Open Letter to the media and Universal

To the media & Universal:

In your coverage of Kristen Stewart's personal life over the past few weeks you have sent out a few messages to our society.

Older married men (even with children) will suffer few consequences for having a tryst with young women half their age because you, the media, will focus on the girl.  Oh, you will say she got the focus because she was more famous.

Don't think so.  You were much more concerned with Monica Lewinsky as most of the public was forgiving to Bill Clinton.   I am not saying either party should be treated so badly, but you have a record of destroying the girl and letting the older guy off the hook.

Their is no benefit to admitting guilt and apologizing, as Kristen did.  Those who might deny their part or make excuses haven't been discouraged from doing so.  You seemed to dismiss her admission and have been more focused on reading more into it.  She apologized and said it was a "momentary indiscretion" yet you have been trying to prove (without success) that there  was a longer history.  

You had to notice how uncomfortable Kristen looked in those pictures.   But you haven't followed up on this because that leads to ideas and thoughts that don't sell as many magazines and gain as much web traffic.

Rupert Sanders involvement just doesn't interest you, so you keep focusing on the easy target who has been reluctant to defend herself.  She obviously feels terrible about what she did.  And she apologized.  But you just smelled blood and attacked like a pack of sharks.

You have sent a very poor message with your coverage.  Guys like me who might be contemplating such behavior know we will get off with a slap on the wrist at most.  

And Universal Pictures: Are you seriously contemplating giving Sanders additional work while discontinuing with the star who gave that professional engagement a chance to succeed?  If this is your move, rest assured you don't deserve the rare talent Kristen brings.  And I for one will not consume any product you produce in the future.

Have I missed anything?

I've had a few requests to do an update here.  One reason I haven't is 99% of the so called "news" is fabrication.

Please correct me if I am wrong in the comments, but this is all we know to be true.

(1)pictures come out

(2)Kristen's public apology to Rob seemed raw emotion

(3)Rob goes on promo.  Many talking heads tried to get him to comment.

He didn't bite.  He even rejected Jon Stewart's "kick her to the curb" with a response "is this an impersonation of yourself?" 

One comment from Cronenberg that stood out to me was "people think they know what is going on, but they don't"

(4)Conflicting reports of what Universal is doing with Swath part #2

(5)Kristen chose not to do Cali

(6)sad news about Kristen's parents

Did I miss anything?

There have been endless stories with unnamed sources.  I can't believe a single one of these, even if I like what the story says.  Even People Mag will do this unnamed source stuff to a lesser degree.  What is more surprising is the standard of journalism in the UK.  Brick and mortar news outlets like the Daily Mail are just as bad as many "gossip" outlets with their use of unnamed sources.  I have experienced this poor standard of journalism in the UK all summer when following their sports pages.   They speculate and say things like "it is believed."  This week, an 18 year old kid with 45,000 twitter followers, admitted he made up numerous reports about transfers in the English Premier League.  The Daily Mail, The Mirror and others took his bs tweets and published stories on them.

This week he admits that he made it all up.   When this is happening with sport, their celebrity news certainly has no credibility.    US based newspapers seem to have a higher standard, so you see less about Kristen and Rob, because they and their real friends are not talking.

My take on this "scandal" has changed a little.  Even if Kristen did have an affair, she should not be getting near the negative coverage she has gotten.  It's unprecedented in my memory of the press bashing a 22 year old woman.

If this did happen, then she is worthy of forgiveness.   But I don't think what has been reported is the whole truth of what happened.  And I am not saying anyone is entitled to know the truth.  We aren't.  But when I look at those pictures, besides wanting to vomit, I see a girl who looks very uncomfortable and had major misgivings about being there.    I don't think she knew what was going to happen when she met Rupert that day.   I think she admired and respected him in the same manner that many college age girls view their favorite professor.   But if an affair was in progress, she would not have conducted it like that.  It would have been too easy to meet somewhere private.

So I think she was taken by surprise.    She didn't kick him out of he car.  I don't think she had any reference for this type of experience.  For as wise beyond her years Kristen often seems, she also lived a very sheltered life, IMO.  She didn't realize Rupert's intent, IMO.

So what happens now: I think they want this story to go away.  Commenting on it, even to defend herself, gives the story a boost and keeps it in the papers.

Kristen will go on to have a great career.  This setback won't last much longer.

As far as her relationship, my hunch is that she and Rob are not over with.  There may be a long break, but for all we truly know, they might already be in couples therapy.   We won't know for sure until all the BD2 cash has been counted.     If I was Rob, and I knew that Kristen wanted to fix whatever was broken, then I certainly wouldn't give up on her.

As Kristen's fan, I won't give up her no matter what.  I am not a fan of celebs in general, but I will always be drawn to her.