Harvey Weinstein ‘Casting Couch’ Statue Spotted Before Oscars 2018

Just ahead of the big 2018 Oscars award show, a “casting couch” statue of disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has been spotted.

The statue appeared on Thursday, March 1, on the sidewalk along Hollywood Blvd., in Los Angeles, California.

It is a golden-colored piece of art, depicting Weinstein sitting on a couch in a robe and appearing to beckon someone to come sit by him.

Yahoo reports that the statue is a collaborative effort between a street artist from Los Angeles who goes by the moniker “Plastic Jesus,” and Joshua “Ginger” Monroe, who was responsible for the highly controversial nude Donald Trump statues that appeared in 2016.

Formerly a photographer based in London, Plastic Jesus spoke out about the Weinstein statue, saying, “There’s so much about Hollywood that’s great and celebrated in the Oscars, but there’s also this underbelly of darkness within the industry that we often sweep under the carpet or ignore.”

For those not familiar, the term “casting couch” refers to the inappropriate practice of film producers or executives expecting actresses or actors to do sexual favors in exchange for film or TV roles.

Weinstein has been accused of not only that, but of committing sexual harassment and assault as well.

It was previously reported that even Weinstein‘s ex-assistant is suing him for harassment, including regularly forcing her to write emails that he dictated while naked.

In a lawsuit reported exclusively by TMZ, Sandeep Rehal claimed that Weinstein would put her through many unnerving tasks.

Some of those tasks, as she stated, were getting him clean undergarments, keeping track of available women for him to have sexual visits with, handling his erectile dysfunction medication, disposing of his used condoms, and cleaning up semen off his couch, which she claims happened multiple times.

Rehal also claims that Weinstein would call her names like “c—” and “p—,” and would say often, “What’s wrong Sandeep, is the tampon up too far today?”

She also alleges that the former Miramax boss routinely said to her, “I am Harvey Weinstein and you are at Weinstein University. I decide whether or not you graduate.”

Rehal is suing Weinstein, as well as his brother Bob Weinstein and The Weinstein Co., for unspecified damages.

She may have some difficulty getting any money out of Harvey Weinstein, however, as it was recently reported that he is too broke to pay his child support.

Weinstein is said to have told his ex-wife Eve Chilton that he can’t pay the child support he owes for “at least one year,” according to court documents obtained by Page Six.

Per the documents, Chilton was demanding $5 million that she claims he owes her from their 2004 divorce settlement. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Katz released a sealed Jan. 2 ruling in which her demand was denied.

Chilton “claimed such relief was warranted as there was ‘real and present danger’ he would default on his financial obligations to her, noting she was informed he would not be able to pay his child support for at least one year,” the court decision read.

“He’s prepaying many, many lawyers many, many millions of dollars to defend himself against these lawsuits all over the world,” Bonnie Rabin, Chilton’s attorney, said in court in Dec., referring to the many allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against Weinstein by dozens of women.

The judge came to his decision by citing that Chilton and her lawyer failed to show “a consistent pattern of arrears,” which is a requirement in order to be able to force payment.

“Harvey has always paid his child support and will continue to honor his obligations,” said Ben Brafman, Weinstein’s lawyer, “The claim about not paying for a year is nonsense.”