Seth MacFarlane says Harvey Weinstein joke came from place of 'loathing and anger' after his onscreen wife in 'Ted' Jessica Barth confided that she was one of mogul's victims

  • Seth MacFarlane revealed in a message posted to Twitter that he learned about Harvey Weinstein's ways from Jessica Barth, his co-star in the 'Ted' films
  • 'Make no mistake, this came from a place of loathing and anger,' said MacFarlane of his 2013 joke during the Oscar nominations
  • He said after revealing the Best Supporting Actress nominees: 'Congratulations, you five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein'
  • Two years prior, Barth said that she was called to meet with Weinstein at his hotel in Beverly Hills, where he asked her to give him a massage
  • When she refused he said she needed to lose weight to compete with Mila Kunis, a story she later shared with MacFarlane
  • 'To the people slamming Seth for not "doing" anything, please STOP! He stood by me and respected my wishes that he not retaliate in any way,' said Barth

'Family Guy' creator Seth MacFarlane is firing back at critics of a joke he made about Harvey Weinstein while announcing the 2013 Oscar nominees, saying that he mocked the movie mogul because he was well aware of his predatory behavior.

MacFarlane revealed in a message posted to Twitter that he learned about Weinstein's ways from Jessica Barth, his co-star in the 'Ted' films who bravely shared her tale of being harassed and almost sexually assaulted by Weinstein with the New Yorker.

'Make no mistake, this came from a place of loathing and anger,' said MacFarlane.

'There is nothing more abhorrent and indefensible than abuse of power such as this.' 

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This isn't the first time Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane has hinted at hidden sexual abuse in Hollwood. MacFarlane (above at the 2013 Oscars) revealed in a message posted to Twitter that he learned about Harvey Weinstein's ways from Jessica Barth, his co-star in the 'Ted' films

Shock and awe: Seth MacFarlane (above at the 2013 Oscars) revealed in a message posted to Twitter that he learned about Harvey Weinstein's ways from Jessica Barth, his co-star in the 'Ted' films

Terror: Two years prior, Barth (above in 2015) said that she was called to meet with Weinstein at his hotel in Beverly Hills, where he asked her to give him a massage

Terror: Two years prior, Barth (above in 2015) said that she was called to meet with Weinstein at his hotel in Beverly Hills, where he asked her to give him a massage

MacFarlane and Emma Stone had just finished announcing the nominees in the Best Supporting Actress category when MacFarlane said: 'Congratulations, you five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein.'

The line was met with laughs from those in attendance, despite the fact that it was just after 5:30am in Los Angeles. 

He didn't make any more jokes about Weinstein, however, when he hosted the actual awards ceremony the following month.

Sally Field, Anne Hathaway, Jacki Weaver, Helen Hunt and Amy Adams were the nominees that year, and of those five ladies two were starring in filmed produced by Weinstein.

Weaver in 'Silver Linings Playbook' and Adams in 'The Master,' though both lost to Anne Hathaway. 

Barth also came to MacFarlane's defense on Wednesday with a series of tweets.

'To the people slamming Seth for not "doing" anything, please STOP! He stood by me and respected my wishes that he not retaliate in any way,' wrote Barth.

'My friend Seth was respecting my wishes. Please be sensitive to that.'

She later added: 'To everyone bad mouthing Seth, how about applauding him for being one of FEW men in Hollywood speaking out!'

Disgusting: When Barth (above in 'Ted 2' with the title character voiced by MacFarlane) refused he said she needed to lose weight to compete with Mila Kunis

Disgusting: When Barth (above in 'Ted 2' with the title character voiced by MacFarlane) refused he said she needed to lose weight to compete with Mila Kunis

Mad: 'Make no mistake, this came from a place of loathing and anger,' said MacFarlane of his 2013 joke during the Oscar nominations

Mad: 'Make no mistake, this came from a place of loathing and anger,' said MacFarlane of his 2013 joke during the Oscar nominations

After meeting Weinstein at a 2011 Golden Globes party, Barth was asked to come sit down with the movie man for a meeting at his hotel, the Peninsula.

