Amidst the quaint community of Beverly, Massachusetts, a storm brewed over a soiree at The Cabot, as the famous thespian Richard Dreyfuss arrived bedecked in an unexpected attire – a charismatic blue, floral-patterned dress which he had stage workers help him doff, only to replace it with a more conventional sports coat. Appreciation for his unconventional sartorial choice might have been short-lived as he rather inexplicably began to cast aspersions on women, the LGBTQ+ community, and the matter of diversity.
The 76-year-old actor, renowned for his role as a marine biologist in the 1975 smash hit ‘Jaws’, was the guest of honor for a meet-and-greet where the mood turned sour. From what began as a light-hearted exchange, Dreyfuss’s remarks regarding women’s role in Hollywood, transgender youth, LGBTQ+ rights and the often contentious issue of diversity led to part of the audience vacating the premises. His disdain for the Academy’s attempts to foster inclusivity – which Dreyfuss had once equated to inducing nausea – were also vocalized.
Though, there were few who exhibited approval when Dreyfuss, in what could be deemed a salvaging attempt, referenced the central idea of his book “One Thought Scares Me…” and proclaimed the absence of civics in educational syllabi as the cause of societal downfall. His assertion that a void in civic foundation corresponded to a loss of national identity and could result in calamity led to scattered acclaim.
In the aftermath of the surprisingly eventful evening, an email apology landed in the inboxes of probably startled attendees from The Cabot. In no uncertain terms, the venue distanced itself from Dreyfuss’s viewpoints and expressed their deep regret. The actor, despite his tarnished repute, notably stands proud as an Oscar winner for his performance in “The Goodbye Girl” and has also starred in other iconic films like “Close Encounters of The Third Kind” and “American Graffiti”.
The statement from The Cabot underscored that Dreyfuss’s profoundly unsettling comments were neither supported nor endorsed by the venue and veered away from their core values of inclusivity and respect. The venue recognized and sincerely apologized for the perturbation, discomfort and offense caused by the actor’s remarks to a considerable number of their community. Repeated attempts to contact both The Cabot’s executive director and a representative for Dreyfuss were to no avail, hinting that the echoes of the evening may still be resonating.
