Actor Terry Crews says he was groped by a 'high-level Hollywood executive'

Actor Terry Crews said he thought of fighting back but decided not to after thinking of the possible repercussions. PHOTO: AFP

(THE WASHINGTON POST) - After the New York Times published an explosive story last week about decades of sexual harassment allegations surrounding famed producer Harvey Weinstein, observers wondered if that was just the tip of the iceberg.

On Tuesday (Oct 10), the floodgates opened.

The Times released another bombshell story in which A-listers Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie said Weinstein sexually harassed them earlier in their careers, and the New Yorker published a 10-month investigative piece that included three women who accused Weinstein of rape.

Afterward, others in Hollywood started to come forward on social media to share stories of sexual harassment.

Terry Crews, a former NFL player who currently stars as a police sergeant on Fox's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", wrote a long thread on Twitter and said that the Weinstein news is giving him PTSD because he was groped by a "high level Hollywood executive" during an event last year that he attended with his wife.

Crews said he thought about fighting back, until he realized the optics.

"I was going to kick his ass right then- but I thought twice about how the whole thing would appear: '240 lbs. Black Man stomps out Hollywood Honcho' would be the headline the next day," he wrote.

"Only I probably wouldn't have been able to read it because I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL. So we left."

Crews, who added that he shared the story to "deter predators" and provide hope for others in similar situations, said that after the incident, he understood why women don't speak up when they're harassed.

"Who's going 2 believe you? ( few) What r the repercussions?(many) Do u want 2 work again? (Yes) R you prepared 2b ostracized?(No)," he wrote.

A publicist for Crews said the actor was not available for additional comment beyond his tweets.

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