Danny Masterson’s longtime publicist, Jenni Weinman, claimed the actor couldn’t have raped one of his alleged victims, because the pair were in a relationship.
Chrissie Bixler, who dated Masterson, 41, for six years, is one of four women who’ve accused the “That ’70s Show” star of rape.
In a phonecall obtained by Huffington Post, Weinman said of the accusations: “Well, Chrissie was Danny’s girlfriend at the time, so there’s really nothing, there’s no story there.”
She added, “They were boyfriend and girlfriend and they dated, and then they f**ked for a year after they broke up, so I don’t think that…”
However, Bixler insisted to the publication that she only slept with Masterson three times after they split.
Two of the women accusing Masterson of rape told HuffPost that Weinman “played an integral part in covering up the alleged crimes.”
Bixler claimed she was unconscious during sex at least twice during their relationship, and that the Church of Scientology – to which she belonged at the time, and Masterson still belongs – convinced her it wasn’t rape.
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In October 2016, almost 15 years after the alleged assault, Bixler posted on Twitter: “Because your boyfriend tells you it’s not rape if you’re in a relationship and then his church covers it up. #WhyWomenDontReport.”
A second alleged victim, known only as Victim B, claims she blacked out at a party at Masterson’s house and woke up while he was raping her.
She then said Masterson, who has denied all allegations and said the sexual encounters were consensual, choked her until she passed out again.
The Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office have been investigating the claims for nearly a year.
Weinman, who has been Masterson’s publicist for almost 20 years, said in a statement, “I respect the law. I would never cover up wrongdoing or threaten people based on the scope of my work. As a publicist it’s my job to gather information and make informed decisions about media matters.”
“As an outsider looking in I never saw anything but a consensual relationship between Danny and Chrissie, with whom I maintained a cordial relationship after they broke up. That said, her claims coming after almost 16 years were surprising and shocking to say the least. My conversation with any alleged victim came from a place of sincerity, and curiosity as to why they would wait and why now, it just seemed so illogical.”
Things took an unusual turn over the weekend when one of Masterson’s accusers confronted Netflix executive Andy Yeatman while he was coaching a children’s soccer game, reports HuffPost, asking why Netflix hasn’t taken any action against him.
Not realizing the woman was one of Masterson’s alleged victims, the exec told her that Netflix does take such allegations seriously, but that in the case of the women accusing Masterson, “we don’t believe them.”
Netflix later issued a statement confirming Yeatman’s remarks, but clarified that he wasn’t speaking on behalf of the company.
“While he was coaching a youth soccer match today, Mr. Yeatman — a Netflix kids’ programming executive — was approached by a stranger who did not identify herself or explain her connection to Danny Masterson,” reads the Netflix statement. “Mr. Yeatman’s comments were careless, uninformed and do not represent the views of the company. Further, he would have no insights into decision making on ‘The Ranch’. We are aware of the allegations against Danny Masterson and we are following the current investigation, and will respond if developments occur.”
