Hola What’s Hot Fam,
If you’re a fan of the Netflix original series “You,” please keep reading because I’ve got some sizzling tea for you today.
If you haven’t heard Chris D’Elia, the dude who played the role of Henderson (“Hendy”) in Season 2, has been accused of pursuing underage girls online. But have no fear because it looks like Joe Goldberg aka Penn Badgley may be (less violently) coming to the rescue again!
Badgley did an interview with the Los Angeles Times, where he discussed his former co-star, who’s character coincidentally was a celebrity who drugged and preyed on teenage girls.
“You know — it did affect me deeply,” he replied when asked to comment on the allegations against the 40-year-old. “I was very troubled by it. I am very troubled by it. I don’t know Chris. I know that, if there’s anything we need to do in this age, it’s to believe women.”
Badgley also made a general call for justice. Then he turned a critical eye to those who’s job it is to serve it.
“And I think the one thing that I can speak to that is maybe relevant for listeners now is that individuals of course need to be brought to justice as much as that is possible. Right? One thing that our culture tends to do quite systematically and methodically is to revel in identifying villains so that the system …can remain intact and unchanged,” Badgley explained.
“We point to individuals in power who, yes, are upholding and perpetuating these terrible norms, which are often abusive if not downright lethal, so those individuals ideally would be brought to justice. Ideally there would be less of those individuals. But what is really important is to recognize that the policies that underwrite every given system — the practices, the regulations, the laws that underwrite every one of these systems which act as a haven for the individuals that take advantage, namely white men. And women — but, you know, white people, and white men. And white men of a particular breed, who are successful and charismatic. I think that we need to remember that that is the level of change we’re looking for.”
That was definitely a mouthful, so let me break it down. The “Gossip Girl” star was basically spitting that those in power are often just as corrupt as the criminals we seek punishment for. However, a lack of diversity with in different areas such as the government has been a driving force in this thing we call white privilege. This fact has often allowed caucasian males to quite literally get away with murder. In other words, he’s explaining why changes also need to be made within the system.
But hold up! Goldberg–– I mean, Badgley–– didn’t stop there! He took a look in the mirror.
“So what I think about, then, in my position? Certainly, I think of my own conduct, and I am thankful that I have tried to uphold a certain level of conduct throughout my life,” he added.
When it comes to “You,” the actor expressed hopes that the show is doing more good than harm.
“I also am thinking about how to somehow not — the idea that a show like ours would indirectly, unwittingly be a haven for people who are abusive is disturbing. It’s very disturbing. What does it take to change that? Because it’s not just vetting individuals,” Badgely said.
“There needs to be a change in culture and attitude so that that kind of behavior is so clearly reprehensible, it’s so clearly, like, anti-human. That is also what I think about on a given project that I’m on. And, you know, to the degree that the subject matter is conflicting and challenging in that end, trying to create that culture, does a show like ours help to create that culture? Well, I know that at least our show is trying to be — thinks about things in a dismantling, deconstructive manner. I would hope that at least our show is not serving to uphold these kind of, like, bunk ways of being and these systems, right? “
He also revealed that the show’s producers made sure to get in touch with Jenna Ortega, who starred in Season 2 as Elie Alves, after the news arose about D’Elia. Spoiler Alert!
In the show, Badgley’s character saves the teen from being Henderson’s (D’Elia) next victim.
“You know, the first thing our producers did was reach out to Jenna, who played Ellie, the girl opposite Chris in those scenes, just to make sure she felt safe,” he noted. “We can feel safe and sound there. So, as far as our show is concerned, as far as we’re concerned, there’s only so much we can take responsibility for. And I say ‘we’ pretty broadly, because we’re all doing different things. I’m, at the end of the day, an actor, and I don’t have a lot to do with a lot of this stuff. But I do think, in the future, I would like that to change, personally.”
Accusations against D’Elia seemed to have begin with the tweets below.
Following that point, several women begin to share emails/ private messages between them and D’Elia. Some of them also added that they were much younger than him at the time the convos had taken place. One screenshot was dated as far back as 2012.
However, D’Elia is claiming cap! He denies ever knowingly hitting on children, but admits his mouth may have been a little wreckless.
“I know I have said and done things that might have offended pople during my career, but I have never knowingly pursued any underage women at any point,” he told TMZ in a statement.
“All of my relationships have been both legal and consensual and I have never met or exchanged any inappropriate photos with the people who have tweeted about me. That being said, I really am truly sorry. I was a dumb guy who ABSOLUTELY let myself get caught up in my lifestyle. That’s MY fault. I own it. I’ve been reflecting on this for some time now and I promise I will continue to do better.”
Despite his apology, both the Creative Artists Agency and the management company 3 Arts Entertainment have dropped the comedian as a client.
On top of all that, Comedy Central, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video have all removed the episode of “Workaholics” in which D’Elia plays a child molester.
Is it me or is it a little eerie knowing that he kept snagging these pervy gigs?
Chime in below!