Support NeoGAF

[KSweeley]

Link: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...-silence-defends-hes-not-a-racist-q-a-1001006

The Firm founder Jeff Kwatinetz, a passionate liberal who was in business with Bannon for two years, says the White House chief counsel has "great character."
President Donald Trump’s controversial chief strategist Steve Bannon has ties to Hollywood, as has been widely reported, including a lucrative stake in the TV sitcom Seinfeld. But few, if any, who crossed paths with Bannon during his stint in the entertainment industry have been willing to speak candidly and on the record about him.

Jeff Kwatinetz, his former Hollywood business partner, now says he can’t take it anymore so he has decided to go on the record for the first time with The Hollywood Reporter. In a Q&A, the founder of The Firm talent management and TV production company says some surprising things about one of the most polarizing figures in politics. Bannon was with The Firm in 2002 and 2003 when it purchased Michael Ovitz’s powerful Artist Management Group.

.....

Did you know his politics?

I don’t remember at what point I learned his politics, but as a liberal I believe in a free marketplace of ideas and I have people who believe all sorts of things at my company, and I’m very politically active. While Steve worked with me, I’d given seven figures to the DCCC, presidential candidates such as Richard Gephardt and Bill Bradley as well as several statewide candidates and others. But as a liberal, I don’t judge people on their politics, I judge them on their character, and from what I knew then and what I know now, Steve has great character. He’s not a racist or anti-Semitic. Things like that are absurd.

So why are people saying those things about him?

I’ve had 20 people who worked at The Firm when Steve was there ask me why the media is lying about Steve. Unlike most of us, Steve is very at ease with himself. He doesn’t need people to correct falsehoods, and he didn’t ask us to do so. He’s a great person who wants the world to be a better place. He’s a good friend and an incredibly hard worker. He has beliefs and stands by them. Those beliefs aren’t based on racism, they’re based on what he honestly believes is best for the world. Do I agree with all of them? No. He was a Bush and a [Donald] Rumsfeld supporter, I was a Bill Clinton and Bernie Sanders supporter. But not being a liberal doesn’t mean you’re a racist.

Did you ever witness anything that could be interpreted as anti-Semitic?

I know that he’s not anti-Semitic. I am absolutely positive that he’s not anti-Semitic or racist. It is absurd. I am Jewish, Roy Furman was Jewish, Andrew Breitbart was Jewish. He is not anti-Semitic. Period.

 

[Volimar]

And as we all know, the conversation is won the moment someone says "Period."

 

[pelicansurf]

He's not a racist. He just hates minorities.

 

[DietRob]

His best friend is Jewish!

What a relief!

Honestly fuck this guy. He's a nobody. Now that Trump has essentially booted him from the inner circle I'm not sure why anyone gives a shit about him at all. Go ahead and let him fade back into irrelevance.

 

[Inferno313]

 

[Quixzlizx]

 

[Toki767]

Jewish isn't a race...

 

[Oppo]

 

[ViviOggi]

 

[Wanda/Wander]

Muslim Ban

 

[excelsiorlef]

Whatever

Politics are your character

 

[Glass Shark]

as a liberal I believe in a free marketplace of ideas and I have people who believe all sorts of things at my company ... But as a liberal, I don’t judge people on their politics, I judge them on their character

guy sounds like a fucking idiot tbh

 

[HStallion]

So a rich white man is trying to tell me about how another rich white man isn't so bad and then going on about the free market and other such nonsense? Fuck off you wishy washy fucker.

 

[takriel]

He's just an opportunist.

 

[BrutishMrFish]

He writes racist shit and pushes racist policies and the idea that he's a racist is "absurd."

Okay.

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

He wants the world to burn.

 

[NealMcCauley]

guy sounds like a fucking idiot tbh

Sounds like "Yeah he may be an asshole but he helped make me money so what's the big deal?"

 

[2Smashed4U]

Jewish isn't a race...

Not true actually

 

[Aaron Strife]

Fuck off, I'm so sick of this "no but he's/she's/they're not REALLY racist!" bullshit.

"A racist." Cut me a fucking break. It's a spectrum you asshole and we're all on it.

 

[wisdom0wl]

Not a racist, but racists love his ideology

Spoiler

fuck steven bannon. ugly ass punk bitch

 

[Strike]

 

[Sectorseven]

He just plays one in real life.

