Yes, I too loved the movie “Jerry Maguire” back in the day especially the Rod Tidwell character and his iconic line, “Show Me the Money.” And up until recently, I have enjoyed Cuba Gooding Jr.’s work. There’s something likeable about the man.
However, I don’t know the man. I’m just an ethics speaker who enjoys a good movie every now and again. Therein lies the problem. Given our constant exposure to media, social media, video streaming and the like, we tend to confuse the public persona of our “stars” with reality. Everything I know about Cuba Gooding Jr. has literally been written by entertainment writers, social media managers, publicists and his movie studios.
Here Comes the Truth
Every choice has a consequence, especially when it comes as the result of sexual harassment and abuse. Cuba Gooding Jr. is currently facing seven new accusations of sexual abuse. The allegations of abuse bring the total complaints against him to 22. I would not be shocked to learn that there are more women waiting to come forward. They are accusing the actor of a whole series of behaviors from forcible kissing and to inappropriate touching to lewd comments that I won’t glorify in this post. The behaviors go back to at least 2009 and ran through 2018.
The actor divorced in 2014 for undisclosed reasons however, the fact that so many women have come forward with “horror stories” was undoubtedly one of the contributory reasons. As the accusers have spoken up and prosecutors are gathering testimonies, Gooding Jr.’s legal team has issued the rather predictable type statement:
The legal team said: “(He) has and does deny all allegations of criminal conduct. Unfortunately, people come out of the woodwork, making false allegations against Cuba, as oftentimes happens when a celebrity is accused by the District Attorney’s Office in a Public Forum. The spurious, uncharged allegations offered by the District Attorney’s Office are so ancient and outdated and lacking in details and impairs the Defendant from defending against them; thus, it demonstrates that the District Attorney’s Office’s motive…”
Good Ethics have no Time Limit
Though his legal team is forceful in its denial’s of wrong-doing, as we are in a time of constant video surveillance, the pictures that are emerging of Gooding Jr. “working his magic” in nightclubs and other venues are shocking and embarrassing.
The “shock” part is that for most of us (thank goodness) such behavior on the part of an abuser would be an unthinkable act for us. The embarrassing part is how inappropriate victims will allow such attackers to become before running away.
It is all quite sickening and frightening at the same time. In one case, accusers have stated that one of the women who was groped is emotionally compromised in some way. To my mind, it is almost tantamount to rape, and is quite sad.
That the lawyers say that some of the charges are “ancient” and “outdated,” are absolutely meaningless in an ethical sense. How a case of abuse just a decade ago is “ancient,” is beyond logical explanation.
It comes down to power, I am afraid, and the arrogance that comes with power. We are drawn to it especially when the perpetrators of sexual abuse are in the public eye. Many people feel powerful being around powerful people. It is myth and illusion.
Cuba Gooding Jr. is wealthy, famous and “powerful.” He is also an extremely unethical man who rationalizes that his power gives him Carte Blanche, much in the same way Weinstein, Spacey and many other Hollywood types abused their power. Though 22 women have come forward, I am afraid there will be more in the future. Unless we stop confusing ethical behavior with “power,” abusers such as this actor will keep abusing.
