A theater in Beverly, Massachusetts, has apologized after a special showing of “Jaws” was derailed after actor Richard Dreyfuss allegedly made a transphobic, misogynistic, homophobic and sexist rant.
Cabot The theater said it takes full responsibility for Saturday’s “An Evening with Richard Dreyfuss + Jaws Show” event that went awry.
Members of the public say their tickets cost about $300 each and did not buy them the experience they were expecting. Instead, they were disgusted when Dreyfus began a hate-filled tirade that disparaged women in films, the #MeToo movement and LGBTQ rights.
It apparently got worse and evolved into a full-on rant that started with Dreyfuss talking about Barbra Streisand and morphed into what The Hollywood Reporter described as “bigoted views” about transgender children, as well as criticism of the Oscars’ inclusion and diversity rules.
Sarah Hough and their partner Jonah Hoffman told the Boston Globe that they walked away when Dreyfus directed his hatred toward parents of transgender children.
The experience left the audience uneasy, with several attendees leaving the event, including Sarah Hough and their partner Jonah Hoffman, who said Boston Globe That this was personal.
“I’m queer, I’m non-binary. This is personal for me,” Hogg said. “It’s one of those moments where you feel like you’re having an out-of-body experience. “It was terrifying.”
The Cabot issued a statement saying in part: “The views expressed by Mr. Dreyfus do not reflect the values of inclusivity and respect we uphold as an organization… We take full responsibility for the oversight in not anticipating the direction of the conversation and the discomfort it caused many patrons.”
The theater went on to say that they are talking to people about their experience and are committed to learning how to better operationalize their mission of entertaining people, while educating and inspiring the community.
Dreyfuss, whose career took off after he played a marine biologist in the 1975 blockbuster, is no longer the fan-favorite character he was all those years ago.
The Globe notes that in recent years Dreyfus has made other similar statements, including on an episode of PBS’s “Firing Line” last year, where he said the film academy’s rules on inclusivity “make me want to throw up.”
A representative for Dreyfuss has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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