say it's a very important, serious topic."
Never mind the damage the 'industry' allegedly did to Feldman. Walters was more concerned, in this moment at least, with protecting the industry's reputation than with potential sex abuse.
What we have learned over the past week, is that sexual abuse allegations in Hollywood are not new.
Rose McGowan had been trying to tell her story for 20 years. Gwenyth Paltrow described film executive Weinstein as "coercive" on The Late Show with David Letterman in 1998. There were jokes at award shows, and women warning each other about who to avoid for decades.
This snippet of footage, with one of the most powerful female television personalities on the planet, goes some way in revealing why victims of alleged sex abuse might not come forward.
To dissent made you an outcast. You were a traitor against the industry that made you. Hollywood has always been about keeping up appearances, and allegations such as Feldman's absolutely shattered them.
The fact that in 2013, Feldman sat on one of the highest rating talk shows in the US and apologised for speaking out about alleged child sex abuse might explain why for so many years there was silence.
And now, in October 2017, we are seeing an unprecedented eruption of stories that appear to have been bubbling under the surface for decades.
If this post brings up any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. It doesn’t matter where you live, they will take your call and, if need be, refer you to a service closer to home.
You can listen to the full episode of Mamamia Out Loud, here.
Top Comments
Corey is trying to raise $10m for a documentary that will provide a ‘true depiction of child abuse’ in the film industry. He said he will name and shame the media moguls and other important people within the industry. Part of the funding will go towards tightened security for himself and his family as he fears for their safety.
“What I am proposing is a plan that can literally change the
entertainment system as we know it,” Feldman said in the video. “I
believe that I can also bring down, potentially, a paedophile ring that I
have been aware of since I was a child. Right off the bat, I can name
six names, one of them who is still very powerful today. And a story
that links all the way up to a studio. It connects pedophilia to one of
the major studios.”
So, where is the footage? 😪