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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 18 November 2017
Future of groundbreaking show ‘Transparent’ may be in flux

By MARK KENNEDY action of mine was ever
AP Entertainment Writer misinterpreted by anyone
NEW YORK (AP) — When as being sexually aggres-
“Transparent” debuted sive or if I ever offended or
four years ago on Amazon hurt anyone,” he said.
with a transgender lead “But the fact is, for all my
character, it was a special flaws, I am not a predator
moment for TV. It won Em- and the idea that someone
mys and seemed a per- might see me in that way is
fect fit for a burgeoning more distressing than I can
civil rights movement. Now express. “
the show’s future may be Tambor is the latest high
in flux following allegations profile Hollywood figure to
against star Jeffrey Tambor. be accused of misconduct
Fellow “Transparent” ac- in a wave that began when
tress Trace Lysette alleges dozens of sexual harass-
Tambor pressed his body ment allegations were re-
against hers in a sexually ag- ported last month against
gressive manner and made film mogul Harvey Wein-
inappropriate and unwant- stein, who is being investi-
ed sexual statements on gated for rape by police
the set of the show. Tambor departments in London,
denies the allegations say- New York and Los Angeles.
ing in a statement that he An unnamed aspiring ac-
has “never been a preda- tress has filed a proposed
tor — ever.” class action lawsuit against
Lysette is the second wom- In this April 22, 2017 file photo, Jeffrey Tambor arrives at the “Transparent” FYC special screening Weinstein and his former
an to accuse Tambor of in Los Angeles. company in an attempt
harassment. his thin pajamas.” ment and abuse in the work down” by Tambor, wrote to hold them financially
Lysette, who is herself trans- Tambor has been hailed for place, and Trace has taken Our Lady J, a writer and responsible for the produc-
gender, said on Twitter that his portrayal of Maura Pfef- a powerful stand in calling producer of “Transparent.” er’s alleged actions.
when she emerged from ferman, the transgendered for an industry where all Actor and activist Omar She also said she went to a
wardrobe in a costume of matriarch of the quirky women can work in safe Sharif Jr. also took to Twit- bar with him and then only
a lingerie top and shorts for Pfefferman family. He has environments,” GLADD ter to say “it’s critical” that remembered waking up in
a scene with Tambor, he won a best actor Emmy for said. “Transparent” continue her bed with him lying nude
said, “My God, Trace. I want his portrayal, and has also “GLAAD stands with Trace “(without Tambor) as trans next to her.
to attack you sexually.” Ly- starred in such shows as in her hope that the inap- stories are needed more CAA said it launched an
sette said she and another “The Larry Sanders Show” propriate situations she than ever!” Amazon Stu- immediate investigation
actress laughed off the and “Arrested Develop- and others endured on set dios said it is adding the and suspended Mitchell
remark, but then Tambor ment.” Lysette urged Ama- will be remedied, and that information to an investiga- last month.
approached her between zon to “remove the prob- future seasons will focus on tion of Tambor it opened Also Friday, Vice Media
scenes a few minutes later. lem and let the show go more of the many brilliant last week when his assistant said it has appointed a sev-
“He came in close, put his on.” The gay rights group characters that audiences made similar allegations, en-woman advisory board
bare feet on top of mine so I GLAAD echoed her re- love and care about.” which Tambor also denied, to examine workplace is-
could not move, leaned his quest, calling for the show Several voices in the trans- calling her “disgruntled.” sues at the media compa-
body against me, and be- to be refocused, presum- gender community have Tambor said in a statement ny following a report in The
gan quick, discreet thrust ably away from Tambor. also urged Amazon to that he can be difficult to Daily Beast that Vice toler-
back and forth against my “For too long transgender continue the series with- work with, but denied any ated inappropriate behav-
body,” Lysette said. “I felt women have been forced out Tambor. “We cannot sexual misbehavior. ior and harassment toward
his penis on my hip through to hide stories of harass- let trans content be taken “I am deeply sorry if any women.q

Study: Women and minority TV directors make modest gains

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wom- were helmed by white di- 14 percent, and minor- stand why they’re not do- CBS and NBC ranked sec-
en and minority television rectors. ity females directed 5 per- ing more,” Schlamme said. ond, while Netflix was last,
directors made modest Non-white directors ac- cent of episodes, up from 3 “Even if all the right reasons with white men directing
gains last season, but the counted for 22 percent of percent in 2015-2016. are not enough for them, 77 percent of the 88 epi-
majority of television epi- all episodes directed last Directors Guild President they should at least be sodes reviewed, and only
sodes are still directed by year, with black directors Thomas Schlamme wrote motivated by the bottom 4.5 percent of those jobs
white men, the Directors accounting for 13 percent. in a statement accompa- line — inclusion just makes going to minority directors.
Guild of America found in Asian-Americans account- nying the report that the good business sense.” ABC, which accounted for
a study released Tuesday. ed for 5 percent of the epi- results show “stark dispari- The report also ranks stu- the most content with 614
The guild’s study states sodes directed, while Lati- ties among the major stu- dios and their subsidiaries episodes, ranked fifth out
that 62 percent of nearly nos represented 4 percent. dios that raise questions on the racial and ethnic of 10 studios reviewed, with
4,500 television episodes The numbers reflect low about how committed to breakdown of its directors. white men accounting for
reviewed during the 2016- single-digit increases for inclusion some employers The study found 20th Cen- 64 percent of the directors.
2017 season were directed female and minority direc- really are.” tury Fox was the most inclu- Minority directors account-
by white men. When add- tors from previous seasons: He said studios must do sive studio, producing 553 ed for 23 percent of ABC
ing in white female direc- White women directed more to find directors from episodes of content, with episodes, while female di-
tors, 78 percent of the tele- 16 percent of episodes in diverse backgrounds. 55 percent of episodes be- rectors were in charge of
vision episodes reviewed 2016-2017 compared with “Frankly, it’s hard to under- ing directed by white men. 21 percent.q