When Adam Vary wrote the Buzzfeed article about his friend’s (Anthony Rapp) sex abuse allegations against Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, he set off a string of dominoes that continue to fall almost five years later, even in my own life.
It’s been an interesting few years since I began investigating this story back in October of 2017. I was living in Windsor, Ontario at the time, having recently left the hustle of Toronto and its entertainment industry. I remember standing in my tiny kitchen on Hall Avenue, when my husband handed me his phone to read that tweet by Spacey.
My initial reaction to Spacey’s tweet was multifaceted. While I smiled at the “coming out” message—I’m a big supporter of people living the lives they want to live on their terms—I recoiled at the conflation of accusation and self-expression. The verbiage of the tweet also made me cringe.
I ruminated over the situation and attempted to see both men’s perspectives. It’s my nature as a writer to consider scenarios from viewpoints other than my own; this was no different.
The tweet heard round the world
For Anthony Rapp, I thought it was interesting how the Star Trek actor had used Lupita Nyong’o’s heartfelt and heartbreaking account of her experiences with convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein to make himself the center of attention.
But it was easy to see where the Rent star might be coming from. His reputation in Toronto for being (others’ words, not mine) a “media whore” was no secret.
I don’t use the phrase pejoratively; it’s simply the best way I can explain it to anyone not in the industry. And he’s in no way solitary in those pursuits. The entertainment industry is viciously competitive, and many struggling actors and entertainers choose getting publicity or exposure as the ultimate goal; pursuing fame above all else.
Seeing things from Spacey’s perspective proved to be a more significant challenge. I imagined a multitude of publicists, agents, lawyers, and assistants, all debating not only how to respond to the article, but each precise word to use. I wondered what options they had dismissed, favoring this as the “best choice.”
Ultimately, I relegated the statement to following bad advice that was more political than pure.
A Tidal wave of rumors
I followed the aftermath of the Buzzfeed interview with interest, watching Spacey’s proverbial and literal House of Cards collapse with ghastly speed. I casually chatted with friends and colleagues about the situation as allegations, rumors, and innuendos swirled about both men.
It wasn’t too long before I began to bristle as these early shapeless musings started coalescing into an actual idea. Before the end of the year, I had a notebook filled with questions without answers.
I dove into the story surrounding Kevin Spacey, Anthony Rapp, and the sexual assault allegations. It would take me almost four years before I had enough answers to those questions to start writing and, as the old saying goes, I left it all on the page.
Well, almost.
Kevin Spacey Sexual Assault Allegations: What You Don’t Know
There were several things I didn’t include in my original article for The IO Magazine (now Popping Culture) for one simple reason: I couldn’t corroborate them independently of the people who told me.
Some of these were anonymous emails or texts I received, while others were chats with people claiming first-hand knowledge or understanding of a situation but who would not go on record.
Most wouldn’t even provide me their details beyond a first name. In almost every example that refuted the claims against Spacey, the source was very afraid of “blowback” that might seriously jeopardize their own careers. The prevailing opinion at the time was: to defend Spacey—or even to speak favorably of previous interactions—in 2017 was akin to committing professional suicide.
Ultimately, I declined to include any of these stories in my original article as they couldn’t be verified. They were, true to the definition, rumor and innuendo, and they concerned both Kevin Spacey and Star Trek actor Anthony Rapp.
What I find fascinating, however, is that many mainstream “news” and entertainment websites did print many of the rumors I also heard—rumors I knew to be either false or unsubstantiated. I wish I could say I was surprised. I wasn’t.
What happened to the news?
The current state of journalism is rooted in keywords and trending topics. News departments must turn a profit if they want to stay online or on the air.
In the not-so-distant past, when mass media communications held a place of value in our lives, networks “earned enough money from entertainment programming that they could afford to run their news operations at a loss.” That meant networks reported news because it mattered, because it was the truth, regardless of its profitability. But, unfortunately, that’s no longer the situation.
Today, all networks “demand that their news operations make money.” As a result, news stories that aren’t popular don’t get written; stories that buck the trends don’t get written.
The adage “if it bleeds, it leads,” referring to reporting on tragic, bloody events in the lead spot of a news program, has been replaced by the nomenclature, “if it clicks; it sticks.”
