Morgan Spurlock made a name for himself with bold stunts that cut to larger societal problems. It’s not exactly eating McDonald’s for a month straight, but it makes sense that the filmmaker would admit his past sexual misconduct with a confounding, preemptive strike.
On Wednesday evening Spurlock tweeted “I Am Part of the Problem,” and linked to a 961-word essay about sexual misconduct. He begins: “when will they come for me?”
His admissions are vague and defensive. A woman said he raped her in college, he writes, but then says he was shocked about it and writes a sympathetic scene between consenting adults. He says he settled a sexual harassment lawsuit eight years ago, but that his harassment was only verbal and he thought it was a collegial joke. He’d yell “sex pants” to a woman who worked for him across the office.
He admits to being unfaithful in marriage and relationships.
Then he writes about the sexual abuse suffered when he was a child and a teen. He writes about his father leaving his mother. He writes about his rampant drinking. He doesn’t draw a direct connection but points to institutions and suggests these systemic issues in society are partly responsible for his actions.
Then he pivots to activism.
I am part of the problem. We all are.
But I am also part of the solution. By recognizing and openly admitting what I’ve done to further this terrible situation, I hope to empower the change within myself. We should all find the courage to admit we’re at fault.
The documentarian is poised to premiere his sequel to 2004’s Super Size Me next year on YouTube Red. In this one, Spurlock tries to open a fast food joint that sells chicken sandwiches.
