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Multiple Ain't It Cool News employees resign after Harry Knowles assault allegations

M

MadLaughter

Member
The allegations:

An Austin-area woman said Ain’t It Cool News founder Harry Knowles sexually assaulted her at an Alamo Drafthouse event — but the reason she’s speaking out now is she believes change is coming.

“Harry Knowles groped me, opportunistically, on more than one occasion,” said Jasmine Baker. “I cannot just stay silent. I am not interested in remaining silent.”

In 1999-2000, Baker was familiar with Knowles and his website, as they often attended the same Drafthouse events. Baker was at a Drafthouse event when Knowles rubbed up against her buttocks and legs in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. While she was initially willing to consider it an accident, on a later occasion he rubbed up against her again; she confronted him about his behavior, and made it clear that he did not have her consent to touch her in any manner. “He just giggled about it,” she said. On at least one occasion, she said he also put his hand under her shirt.
Click to expand...

http://www.indiewire.com/2017/09/harry-knowles-sexual-assault-alamo-drafthouse-1201878971/

Eric Vespe (Who, for example, is followed on twitter by Kevin Feige, Rian Johnson, James Gunn)

DKlt3gIU8AAFJns.jpg:large



Steve Prokopy:

DKltMY3XUAAXx6Y.jpg
 
A

Annoying Old Party Man

Member
Harry had always come up as a little creepy tbh, so these allegations are not surprising in the least.

Still, Aint-it-cool used to be the most passionate site about geeky movies that I have ever seen in my life, and it is sad that we have come to this now - it ain't so hard to keep it to yourself and he should have known better

- fake edit -

Is the guy married? Has he come out to speak about this?
 
JeTmAn81

JeTmAn81

Member
Does this confirm it's actually true? There's no actual proof of any of this, is there? But these people have known Harry forever. Either they believe it or their loyalty to him is thin enough to skate away from the heat.
 
I

Inferno313

Banned
JeTmAn81 said:
Does this confirm it's actually true? There's no actual proof of any of this, is there? But these people have known Harry forever. Either they believe it or their loyalty to him is thin enough to skate away from the heat.
Click to expand...

Many, many women in the Austin Film Community have backed up these claims.

Here's a protip for being a good person: Believe women. Believe victims.
 
C

Chmpocalypse

Blizzard
JeTmAn81 said:
Does this confirm it's actually true? There's no actual proof of any of this, is there? But these people have known Harry forever. Either they believe it or their loyalty to him is thin enough to skate away from the heat.
Click to expand...

Wait.

So the woman saying it happened isn't proof, but these actions based on the words is? Why?

(To be clear, I absolutely believe the woman's allegations.)
 
X

x Dredgen Yor x

Member
Hot take, I’m a little uncomfortable with these people getting praise for quitting, meanwhile we are suppose to believe they worked for harry for years and had no idea what he was like...
 
D

Dan-o

Member
Another former AICN writer who left early last year, Alan Cerny, is sending positive messages to those who are leaving. Glad to see he's not a fan of Knowles anymore, either.
 
JeTmAn81

JeTmAn81

Member
Chmpocalypse said:
Wait.

So the woman saying it happened isn't proof, but these actions based on the words is? Why?

(To be clear, I absolutely believe the woman's allegations.)
Click to expand...

Hearsay has never been considered proof of anything. Evidence is proof. You don't need proof to believe someone's allegations, but I'll always have more trust in someone I know than in strangers.
 
G

Glix

Member
The entourage ep at comic-con kinda hinted that Knowles was really creepy. At least thats who I thought they were going after with that character.
 
K

kirblar

Member
JeTmAn81 said:
Does this confirm it's actually true? There's no actual proof of any of this, is there? But these people have known Harry forever. Either they believe it or their loyalty to him is thin enough to skate away from the heat.
Click to expand...
Once the initial accusation came out, more immediately came out of the woodwork, and apparently this stuff's been floating around a while.

The pattern is unfortunately familiar enough that the odds that none of it are true are close to 0%. You just don't get 3+ people coming forward independently like that without a real issue causing the problem.
 
A

AuthenticM

Member
x Dredgen Yor x said:
Hot take, I'm a little uncomfortable with these people getting praise for quitting, meanwhile we are suppose to believe they worked for harry for years and had no idea what he was like...
Click to expand...