When she arrived he had ordered champagne and sushi so that the two could 'talk career stuff.'

What instead happened however was Weinstein requesting the Barth give him a naked massage in bed while then bringing the conversation back to her career said the young woman.

'So, what would happen if, say, we’re having some champagne and I take my clothes off and you give me a massage?' Barth said Weinstein asked her.

She informed him that would not happen and then prepared to make her exit, at which point Weinstein called her fat and said she needed to lose weight if she wanted to 'compete with Mila Kunis.'

Barth drove home in tears, with multiple people saying they heard the same version of this story soon after - a promised meeting with an executive at Weinstein's company that ended up being nothing more than a formality.

She would later star in the film 'Ted' and its sequel, and will next be seen in 'Tell Me Your Name.'

Barth tweeted on Tuesday: 'This is brutal. Thank you @RonanFarrow and to every single woman having the courage to share their story and to those offering support.' 

MacFarlane praised his 'Ted' leading lady as well, writing on Wednesday: 'In 2011, my friend and colleague Jessica Barth, with whom I worked on the Ted films, confided in me regarding her encounter with Harvey Weinstein and his attempted advances. 

'She has since courageously come forward to speak out. It was with this account in mind that, when I hosted the Oscars in 2013, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to take a hard swing in his direction.'

He later closed out by stating: 'I respect and applaud my friend Jessica and those sharing their stories for their decision to come forward, and for being champions of the truth.' 

A rep for Weinstein said in a statement: 'Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances. 

'Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual. 

'Mr. Weinstein has begun counseling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path. Mr. Weinstein is hoping that, if he makes enough progress, he will be given a second chance.'

WEINSTEIN'S ACCUSERS 

Gwyneth Paltrow: The star told the New York Times that Weinstein touched her and suggested having joint massages in the bedroom before she started shooting the 1996 film Emma. She said she told her then boyfriend Brad Pitt about the incident and he confronted the mogul.

Angelina Jolie: Jolie told the Times she had to turn down advances from Weinstein in 1998 and chose never to work with him again. She said she warned other women about him

Angelina Jolie said she had to turn down Weinstein's advances as a young actress

Cara Delevigne and Angelina Jolie are both among the many women accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault

Cara Delevigne:  'As soon as we were alone he began to brag about all the actresses he had slept with and how he had made their careers and spoke about other inappropriate things of a sexual nature. He then invited me to his room. I quickly declined and asked his assistant if my car was outside. She said it wasn't and wouldn't be for a bit and I should go to his room. At that moment I felt very powerless and scared but didn't want to act that way hoping that I was wrong about the situation. When I arrived I was relieved to find another woman in his room and thought immediately I was safe. He asked us to kiss and she began some sort of advances upon his direction. I swiftly got up and asked him if he knew that I could sing. And I began to sing....i thought it would make the situation better....more professional....like an audition....i was so nervous. After singing I said again that I had to leave.He walked me to the door and stood in front of it and tried to kiss me on the lips. I stopped him and managed to get out of the room'.

'Everyone knew what Harvey was up to', actress Lea Seydoux was attacked in Paris

'Everyone knew what Harvey was up to', actress Lea Seydoux was attacked in Paris

Lea Seydoux: 'We were talking on the sofa when he suddenly jumped on me and tried to kiss me. I had to defend myself. He’s big and fat, so I had to be forceful to resist him. He tried more than once. This was never going to be about work. He had other intentions – I could see that very clearly. All throughout the evening, he flirted and stared at me as if I was a piece of meat. It was hard to say no because he’s so powerful. I’m an actress and he’s a producer. We are in the same industry, so its impossible to avoid him. I’ve seen how he operates: the way he looks for an opening. The way he tests women to see what he can get away with. That’s the most disgusting thing. Everyone knew what Harvey was up to and no one did anything. It’s unbelievable that he’s been able to act like this for decades and still keep his career.

Asia Argento: The Italian actress has accused Weinstein of forcibly performing oral sex on her when she was 21. 'He terrified me, and he was big. It wouldn't stop. It was a nightmare.'  She said she went on to have consensual sex with him over the years that followed. She documented the alleged attack in her 2000 film Scarlet Diva.

