Shock at SF leader’s artistic admiration of Spacey

LABOUR Party Senator Ivana Bacik has expressed extreme surprise at Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald’s artistic admiration of Woody Allen and Kevin Spacey, despite lurid sex allegations made against them.

Ms McDonald, interviewed on Matt Cooper’s radio show on Today FM, said cancel culture was “too absolutist” and “too cut and dried”.

Mr Spacey, whose acting career has been ended by sex assault allegations, was “still a great actor” she said, while the work of director Woody Allen

“stands on its own two feet”.

Ms Bacik said she was “very surprised” by the remarks. “I said to myself, she can’t possibly have said that, but she did.”

Ms McDonald said: “In the #metoo scenario, I think word came out on lots of different people that caused, you know, great difficulties but at the same time I’m just not convinced by this cancel culture. I think that’s just too absolutist.”

Catherine Murphy, co-leader of the Social Democrats, also expressed surprise, saying MeToo had done much good in countering what was the misuse of power by the famous, who held such power by dint of their fame, as in the Harvey Weinstein case.

“It can be very difficult for people to challenge that power, because there were few tools at their disposal — yet word of mouth and boycotts were some of them,” she said.

“When they do challenge such power, it shouldn’t be dismissed or diminished.”

Ms Bacik added: “I think even the phrase ‘cancel culture’ is used by people to disparage those who are trying to progressively change society.

“And actually, the MeToo movement has been phenomenal in what it has achieved.”