Harvey Weinstein says an article in "The Spectator" which just came out -- purportedly quoting him as saying he traded acting roles for sex -- is bogus, and the reporter who wrote the story seems to admit it.
The article says Weinstein told the reporter, "I was born poor, ugly, Jewish and had to fight all my life to get somewhere ... no girl looked at me until I made it big in Hollywood. Yes I did offer them acting jobs in exchange for sex, but so did and still does everyone. But I never, ever forced myself on a single woman."
The article says Weinstein's lawyer, Ben Brafman, was present during the interview.
Brafman says he was present, but that's not what his client said. Brafman says, "Harvey and Taki [the reporter] did not discuss the case, nor would I allow him to. They talked about old Hollywood and the contrast to European culture and I think Taki sees Harvey in that older light. Mr. Weinstein never said anything about trading movie roles for sexual favors."
Weinstein's people also reached out to Taki, who they say copped to lies in the story. Taki's statement is a retraction, saying, "I believe that I may have misrepresented Harvey Weinstein's conversation with me. It was my mistake."