As the chairman of Walt Disney Studios, Jeffrey Katzenberg oversaw the purchase of Bob and Harvey Weinstein’s production company Miramax in 1993. Harvey and Katzenberg have been friends for three decades, and he was one of the men the heavily embattled producer reached out to for help when the Weinstein Company board of directors was about to fire him after many allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. (“I am desperate for your help,†Weinstein wrote. “Just give me the time to have therapy. Do not let me be fired.â€) We know Katzenberg was on that recipient list, because he has just released his response to The Hollywood Reporter. In the message, Katzenberg did not vouch for his friend, as per the request, but said he was “sickened†by him, stating directly that he had “done terrible things to a number of women over a period of years.†You can read his email to Weinstein in its entirety below.
Hey Harvey, Here is the bottom line. You stated in your email below that “A lot of the allegations are false as you know.†Well actually I don’t “know†and given the timing of the circumstances, I have no way of knowing.
However, you yourself, in your quotes, have acknowledged that you have behaved inappropriately … so it seems to me we are now down to degrees of horrible.
You have done terrible things to a number of women over a period of years.
I cannot in any way say this is OK with me … It’s not at all, and I am sickened by it, angry with you and incredibly disappointed in you.
There appear to be two Harvey Weinsteins … one that I have known well, appreciated and admired and another that I have not known at all.
As someone who has been a friend of yours for 30 years, I’m available to give you advice on how to at least try to make amends, if possible address those that you’ve wronged, and just possibly find a path to heal and redeem yourself. Having watched your reactions, seen the actions you have taken and read your statement, I will tell you, in my opinion, you have gone about this all wrong and you are continuing to make a horrible set of circumstances even worse.
I doubt this is what you want to hear from me and most likely you aren’t interested in my advice but this is the way I see it. I remain available. JK.