Corey Feldman has been an actor ever since he appeared in a McDonald’s commercial at the age of three. Since that time, he has gone on to appear in numerous movies and TV shows, including more than a few media franchises that are still famous in modern times. For proof, look no further than the fact that he was in Gremlins, The Lost Boys, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. With that said, a lot of people might be more familiar with Feldman in modern times because of what he has said about his experiences as a child actor in Hollywood.
What Did Corey Feldman Experience?
In short, Feldman said that Hollywood has a serious problem with pedophilia. He states that he was molested by numerous people as a child actor, while his best friend Corey Haim received even more horrific treatment, which contributed much to both of their long-running problems. In one particularly horrific case, Feldman mentioned how he was molested by the man who was his driver, his assistant, and his chaperone, meaning that in effect, Feldman was abused at length by the man who was supposed to be his guardian against incidents such as these. Even worse, Feldman states that said individual was the one who introduced him to each of the drugs that he has ever used, meaning that he bears an enormous share of the responsibility for Feldman’s public struggle with drug addiction as well as its negative impact over the entire course of Feldman’s life.
What Did Barbara Walters Say to Corey Feldman?
At one point when Feldman was speaking out about said issue, he went on The View where he cautioned parents who wanted their children to become child actors to watch out for people in Hollywood who might be interested in abusing their children. He outright states that such people can still be found in powerful positions throughout the entertainment industries, which is perhaps unsurprising news to anyone who has been paying attention to the news of how Harvey Weinstein used his power to exploit those who were vulnerable. For whatever reason, Feldman’s comments seemed to have upset Barbara Walters, who said that he was damaging Hollywood as a whole by speaking out as he did.
Walters’s comment can be seen as an example of the challenges confronting people who have been abused by those in positions of power in Hollywood. In Feldman’s case, he has said that he is reluctant to name the people who molested him when he was a child because of the statute of limitations in the state of California, meaning that he would be the one in legal trouble should that happen because the timer has run out. However, Feldman has also stated that he would be willing to support anyone who starts charges against one of the people that he is thinking of, though no one has come forward so far.
Combined with their trauma as well as the potential consequences for their careers when they speak out, it is no wonder that victims of sexual abuse in Hollywood are so reluctant to step into the spotlight in this manner. Unfortunately, people in positions of power taking advantage of the vulnerable does not seem to be a problem that is limited to Hollywood, even though it has a particularly bad case because of how often people from the first group come into contact with people from the second group. As a result, the eventual solution will not be as simple as changing a single industry but will instead need something to happen on a societal scale.
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