News is now written to Google algorithm trends and skewed to coincide with public events, holidays, consumer sales, or other SEO (search engine optimization) KPIs (key performance indicators).
At the height of the #MeToo movement, editors everywhere were frothing at the mouth for stories about affluent, successful white men over the age of fifty in positions of power who could be toppled.
Kevin Spacey, who, as one editor commented, “looks enough like Harvey Weinstein to rank,” had the bad luck to be good for clicks.
Spacey Goes To New York
As Rapp’s civil lawsuit goes to Federal Court this coming week, I’ve seen both men’s names trending all over the place—the media machine is ramping up.
From discussions surrounding the child victim’s act and definition of legal terms such as intentional infliction of emotional distress, there are multiple topics for media sharks to choose from. Perhaps my favorite wacky theories, however, are those surrounding the genuine Reddit debates about whether Kevin Spacey has gotten away with multiple accounts of murder. I’ll get into that nonsense in a moment.
Keep in mind, dear reader, that I’m no longer a journalist. And this isn’t a news publication; it’s a personal blog.
But, even if this were a news site, fact-checking has become a capricious ideal, a journalistic Shangra-la at the whims of editors who are forced to choose between truth or trends.
Before Rapp’s civil suit settles in before Federal judge, His Honor Lewis Kaplan, I wanted to share the final vestiges of my initial research—it’s lived in my head long enough.
Okay, grab some popcorn and let’s get to the good stuff.
As promised, let’s start with my favorite rumor: Kevin Spacey is a successful serial killer.
Death Proof
Numerous people reached out to caution me against investigating the Oscar-winning actor. Why? Apparently, he’s so well-connected he’s had three accusers murdered.
A woman by the name of Linda Culkin was stalking Spacey and sending bomb threats and faux-anthrax mail until one day in 2019 when she walked into traffic against the red light. The driver that struck her was not charged.
A second “victim,” Ari Behn, commented that the actor once put his hand on him in a sexually aggressive way at a concert ten years earlier. In the interview where the alleged incident was mentioned, Behn laughed about it, and said his response was “Uh, maybe later.” The Norwegian author died by suicide in 2019.
The third accuser passed away as a result of terminal cancer.
The rumor goes that Spacey has been behind these deaths in some manner. Either he used his underworld connections or his own evil-doing skills to give people cancer, fake the suicide of a former member of the Norwegian royalty, and set up a seamless assassination traffic accident. Really. That’s the rumor.
It does beg the question, however, if he really is so successful at bumping-off his accusers, why is he about to appear in a New York courtroom? Is Rapp really a James Bond-type action hero, who is the lone man to avoid this evil genius’ dastardly machinations?
I mean, it’s as if Spacey is only pretending to be a murderer onscreen. How deceitful.
Suicide squad
One gentleman contacted me to convey a story about Mr. Rapp’s attributes as a boyfriend.
The caller said he was a former friend of one of Rapp’s ex-boyfriends and claimed that Mr. Rapp mistreated his ex-boyfriend so severely the man died by suicide in response to being dumped.
I didn’t take the accusation seriously, especially because suicides are not the responsibility of the people around them, but ultimately a choice of action taken by the person who died.
Some have suggested that cause of Ari Behn’s suicide lies with Kevin Spacey—because of his 2019 Kill Them With Kindness video. Perhaps Spacey’s Christmas YouTube videos have a kind of Ringu-power that only affects Norwegian ex-royals?
Rent Boys
According to the theater grapevines in Canada and the U.S., Mr. Rapp was reported to spend a not insignificant amount of time with young (under 18 years old) male Rent fans, alone in his dressing room with the door closed.
This supposedly occurred in New York and during a two-week stint in Toronto. Private one-on-one tours were also rumored to be part of the experience.
Sweet Sixteen
Performer Jonathan Beyer reportedly shared details about the time Anthony Rapp made a sexual advance toward him when he was sixteen (in Illinois this is below the age of consent). By my math, it would put Rapp at the ripe old age of 26—coincidentally, the same age as Kevin Spacey at the time of Rapp’s allegations.