If your boss or family member is discovered to be a sexual predator, are we supposed to gang up on you because you should have known?

Most sexual predators operate in the dark, even to their closest ones.
 
The Elite

The Elite

BOSS
It's crazy to see it end like this. I know a lot of people had issues with Ain't it Cool's style but I always enjoyed it. Sad to see it end like this but I am glad people are resigning. I wonder if Herc who does the TV stuff sticks around. I still like to read his bits every so often. I also love the Copernicus bits they do on science in sci-fi films.

Been checking it out since the 90s. The end of an era but Harry needs to answer for this shit.
 
G

Gastone

Member
Man, i remember reading AICN a lot a few years back, but in the end i got really fed up with Harry's writing style and bullshit reviews. The guy always came off as kind of creepy for some reason, so i guess i'm not really surprised about all this.
 
X

x Dredgen Yor x

Member
AuthenticM said:
If your boss or family member is discovered to be a sexual predator, are we supposed to gang up on you because you should have known?

Most sexual predators operate in the dark, even to their closest ones.
Click to expand...


harry did not operate in the dark, his sexism and perversion was front and centre for the world to see, the only shocking thing is that its taken this long.


here’s a former aicn writer whose actually approaching real honesty about the situaion

https://twitter.com/nordlingcs/status/908743027753148417
 
B

Bizazedo

Member
AICN's bullshit reviews from Harry drove me away a decade ago (as well as late scoops and a horrible website). The reviews were either bought or his tastes are horrible.

The site should've died years ago, so if this is what kills it....so be it. Sad that it took this over the fact that it was just plain bad.
 
L

liquidtmd

Banned
Proteus said:
It's crazy to see it end like this. I know a lot of people had issues with Ain't it Cool's style but I always enjoyed it. Sad to see it end like this but I am glad people are resigning. I wonder if Herc who does the TV stuff sticks around. I still like to read his bits every so often. I also love the Copernicus bits they do on science in sci-fi films.

Been checking it out since the 90s. The end of an era but Harry needs to answer for this shit.
Click to expand...

Yeah this is kinda me. I was around in the late 90's until the style grated on me around the late 00's.

He was always screwy but this...horrible, disgusting guy.
 
bengraven

bengraven

Member
This damn thing broke my heart.

Harry helped ignite my love of film when I discovered his site 20 years ago. His passion for classic and under-rated cult films, his love for the pioneers of the genre and the minds behind the scenes was infectious. I read his book twice. I defended him on the talkback occasionally.

He helped me develop a love of cinema.

I condemn him for this, though. I hope he is brought to task over what he did and I hope he does not get the support, excuses, and defensive of those around him, especially those who I respect. Big props to Capone for showing he was still the best of them all and now I wait to see the others' reactions.
 
T

traveler

Not Wario
Quint AND Capone gone? AICN is truly dead then. Good on them for showing solidarity to the victims.

Count Dookkake said:
The worst story isn't even out yet.
Click to expand...

Not calling for it, but pretty sure consistently alluding to having insider knowledge without dropping that knowledge is bannable. Maybe it's only gaming side, though? Either way, might be safer to either drop the news or just point it out when it does drop.
 
M

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
x Dredgen Yor x said:
harry did not operate in the dark, his sexism and perversion was front and centre for the world to see, the only shocking thing is that its taken this long.
Click to expand...
Seriously. The fact that he was a disgusting perverted creep was plain as day for over a decade. Just check his "reviews" of Heroes (where he sexualizes the underage cheerleader in minute detail) and Blade 2 (which is... uh... something)
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
traveler said:
Not calling for it, but pretty sure consistently alluding to having insider knowledge without dropping that knowledge is bannable. Maybe it's only gaming side, though? Either way, might be safer to either drop the news or just point it out when it does drop.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure blackmail is bannable, too.
 
C

Count Dookkake

Member
traveler said:
Not calling for it, but pretty sure consistently alluding to having insider knowledge without dropping that knowledge is bannable. Maybe it's only gaming side, though? Either way, might be safer to either drop the news or just point it out when it does drop.
Click to expand...

Always appreciate a tip from a mod. :p

I'm fairly certain that at least one of the red names knows I know what I am talking about.
 
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