Although Harvey Weinstein is no longer a fixture at red carpet events, an exclusive gathering had already removed him from its guest list long before his dramatic fall from grace. In his newly released book, When the Going Was Good, former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter revealed that the disgraced producer and convicted sex offender was permanently “banned” from the magazine's highly coveted Oscars party.
According to Graydon Carter, Weinstein's behavior was the catalyst for this lifetime ban. The book, which hits shelves this Tuesday, details how Weinstein would frequently arrive with more guests than his invitation allowed and would often bully the staff present at the event. Carter stated, “He got banned from everything because he was rude to the staff and I didn’t like that,” as reported by Page Six. The initial ban was temporarily lifted at one point but was later reinstated due to ongoing issues with Weinstein's conduct. Carter emphasized that the troubling behavior was not a result of alcohol, stating, “It was just within him.”
Serving as editor-in-chief at Vanity Fair from 1992 to 2017, Carter began the glamorous Oscars party tradition in 1994, following the death of legendary agent Swifty Lazar, who was famous for hosting his own extravagant Oscar celebrations. The allure of the Vanity Fair party was so intense that Carter recounted instances where editor Sara Marks, who managed the guest list, became the target of bribery, threats, and even abusive behavior.
Since 2017, over 80 women have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment, assault, or rape against Weinstein. In 2020, he was convicted on one count of criminal sexual assault in the first degree and one count of rape in the third degree, resulting in a 23-year prison sentence. In 2022, he faced further legal repercussions, being found guilty of three additional charges in Los Angeles and receiving an extra 16-year sentence.
Overall, the revelations in Carter's book serve as a reminder of the dark legacy left by Weinstein in Hollywood and the ongoing conversation surrounding accountability and the treatment of women in the entertainment industry.
