Hollywood Shaken by Child Abuse Claims

Michael Egan III, a former Hollywood actor, last week accused X-Men producer Bryan Singer of repeatedly raping him when he was a child, at parties in which he reports young boys were sexually abused and held against their will.

Bryan Singer’s attorney, high profile Hollywood attorney Marty Singer (not related), states that his client is innocent of all charges, and that they can prove that Singer was not even in the area of the alleged crimes on some of the days alleged. Mr. Singer states that the abuse charges are ludicrous and without merit. (source, Variety, April 21, 2014)

The attorney for Michael Egan announced Monday, April 21, that more Hollywood executives will be named in three new sex abuse lawsuits later that day. Michael Egan III’s attorney, Jeff Herman, was scheduled to reveal the names of those executives at an afternoon news conference. Those names have now been made public.

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Michael Egan III, reportedly further claims that the former NBC Entertainment President Garth Ancier raped him. He claims also that former Disney executive David Neuman and the Broadway producer Gary Goddard were also involved in abusing him when he was an underage boy. Mr. Neuman called the allegations “completely false,” and Goddard’s lawyer stated the accusations were “without merit.” (source: New York Daily News, April 22, 2014).

The charges, which have passed the statute of limitations in the continental U.S., were filed in Hawaii, which has recently extended the right to file abuse claims two years later than is allowed on the mainland. Some of the abuse alleged by Egan was reported to have also occurred in Hawaii.

Hollywood Producer, talent manager, and Hollywood Sentinel publisher Bruce Edwin discusses this matter as follows. Bruce considers one of his life’s purposes to help fight to prevent child abuse, and to fight to help stop child sex trafficking. He donates ten percent of all monies earned by his company to do volunteer work in this regard. His individual work did result last year in bringing to justice one photographer who tried luring underage girls to be photographed nude, and also brought to justice one man who was attempting to traffic a 12 year old girl from New York City to Los Angeles. Bruce Edwin is currently working on bringing down what he refers to as “a long standing child sex trafficking ring in the U.S. which targets young girls.”

“Child abuse and sex trafficking in Hollywood is certainly a huge problem,” states Bruce Edwin. “However,” the producer says, “it is not a problem that is isolated to Hollywood, the entertainment industry, or even big cities.” Bruce Edwin adds, “A number of things need to be understood with this case; One, this attorney states that Hollywood moguls are abusing children. That is what we call a false generalization. That would be like me stating ‘Attorneys are scumbags and liars.’ Now, certainly some of them may be, and certainly some Hollywood moguls have abused children, but not all Hollywood moguls abuse children, and not all attorneys are scumbags and liars.” He added, “Hollywood moguls are generally independent from one another. They are not their brothers keeper, so to speak, and one Hollywood executive does not necessarily know what another is doing. So it is not fair to say that Hollywood moguls abuse children. Some, yes, but not all.”

Bruce adds, “Representatives of law; where an un-dotted ‘i’ or an un-crossed ‘t’ can change a case, should, above any profession, use great responsibility and have more integrity with their words and how they communicate above any. To make false generalizations as ‘Hollywood moguls abuse kids’ which suggests that it is all moguls, actually weakens the case of their client, by being sensationalistic with a broad, grandiose, sweeping generalization which is not entirely true. Further, it may degrade any actual abuse that does occur among children by stating abuse occurs by one entire group, when in fact it may not be an entire group, but may be a select number of individuals within a group, which the group as a whole may not be aware of.” he also said, “There are many good people working in the entertainment industry, including many good people in positions of power who use that power wisely and ethically. One should not make false generalizations that all people in Hollywood are bad, when they are not.”

Speaking of initial reports of abuse, Mr. Edwin said “The mother of Mr. Egan stated she contacted media and the law at the time she knew of the abuse, but they did nothing. Perhaps they feel this is the only way; through public opinion, to get their voices heard.”

“Secondly,” Bruce Edwin added, “when one accuses one of something so horrible in the public, before the accused has even had a fair trial, the accuser better be very sure that they are absolutely correct. Egan and his lawyer are evidently intentionally trying to destroy Mr. Singer’s, and now these other mens’ reputations, by defaming them in the public and attempting to use the will of the public against them to build or add to the ammunition of their case. Much of the public already has a love-hate relationship with Hollywood, and with the rich, famous and powerful in general, because many of the public want what they don’t have or think they can’t have; and by that I mean money and fame. Egan and his attorney are playing in to that public drama through the media, to try and use it to their advantage. They are also attacking the wrong target; all of Hollywood moguls, and all of Hollywood. Philosopher Ayn Rand calls this the ‘anti-concept,’ when one speaks in broad, sweeping generalities that are not true, but a part of it may be true, so as to try and trick the public. That is irresponsible and unethical.”

“Thirdly,” Bruce Edwin said, “child abuse and child sex trafficking is a problem that is world wide and nationwide, that extends to small cities. Based on my research, it is not controlled by Hollywood, but it definitely does involve high powers in Hollywood. It also extends to some of the highest positions of power in society, and not just in Hollywood, and is largely run by organized criminal organizations among others.”

Bruce Edwin further states, “Some have accused Egan of trying to get fame or money, or have called him a liar because he waited so much longer than the time of the alleged abuse. What people need to understand,” Bruce says, “is that how a child or adult survivor of child abuse behaves and reacts does not need to fit any one cycle or pattern of behavior. This is like stating that if you don’t cry a certain amount of days, weeks or months after a loved one dies, then you didn’t really love the person. That is absurd. Every person deals with grief, trauma and abuse in their own way, and at their own time. To invalidate ones reality of abuse because it does not conform to ones preconceived notion of how one should express that pain, is not only uncaring, it is illogical.”

Bruce Edwin added, “If a person is going to be so sick and low as to abuse a child, one should not expect them to necessarily later have the moral integrity to then tell the truth about it. If one can abuse a child, one can lie about abusing a child.”

He adds, “It is not comfortable or easy for a grown man or woman, let alone a child, to come forward and reveal abuse, particularly sex abuse, when that abuse is surrounded by guilt, shame, and public degradation and humiliation. An adult or child making such claims should not be dismissed without examining the facts of the matter.”

Lastly, referring to the system of justice, Bruce Edwin said, “Further, we must remember that in the American judicial system, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty. No public, judge or jury has proven Mr. Singer’s or now these other men’s guilt at this point. As a result, we as a society and community in Hollywood should treat them as we would want to be treated, and that is, not place blame about something we do not know of, until we do in fact know; if we ever do.” The only people that really know what happened are these men, and Mr. Egan, and perhaps those others that were around them. Let the American judicial system, ruled by reason, not false generalizations, decide this case.

Advice for Keeping your Children Safe in Hollywood

Bruce Edwin of Starpower Management provides advice to anyone intending to become part of the entertainment industry. He says “Never leave your child under 18, unattended or out of your sight in the entertainment industry. Always be with them and have them in your sight. This is true for kids in an interview with an agent, on an audition, or on a job at a major studio or similar.”

For further free advice on how to keep you or your child safe in the entertainment industry, and how to know that you are dealing with a reputable person, contact the office of Bruce Edwin at telephone 310-226-7176, or at the link below.