Zoe Brock: 'Harvey left the room, but not for long. He re-emerged naked a couple of minutes later and asked if I would give him a massage. Panicking, in shock, I remember weighing up the options and wondering how much I needed to placate him to keep myself safe. I told him I was uncomfortable and that I was angry that I had been tricked into this position. He pleaded with me to let him massage me and I let him put his hands on my shoulders while my mind raced. Harvey chased me, d**k, b**ls and all, and banged on the door with his fists, pleading with me to come out.'

Former model Zoe Brock says Weinstein chased her naked in a hotel room

Former model Zoe Brock says Weinstein chased her naked in a hotel room

Louisette Geiss:  Actress was called to a late night meeting with Weinstein in 2008. He allegedly emerged in a bathrobe and told her he would green light her script if she watched him masterbate. She left the meeting.

Judith Godreche: The French actress says Weinstein tried to massage her and pull off her sweater after asking her up to his Cannes suite to see the view in 1996.

Dawn Dunning: Aspiring actress says she was called to a meeting about future film projects in 2003. When she arrived Weinstein presented her with three scripts for his next three movies which he would let her star in, only if she had three-way sex with him. She fled the hotel.

Tomi-Ann Roberts: Weinstein met her when she was serving tables as a college junior in 1984 and told her to meet him at his home. When she arrived, she says, he was naked in the bath and told her she would give a better audition if she was nude. She says she refused and left.

Katherine Kendall: The Swingers actress was told Weinstein had to stop off in his apartment to pick something up after a screening in 1993. He changed into a bathrobe and told her to massage her. When she resisted she said the mogul returned naked and chased her.

Lucia Evans: The actress, formerly known as Lucia Stoller, claims Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him in 2004. Speaking to the New Yorker, she said that she suffered years of trauma after the incident which occurred in a 'casting meeting' in a Miramax office in Manhattan. He reportedly called her late at night after the incident.

Gwyneth Paltrow revealed that Weinstein attempted to get her into a hotel bedroom and massage her when she was 22

Gwyneth Paltrow revealed that Weinstein attempted to get her into a hotel bedroom and massage her when she was 22

Mira Sorvino: The Mighty Aphrodite actress told the New Yorker that Weinstein tried to massage her in a hotel room at the 1995 Toronto International Film Festival. He then went to her home in the middle of the night but she called a male friend to protect her, she claimed. She said turning down the mogul adversely affected her career.

Rosanna Arquette:  The actress also said her career suffered after she rebuffed Weinstein's advances in the early 1990s. At a hotel meeting he tried to put her hand on his erect penis, she claims.

Rose McGowan: The actress, who made her breakthrough in 1996 in the Weinstein-produced slasher revival movie Scream, reportedly sued Weinstein after he assaulted her in 1997 at the Sundance Film Festival. She signed a non-disclosure agreement at the close of the suit and has only referred to him obliquely in social media since. On Sunday she referred to being abused by a 'monster' and has previously referred to being raped by a studio head.

Career suicide: Mira Sorvino revealed how her career nose-dived after she turned down Weinstein's advances 

Career suicide: Mira Sorvino revealed how her career nose-dived after she turned down Weinstein's advances 

Ashley Judd: Judd's film roles include the 1997 thriller Kiss the Girls - and says that during the filming of that movie Weinstein repeatedly asked her to watch him shower. She was one of the women who spoke out to The New York Times this week, saying: 'Women have been talking about Harvey amongst ourselves for a long time, and it's simply beyond time to have the conversation publicly.'

Emma De Caunes: French actress Emma de Caunes said that she met Weinstein in 2010, soon after he told her he had a script he was producing based on a book with a strong female character. Weinstein offered to show her the script, and asked her up to his hotel room, where he began to take a shower. He then emerged naked and with an erection, asking her to lay down with him on the bed and telling her that many had done so before. 'I was very petrified,' said de Caunes. 'But I didn’t want to show him that I was petrified, because I could feel that the more I was freaking out, the more he was excited.'

