WON’T ROAST SWINE – CONFIDENTIAL:
HE WAS ONCE the toast of the town and now he can’t even get roasted. The Friars Club, which already postponed the formal skewering of Harvey Weinstein (inset), has now canceled the roast altogether, according to club sources who called that decision a “no-brainer.” “Given the nature of what’s happened, that’s unlikely,” according to a source close to the club. “I doubt he’d allow it either. It’s a dead deal.” A second source added “one would think” that ongoing sexual harassment charges against Weinstein will be the nail in the coffin of a negotiation that had all but grinded to a halt in recent weeks. “Entertainment Tonight” reported in August 2016 that the now-disgraced movie mogul would receive the club’s highest honor three months later, on Nov. 4. Weinstein accepted, telling “ET”: “It’s an honor the Friars Club has deemed me worthy of roasting.” Club Abbot Jerry Lewis, who died in August, confirmed at the time that the good-spirited lambasting was a go, calling Weinstein “a giant among giants.” Ironically, we’re told that original roast date was pushed back as the Friars Club found itself in a sexual harassment suit between a former club receptionist and TV producer Bruce Charet, a Friar. We’re told that case has since been settled.
We’re also told that the club is days from announcing a November roast of a different entertainment bigwig.
Club reps could not be reached for comment.
The Friars Club, which boasts, “We only roast the ones we love,” has bestowed its lampooning upon stars such as President Trump, Hugh Hefner, Milton Berle and Quentin Tarantino.
But the bawdy comedy club finds nothing humorous about Weinstein’s alleged antics.
That doesn’t put the 113-year-old institution above toilet humor. On Tuesday, Richard Lewis will visit the Friars’ E. 55th St. clubhouse, where a bathroom will affectionately be named in his “honor.” Perhaps there’s a toilet they can name after Weinstein.
The Washington Post reported Monday that Weinstein’s name had also been scrubbed from a Nov. 2 Kennedy Center discussion where he was slated to be a guest.