A podcast of this confession supposedly exists. Someone claiming to have listened to Beyer’s remembrances recently brought it to my attention—however, I’ve not heard it/ found it.
I have yet to receive a confirmation or denial from Beyer.
Reservation for Three At The Krusty Krab
One young man I’ll call Bob got in contact to share a personal anecdote. He attended the University of Toronto in/ around 2014 and frequented a pub just off campus. (I verified the pub location but couldn’t confirm anything else. I’m not naming it here because the establishment doesn’t need to be dragged into this.)
Bob used to go to the pub several times a week after classes. During one of these excursions, he said he ran into another young man who was dating Rapp.
They continued to meet for a couple of weeks, at which point Anthony supposedly joined the duo. After a few evenings at the pub, the threesome moved to Rapp’s home, where they allegedly enjoyed various intimate parts and activities.
So far, who cares? This is, at best, interesting gossip about three consenting adults.
But, here’s where the rumor takes an unsavory turn.
Dear Mr. Bob alleges he caught crabs from the wholesome Mr. Rapp, who forgot to advise him of this existing condition before their engagement.
Interestingly, failing to disclose that you have an STD before engaging in sexual activity in Canada is a crime—aggravated sexual assault.
Mommie Dearest
Okay, this one isn’t really a rumor, but it is a theory I’ve heard from multiple people. That’s close enough for inclusion here.
Rapp alleged he—a fourteen year-old kid at the time—attended an adult dinner party on his own hosted by Kevin Spacey. Rapp wants us to believe his mother (his legal guardian at the time) allowed him to attend an evening dinner party where he would be the sole child.
Rapp claims he traveled to the party alone. After the alleged assault, he claims to have walked through the streets of 1986 New York—again alone—at around three in the morning to get back to his residence.
If Rapp’s accusation is true, then his Mother’s actions (or inaction) could potentially meet the criteria for failing to provide the necessities of life for her young son. This detail might have landed mom in a heap of trouble, resulting in her facing child abuse/ neglect charges for leaving her immature son “without adequate supervision.”
Mother Rapp’s death years before means she can’t confirm or deny any aspect of his allegations against Spacey. It also saves her from defending herself against possible child abuse/ neglect charges Rapp indirectly lobbed at her.
Is it possible Rapp waited until after his mother had died to make his allegations public? Even his brother Adam Rapp, a Pulitizer-nominated playwright, reportedly didn’t learn about the alleged assault until after Anthony’s Buzzfeed interview.
And from a timeline perspective, that’s fascinating.
(Side note—have you noticed that not one other person attending this supposed event has come forward in support of Rapp’s story?)
Carpet Match The Drapes?
To the person(s) who sent me the nude pics of Anthony Rapp…
Strawman Fallacy
One woman, who claimed to work with Rapp on set in Toronto, swore he’s so difficult on set that the makeup crew draws straws—the loser has to do his makeup.
I’ve heard a few similar rumors from both Toronto and Hollywood that Rapp can be difficult on set, but none of the allegations overlap/corroborates one another. Rumor has it Rapp is not as well-loved by his cast mates and crew as he thinks he is.
Bohemian Rhapsody
A recent rumor from author David Wilcock suggests that Kevin Spacey was a member of a secret Cabal that contained elements of Jeffery Epstein, Bohemian Grove, and Elysian Fields.
According to this delicious conspiracy rumor, the reason for Kevin’s downfall stems from his referencing “Elysian Fields” in an episode of House of Cards. This, supposedly, was a secret message to his Cabal cohorts that he was about to blow the whistle on them in the show’s storyline.
The Cabal—gasp!—got to him first.
Just the facts, Ma’am
And for those who are undoubtedly about to fire off an email or leave a comment saying, “Where are the facts?” despite my emphasizing that all of this is uncorroborated rumor and innuendo, let me just say this:
Over the last four years, I’ve spent more hours than I can count searching for any facts that support Anthony Rapp’s sexual abuse allegations against Kevin Spacey.
And you wanna know something?
I ain’t found one.
Want more kevin spacey and anthony rapp gossip?
I’m stopping by Popping Culture this weekend to participate in their premiere podcast. I’ll talk about Kevin Spacey, Anthony Rapp, Adam Vary, and more.