Zelda Perkins was 25 when, as an assistant of Weinstein's in London, she reportedly confronted the mogul for harassing her and 'several' other women; she later settled out of court

Zelda Perkins was 25 when, as an assistant of Weinstein's in London, she reportedly confronted the mogul for harassing her and 'several' other women; she later settled out of court

Lauren O'Connor: A former employee of The Weinstein Company, she told executives there in the fall of 2015 that there was 'a toxic environment for women at this company' after one of her colleagues told her that Weinstein had pressured her into massaging him while he was naked, the NYT said.

Ambra Battilana: An Italian actress and model, she told the NYT that in March 2015 Weinstein invited her to his New York office. There, she said, he asked if her breasts were real before grabbing them and putting his hands up her skirt. She reported the alleged incident to police, but they did not press charges. According to the NYT, Weinstein later paid her off.

Jessica Barth: Weintein reportedly pressured Barth, an actress, to give him a naked massage in the Peninsula Hotel from 2011 onwards.

Laura Madden: An ex-employee, she told the NYT that Weinstein had asked her to give him massages from 1991 onwards, while they were both in London and Dublin. 'It was so manipulative,' she told the NYT. 'You constantly question yourself - am I the one who is the problem?' Weinstein denied knowledge.

Emily Nestor: Nestor was a temporary employee of the Weinstein Company for just one day in 2014 when Weinstein approached her and offered to boost her career in exchange for sex, the NYT reported.

Zelda Perkins: An assistant of Weinstein's based in London in 1998; then 25, she reportedly confronted Weinstein after she and 'several' others were harassed and later settled out of court.

Elizabeth Karlsen, an Oscar-winning producer, said a female executive told her almost 30 years ago that she had found Weinstein naked in her bedroom in a Miramax-rented property

Elizabeth Karlsen, an Oscar-winning producer, said a female executive told her almost 30 years ago that she had found Weinstein naked in her bedroom in a Miramax-rented property

Elizabeth Karlsen: The Oscar-nominated producer of Carol and The Crying Game, among others, told The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday that almost 30 years ago, an unnamed young female executive who had worked at Miramax with Weinstein had found him naked in her bedroom one night. The exec was in a house rented by Miramax at the time to cut its overheads.

Liza Campbell: A freelance script reader, she told the UK's Sunday Times that Weinstein had summoned her to his hotel room in London before telling her to get in the bath with him.

Lauren Sivan: The former Fox news host said that Weinstein trapped her in a closed restaurant and masturbated in front of her to completion in 2007. He took her to a closed restaurant beneath a club she had visited and attempted to kiss her, then when she refused he cornered her and made her watch him touch himself, according to The Huffington Post.

Jessica Hynes: The British actress, best known for her roles in the Bridget Jones movies and for co-creating and co-writing the sitcom Spaced, said she was invited to audition for Weinstein when she was 19 - in a bikini. Hynes, formerly known as Jessica Stevenson, said she refused to wear the skimpy item - and lost the job.

Romola Garai: British actress Romola Garai said she felt "violated" following a meeting with Harvey Weinstein in his London hotel room when she was 18 in which he was in a bathrobe. Garai, best known for her role in "Atonement", said she had already been hired for a part but was told to audition privately with the Hollywood mogul because 'you had to be personally approved by him'. "Like every other woman in the industry, I've had an 'audition' with Harvey Weinstein," she told The Guardian. 'So I had to go to his hotel room in the Savoy and he answered the door in his bathrobe. I was only 18. I felt violated by it'.   

Unnamed assistant: Weinstein allegedly behaved inappropriately toward a woman employed as his assistant in 1990. The case was settled out of court.

Another unnamed assistant: In 2015, Weinstein reportedly pressured another assistant into giving him a naked massage in the Peninsula Hotel, where he is also said to have pressured Barth.

Unnamed Miramax employee: At one point in the early 1990s, a young woman is alleged to have suddenly left the company after an encounter with Weinstein. She also settled out of court.

Unnamed woman: A woman who did not wish to be named because she feared Weinstein's connections told The New York Times that the producer had summoned her to his hotel at an unknown date and raped her.

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