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Harvey Weinstein gave an interview from his plush, private hospital room. Here are the 4 most bizarre moments.

 

Harvey Weinstein has done his first interview in more than a year, and it is a complete and utter disaster.

The man, who has been accused of sexual assault or harassment by more than 80 women, will face trial for rape in Manhattan Supreme Court on January 6.

He is charged with five counts of predatory sexual assault, criminal sex act, and rape, in the cases and could face life in prison if convicted.

Dozens of women have made allegations against Harvey Weinstein, including Uma Thurman. Post continues below video.

Video via Mamamia

This month he reached a tentative US$47 million settlement with more than 30 women who have accused him of sexual misconduct, the New York Times reported.

But the alleged serial sex offender is still only worried about himself.

Speaking to The New York Post‘s Page Six from his private room at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Weinstein said he only agreed to the interview to stop claims his back injury – which meant he turned up to court last week with a walker, but didn’t stop him from shopping without it a few days later – was real.

harvey weinstein interview new york post
Weinstein departs from criminal court after a bail hearing on December 11, 2019. Image: Getty.
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He has recently had spinal surgery to fix an injury sustained in an August car accident, Page Six reported.

Here are the most bizarre moments from his interview.

Weinstein is upset his work championing women has been forgotten.

"I feel like the forgotten man," the 67-year-old alleged rapist said.

"I made more movies directed by women and about women than any filmmaker, and I’m talking about 30 years ago. I’m not talking about now when it’s vogue. I did it first! I pioneered it!"

Sure. Because if we ignore the 80 allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against him, Weinstein is a major champion of women.

"It all got eviscerated because of what happened. My work has been forgotten," he complained.

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"I want this city to recognise who I was instead of what I've become."

Image: Getty.

In response, actress Rose McGowan - who has accused Weinstein of rape and sued him over his alleged attempts to silence her - wrote that she didn't forget him.

"I didn’t forget you, Harvey. My body didn’t forget you. I wish it could," she said on Twitter.

"I refused to sign an NDA after it happened because I knew I would come for you. And I did. This is about stopping a prolific rapist. You."

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A formal statement signed by 23 of his accusers, including McGowan, Ashley Judd and Rosanna Arquette, was released following the interview, assuring Weinstein that he will be remembered.

"Harvey Weinstein is trying to gaslight society again," the statement said.

"He says in a new interview he doesn't want to be forgotten. Well, he won't be. He will be remembered as a sexual predator and an unrepentant abuser who took everything and deserves nothing. He will be remembered by the collective will of countless women who stood up and said enough. We refuse to let this predator rewrite his legacy of abuse."

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When Weinstein mentioned Gwyneth Paltrow.

To demonstrate his passion for 'championing women', Weinstein gave the example of Gwyneth Paltrow, who he gave a lucrative contract to in 2003.

harvey weinstein gwyneth paltrow
Paltrow and Weinstein in 1998. Image: Getty.

"Gwyneth Paltrow in 2003 got $10 million to make a movie called 'View from the Top'," he said. "She was the highest-paid female actor in an independent film. Higher-paid than all the men."

The movie was widely-panned, even by Paltrow herself.

Paltrow is one of the women who has accused Weinstein of harassment.

She has said that in 1994, when she was 22, he invited her to his hotel room under the guise of a 'business meeting' and tried to massage her.

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Weinstein's charity work.

Weinstein felt compelled to rattle off all the good deeds he had done during his career.

He told Page Six about how The Weinstein Company bought the distribution rights for the documentary Paris Is Burning and 2005 film Transamerica, as well as countless other films with social justice agendas.

"This was a company that took social issues and tackled them," he said.

Weinstein said he also liked to help outside of the movie industry too.

After 9/11, he helped produce a charity concert that raised $100 million for first responders through the Robin Hood Foundation, he said.

Following 2017, when the allegations of him were revealed, he resigned from the foundation's board.

When asked if he believed the allegations against him had cancelled out his philanthropy, Weinstein said "I'll move on".

The interview location.

Page Six interviewed Weinstein from his room in the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

As described:

"The fallen mogul was in an elite wing of the hospital that features marble bathrooms, Italian linens and original framed artwork, all designed to look like a plush hotel. A private chef and concierge cater to the patients while visitors can sip cucumber-infused water."

The location was chosen as Weinstein wanted to prove he was not exaggerating his ailments.

The publication also said he threatened to terminate the interview multiple times when asked questions he did not like.

Weinstein will face trial for rape in Manhattan Supreme Court on January 6.

Feature image: Getty.