She Said · Jeffrey Epstein · Hustlers
Plus: Amanda Peet as Betty Broderick!
the true crime that's worth your time
A new book on the Harvey Weinstein case dropped today. She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement received an abundance of press when it was officially announced this week, in part because it includes new reporting and “previously undisclosed corporate records, emails and text messages.” By NYT reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, both of whom reported on the case since its earliest days, it reveals -- among other things -- that it was Weinstein accountant Irwin Reiter who leaked a memo on harassment allegations against the Miramax head.
Journalism twitter has been abuzz with revelations from the book, which was under press embargo until just days ago. Two law-and-order takeaways worth mentioning are former Weinstein defender Lisa Bloom’s alleged strategies to quash reports against him…
But in @jodikantor @mega2e's new book 'She Said' we learn just how far Bloom was willing to go to destroy women who were the targets of Weinstein's predation
And, hey, look who else is is! Our old buddy Linda Fairstein, who was apparently cozy with the since-disgraced producer.
If, unlike me, you’re not leaping up to see if your pre-ordered copy has arrived every time you see an OnTrac van pass by and are still weighing if this book is for you, here’s a little bit of coverage to help you decide:
Previously Unknown Sources Come Forward in a New Book About Harvey Weinstein [NYT]
How the New York Times broke Harvey Weinstein [Washington Post]
(Susan Faludi’s review of the book) ‘She Said’ Recounts How Two Times Reporters Broke the Harvey Weinstein Story [NYT]
Not saying that based on those links, you need to buy the book (if I didn’t do this and couldn’t therefore write it off, I’d be on my library’s reserve list for it, trust me). But if you do, and you buy through this link, we get a little bit of dough. Just saying. -- EB
Another Jeffrey Epstein podcast has risen. I listened to the first episode of Broken (which we discussed here) last weekend, and, you guys, I wasn’t blown away. It’s got a great pedigree but not much went down in the first 22-minute episode -- to the point that when it ended, I pulled the car over and checked to make sure I hadn’t just been listening to an exceptionally long trailer. I hope it gets better.
And for its own good, it should, as another contender is entering the ring this week with Epstein: Devil In The Darkness. It’s from Broad + Water Studios, which as a subsidiary of American Media, LLC is not only a sibling company to the National Enquirer (at least, for now) is behind the Fatal Voyage pods (Like “Diana: Case Solved,” which Sarah reviewed here). According to a press release from the company, E: DITD boasts “Exclusive Interviews with Epstein's Personal Driver, Jail Mate & New Mexico Ranch Assistant,” which already seems to give it an edge on its competitor. You can hear the trailer for E: DITD here, and its first episode is set to drop on Thursday. -- EB
Amanda Peet and Christian Slater will star in an adaptation of the Betty Broderick case. I am probably more irritated than I should be that the show will be called Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story, but there we are. Apparently, “Dirty John” no longer refers only to John Meehan, but is a franchise name along the lines of American Horror Story. (While I have you here: the “Fatal Voyage” brand expansion bugs me, too. I am a fun lady.)
The show is from the folks behind Bravo’s Dirty John adaptation, which we discussed on The Blotter Presents last fall. The whole operation has moved to the USA Network, Deadline reports, and “will feature an all-female directing team,” about which I have no complaints. An air date for the series has yet to be determined. -- EB
More casting details 👉 bbc.in/2zVPYZlB
Jenna Coleman has joined the cast of The Serpent. We discussed the Netflix adaptation of the Charles Sobhraj back in July, when it was announced that (arguable dreamboat) Tahar Rahim would be playing the prolific serial killer. The BBC reports that Coleman (who you might know from Doctor Who or Victoria) has been cast as Marie-Andrée Leclerc, Sobhraj’s girlfriend-slash-alleged accomplice. Actors Billy Howle and Ellie Bamber have also been cast as Herman and Angela Knippenberg, a couple that was allegedly sucked in to Sobhraj’s schemes. -- EB
The stars of Hustlers are talking about their movie’s true-crime roots. While at the Toronto International Film Festival, actors Constance Wu and Lili Reinhart, writer-director Lorene Scafaria, and producers Jessica Elbaum and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas appeared on The Deadline Podcast to discuss how the film deviates from “The Hustlers At Scores,” the 2015 New York Magazine piece by Jessica Pressler that provided its basis. The movie is already getting rave reviews, and is described in the podcast’s notes as bringing “in Goodfellas vibes.” You can listen to the pod here, and keep an eye on this space -- I’m hitting a screening of the film Wednesday night, and will have my own assessment of Hustlers from a true-crime perspective on Thursday. -- EB
Wednesday on Best Evidence: It’s The Blotter Presents Episode 111, in which Sarah and I will discuss Happy Jail and Ghosts Of Attica.
What is this thing? This should help.
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