Academy Award-winner (and accused sexual assaulter) Kevin Spacey posted his third-holiday video on his YouTube channel today.
I guess it’s a tradition now?
Titled “1-800 XMAS,” this year’s installment takes on a more somber tone than past years. Spacey chooses not to take on his ‘Frank Underwood’ persona from House of Cards and instead speaks as himself to people struggling over the holiday season.
“If you’re standing in a place that you can no longer remain standing, if you’re suffering, if you need help, if you feel guilt or shame, if you’re struggling with your identity, if your back’s up against the wall, or if you feel that there is no path for you, whatever your situation, I promise you there is a path,” said Spacey. “At this time during this holiday and beyond, even if you don’t feel it, there are people out there who understand and who can help, because you are not alone.”
The actor closes with wishes for a ‘great Christmas’ and ‘a great 2021,’ and chryon sharing the phone numbers for the Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Hotline (1-800-662-4357).
In essence, the video takes on an odd sort of ‘It Gets Better’ messaging.
Spacey shared his first ‘holiday’ video in 2018 in the aftermath of being accused of sexual misconduct with a young man in Massachusetts as well as allegations from actor Anthony Rapp regarding an incident in the 1980s.
As news of the scandals broke, Spacey used the tumultuous moment as an opportunity to come out – a move highly derided by the LGBTQ communtiy.
Recorded as what seemed to be his House of Cards character, the 2018 video message appeared to be a veiled denial of the mounting accusations against him. “You wouldn’t rush to judgement without facts, would you?” asked the actor.
The Massachusetts man eventually invoked his 5th Amendment rights which led to the charges being dropped. And another accuser, a massage therapist, died before the case could go to court. That man’s estate decided to drop the allegations as well.
Last year’s video offered a message to folks that when people do something you don’t like, you should ‘kill them with kindness.’
