Bret Easton Ellis, best known as the author of American Psycho, has shared his thoughts on the way in which Ryan Adams has been portrayed by the media following recent abuse accusations made against the musician.
A report published in February by the New York Times featured accounts from several women, including Phoebe Bridgers and Adams’ ex-wife Mandy Moore, accusing the ‘So Alive’ singer of emotional and psychological abuse, harassment, inappropriate and manipulative behaviour, and more.
Through his lawyer, Andrew B. Brettler, Adams denied the “extremely serious and outlandish accusations” that he claimed were “grousing by disgruntled individuals” who blamed him for “personal or professional disappointments.”
Commenting on the treatment of Adams since the published report, US author Bret Easton Ellis said he was “haunted” by the way Adams was portrayed in the article. “I just worry sometimes that the best intentions can get weaponised and you get a lot of people who are thrown under the truck who I don’t know if they really deserve to be there,” Ellis told The Irish Times, appearing on an episode of their Inside Politics podcast – listen below.
“I am haunted by the way the indie musician Ryan Adams was portrayed in a New York Times piece that put him under the #MeToo banner because he liked to flirt with girls and promise them record contracts or they could play on his records if they flirted with him…
“His wife Mandy Moore complained that, ‘Ryan was so controlling that I couldn’t make a record for six years.’ That was kind of about it.
“Yeah, there was some girl he had been sexting with who actually wasn’t 16. She might have been 14, she lied. That was there. But the FBI said they didn’t even know if that was a crime concerning this particular case.”
Via his lawyer, Adams “unequivocally denies that he ever engaged in inappropriate online sexual communications with someone he knew was underage.”
Taking to Twitter, he also later apologised “deeply and unreservedly” to those he may have ever hurt, however unintentionally, but expressed that he felt the New York Times article painted an “upsettingly inaccurate” picture of him and the situation.
After adding that the story belonged “in the National Enquirer” and didn’t deserve to be be brought up with other #MeToo stories, Ellis touched upon another #MeToo case.
“This [Ryan Adams case] shouldn’t be under #MeToo – just as much as Joe Biden shouldn’t be connected to #MeToo,” he said, referencing allegations made against the former Vice President and 2020 Democratic frontrunner, who has been accused by several women of inappropriate touching.