Executives need to throw support behind the ‘brilliant’ and ‘talented’ women, who have been exposing wrongdoing in entertainment, writes comedian Kate Smurthwaite
Women in entertainment and comedy have swapped warnings about David Walliams for years. Of course it’s not against the law to be creepy, and there can, and inevitably will, be a legal and professional backlash if someone makes allegations without concrete proof.
Producers and executives must have heard the rumours, however, so leaving him in a position of extreme power on a show like BGT—where young unknown performers have a one-in-a-million chance of big money prizes and national fame—is extremely irresponsible.
The problem of course is not about one or two guys, nor is it only about performers. Unpleasant men, ranging from those suspected of committing acts of violence to those who persist in making sexist jokes or belittling women for comedic effect, are common in the industry. And of course there are also many lovely men, and many that mean well but don’t always get it right.
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Asking women why they haven’t spoken up is something that happens a lot, but shouldn’t. It’s not my job to start protracted legal battles I can’t afford financially or in terms of my time. But no one wants a reputation for complaining or the inevitable knock-on career impact. We just want to do our jobs.
The incidents women describe range from assault and rape through stalking and harassment to sexual remarks both on and off stage. Personally, I experienced a radio presenter with a big show offering to have me on as a guest “if I went in the studio naked”. When I refused, he didn’t put me on his show. A male comedian who had met him at the same TV recording was a guest on his show more than once.
A radio producer got angry after having drinks with me when I refused to go to his hotel with him. I had made a joke about somewhere being the “bum hole” of the UK, and he interpreted that as meaning I wanted anal sex. He was at least 20 years older than me. None of the work he had assured me he would get me ever materialised.
A comedian performing at a show with me got his penis out and showed it to a female audience member when she said she was a doctor. I complained, and the club banned him. I later saw him at a festival, and he hugged me – which I did not want – and pulled his trousers down at the same time. I could go on. You get the picture.
Many people are under the false impression that comedy is “male dominated”, but women are somehow “breaking through”. This is a myth. Women from Lucille Ball to Victoria Wood have been the most popular comedians in the UK and around the world for huge parts of our history.
When I teach entry-level workshops and courses for comedians, the attendees are typically at least 50 per cent women. If the biggest shows and events seem to show more men than women on the bill, that is because sexism and behaviour like this have pushed women out of the industry or away from their full potential. When the industry is safer and less sexist, women will persist and thrive, and more will appear on the biggest stages.
I don’t think WhatsApp groups are the solution to sexual predators in the industry. The solution is robust laws, police and prosecutors who take women seriously. But since that feels like a distant dream, it’s understandable women have resorted to warning one another.
A sentiment I’ve heard widely is the hope that Brand’s conviction will encourage women to “speak up”. As though the problem persists because women are too mousey to take the easy solution in front of them. I hope the conviction makes men think twice before they behave inappropriately.
I hope the executives throw out the predators and all the men who laughed along with them and failed to challenge them, and give the work to the brilliant, talented women who blew the whistle.
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