 

[Nepenthe]

White liberals caping for white racists?

Surely you jest.

 

[marrec]

He's not a racist you guys.

He's a white nationalist.

 

[shiftplusone]

Those beliefs aren’t based on racism, they’re based on what he honestly believes is best for the world.

Bannon: "If we got rid of these jews and blacks we'd be way better off. not racism, just facts!"

 

[Gentleman Jack]

I don’t know much about Breitbart because, as a liberal, I don’t read Breitbart. I think some controversial things have come out of Breitbart, as far as I can tell.

"passionate liberal"
"free marketplace of ideas"
Feigns ignorance on reason #1 why Bannon has been repeatedly slapped with accusations of anti-semitism and racism.

 

[yanipheonu]

The partner doth protest too much, methinks.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

 

[Goodstyle]

Literally the worst judge of if someone is racist is their white friends. White friends can hear someone call a black guy the n word and still say "Well he's not racist IN HIS HEART". It's infuriating.

 

[sphagnum]

Jewish isn't a race...

It is to racists.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Sorry, this is the era of receipts

 

[ahoyhoy]

White liberals caping for white racists?

Surely you jest.

Most of us have at least one racist family member so we're used to trying to look at our loved ones in the best possible light.

Not to excuse this though.

 

[hawk2025]

As a liberal
As a liberal
As a liberal



The lady doth protest too much.

 

[Michael F. Assbender]

Came to post this.

 

[The Salt Life]

He sounds like he knows him better than any one of us.
End of the day though, actions speak louder than words.

 

[Aaronology]

But as a liberal, I don’t judge people on their politics, I judge them on their character..

The two are intrinsically linked, an obvious truth to anyone not safely ensconced from the negative repercussions of the politics of those around them. This mindset is what people refer to when the word "privilege" is thrown about.

 

[Unknown One]

Hitler's best friend would say he's not a racist as well I bet.

 

[Altazor]

he's not racist, he's got a black friend!

 

[John Rabbit]

Rich, privileged man vouches for character of other rich, privileged man.

Glad that's been cleared up.

 

[SchrodingerC]

But as a liberal, I don’t judge people on their politics, I judge them on their character

Well guess what guy, his politics and character are toxic as shit.

 

[Veezy]

Oh, the "he can't be racist because he likes one of us" defense.

All that matters is he continues to push for legislation that deliberately impacts minorities of all kinds at a greater level than straight, White, Christian, men.

Also, as a liberal, I judge people on politics that makes the lives of people I care about more difficult.

 

[jacob armitage]

He's a super racist.

 

[The Omega Man]

This must put an end to any person who had doubts, I mean this person used "period" there is no more arguing here.

 

[Fercho]

Well maybe Bannon is not a racist. He is just running a plan based in hatred, racism and fear because he is SO smart.

Spoiler

/Sarcasm

 

[Kai Dracon]

Funny part is, the way that is worded is very careful and is pretty much the rationalization that so many racists and diet racists and wanna-be fascists use for themselves:

It's not about race! It's not about hating other people! It's about wanting the world to be a better place.

Better in what way? Well, if all the breeds of humanity occupied the proper place they're supposed to be in, then everything will be orderly and pleasant for all.

What's so bad about that?

 

[Somnid]

Is he playing a character or something? I don't think that's any better. We don't need a pretend nazi with an altruistic agenda when we can have someone who is like, not actively doing social violence at the same time.

 

[Tain]

guy sounds like a fucking idiot tbh

yeah

Anybody insisting that even the most far-right fascist bullshit should be listened to and respected carries a delusion that real-world politics operates like The West Wing.

 

[Lovely Salsa]

I thought steve bannon created breitbart or am I thinking of someone else?

 

[Aurongel]

I thought steve bannon created breitbart or am I thinking of someone else?

Andrew Brietbart. He's mentioned in the article but seldom comes up because he died before the site rose to prominence.

 

[BocoDragon]

I think of him more of a Crusader. He's an advocate for the tired old clash of civilizations narrative where it's the West/Christendom vs. all competing barbarian cultures who threaten to destroy it.

I dunno if that's racism but it's definitely cultural self-superiority over dangerous Others.