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Morgan Freeman once learned the hard way that even the most innocent jokes can spark controversy if even a single attendee fails to perceive their humor. In the contextual chain of situations, the Se7en actor’s comment led to allegations of misconduct and even sexual harassment, all in the wake of the #MeToo movement. A 2017 press conference for the comedy film Going in Style, featuring its cast members Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin, laid the foundation for something unforeseen when former CNN reporter Chloe Melas took hold of the mic to interview the actors.
Little did anyone in attendance know that they would be caught in a media whirlwind for months. Melas’ pregnancy caused the discussion to get sidetracked, prompting Caine to reminisce about an amusing anecdote involving mistakenly congratulating a woman who wasn’t pregnant, leaving him embarrassed. Freeman, the Academy Award-winning actor in Million Dollar Baby, responded with a lighthearted “Boy, do I wish I was there,” seemingly to humor the panel further. Later, Melas, who deemed the comment inappropriate, pursued the matter further, publically sharing her experience and airing the press clip.
The outcome of Melas’ maneuvers was not as she had hoped, sparking a widespread debate. Many viewers argued that Freeman’s reply was directed at Caine’s story and had no connection to the entertainment journalist. Melas, however, stood by her interpretation, compiling accounts from eight unnamed women who alleged being on the receiving end of uncomfortable and problematic behavior from the veteran actor. Tyra Martin, another reporter who had interacted with Freeman multiple times in the past, defended him, clarifying his flirtatious remarks arrived within a playful context and that she was in on the jokes.
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