Richard Dreyfuss's 'sexist,' 'homophobic rant' sparks walkouts at 'Jaws' screening
Richard Dreyfuss, the star of Jaws, has ignited a firestorm of controversy following his remarks at a retrospective screening of the film in Beverly, Massachusetts. The Hollywood star reportedly made inflammatory comments about "trans people, Barbra Streisand (his co-star from 1987 film Nuts), the #MeToo movement, and women in general." According to attendee Diane Wolfe, Dreyfuss criticized parents of trans youth for allowing them to transition, suggesting it "was bad parenting and that those kids might change their minds."
Cabot Theater apologized for Dreyfuss's provocative remarks
The Cabot Theater, where the Jaws screening took place, has issued an apology in response to Dreyfuss's controversial comments. The theater's executive director, J. Casey Soward, expressed regret that an event intended to celebrate an iconic movie became a platform for political views. "We take full responsibility for the oversight in not anticipating the direction of the conversation and for the discomfort it caused to many patrons," Soward stated.
The Cabot took 'immediate' steps to prevent future incidents
In an email sent to ticket holders, The Cabot characterized Dreyfuss's comments as "offensive and distressing." The theater emphasized that Dreyfuss's views did not reflect its own and apologized for any discomfort caused. It also outlined immediate steps being taken to prevent such incidents in the future, including "more rigorous vetting of our event participants and more proactive communication strategies to keep our audience informed."
Dreyfuss's appearance and remarks drew ire on social media
Dreyfuss's appearance at the event was also controversial. A video posted on YouTube shows him coming onstage wearing a dress over his clothes while a Taylor Swift song plays. His behavior, along with his remarks, were met with anger on social media. Facebook commenters described his comments as "vile, dehumanizing, abhorrent things about trans youth, LGBTQ+ people, women and survivors of sexual violence." Several patrons reportedly walked out of the venue in response.
Dreyfuss discussed new book amid controversy
Following the screening, another YouTube clip featured Dreyfuss speaking about his 2022 book One Thought Scares Me. In the clip, when the moderator asks him, "Why don't you tell us about your book?" he responds, "It's about how 50 years ago, without telling anyone, they took civics out of the curriculum. Which means we have no knowledge of who the hell we are." Despite the controversy, his comments on the book were met with applause from the remaining audience members.
