The child in the basement

It's been somewhat painful over the last few days to watch actors and directors I like signing a petition to free Polanski (Guillermo del Toro, nooo!). I mean, seriously: the man drugged and raped a 13-year-old, pleaded guilty and skipped the country before he could be sentenced. These facts are not in dispute. And yet people somehow cannot get their heads around the idea that a man who has made some good films and had some very nasty tragedies in his life might also be a fugitive rapist who is finally - hopefully - going to face justice for what he did. Great art and great tragedy do not give you a free pass to depravity.

To counter the depression, chrismm is keeping a list of artists who've spoken out against Polanski here. There is a counter-petition. Ed Bernero (former cop, co-creator of Third Watch and current showrunner for Criminal Minds) has a particularly cutting article here. (And how is Chris Rock so awesome?)

This icon has probably never been more appropriate.