The Art and the Artist: Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in a World of Controversial Creators

I grew up admiring figures such as Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, even O.J. Simpson, and others who have since been revealed to have led questionable, even criminal lives. Despite this, their artistic contributions remain significant. The challenge lies in how one can separate their work from their personal misconduct. Of if one should. What happens to the consumer of such "scandalized" or "discredited"  artists and performers who have proven to be "disgraced", or a become a too "controversial" figure?

I'll get to the point but first this is going to be a bit of a trip around the block...

While I still appreciate Allen’s art I now find it difficult. But I cannot avoid it as I had studied his work along with Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick at university. But expressing such things could expose one to criticism. As an artist myself, would it impact my professional standing? Should it? Shouldn't it? How can one ethically navigate this dilemma, balancing an appreciation for their art with an acknowledgment of their behavior? Especially when they have become unavoidably integral to who I am as a person and an artist?

What do you do with that? Even if one is not an artist and as a consumer who once enjoyed their works. This has bothered me for some time now. I have my own thoughts on it but it occurred to me to ask an AI what it thinks. First off, what do I think?

In point of fact, it pisses me off! It pisses me off because these artists whose lives were so warped, first they did those things to those they did them to. Then once you get past that, because they got us to buy into their brilliance and decades later waylaid those of us as fans with reveals of their despicable acts. But it's not them but their products and the brilliance of what hey produced. Respecting their minds, and their talents, but not their personal lives. I've always tried to give them their personal lives. They, most of them, deserve their privacy. 

So getting past all that, maybe ask the AI and see if it's more clear headed about the topic. Often when I do that I get an answer that includes things I had forgotten to consider, even though I would have later. Or it offers things I had not or would not consider. Or offers a new perspective.

So I asked ChatGPT what it thought.

But first, how did this come up. Well? That's a story. Two weeks ago I started binge-watching The West Wing. I'd tried to do that during the Trump presidency but I couldn't. I found it too depressing. Even though the staff at MSNBC was doing that to get THEM through that clown show. So when I considered it recently I thought I'd give it another try.

It worked. Took about a week to get through all 7 seasons. I learned a lot. Like Aaron Sorkin is a genius. Also, that Bradly Whitford and Lawrence O'Donnell were writers and actors on that show. I had a great time watching it. I did some research and found after that show, Sorkin did Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. 

Then The Newsroom. Which has one of the greatest opening scenes to a series perhaps ever (video). I'd watched The Newsroom when it was first on TV and loved it when it was on. But not Studio 60, about a Saturday Night Live type sketch show. 

I loved SNL when it arrived in 1975. I was sitting alone at home one night in Spokane in my downtown apartment waiting on my wife to get off work at the hospital a few blocks up the hill from me at midnight.

I was sitting on the couch wrapping the scabbard of my 14th-century Wakasashi (long story about how I got that for $2 in 1973 from a friend after we'd just graduated high school, hanging at my girlfriend's apartment. He was a garbage man and had found it in pieced on a garbage can. I'd offered him $2 thinking he'd laugh at me. He laughed at me and said, "Cool! Cost of a torpedo!" A "torpedo" is about 66 ounces of beer. 

I was alone at home wrapping the scabbard in string so it would not fall off, it's still wrapped from that. Then I painted it black. While I was doing that, took a couple of hours, I looked in TV Guide and saw Saturday Night Live was on. Never heard of it so I put it on. Long story short, it was amazing. 

Anyway, after binging The West Wing, I found The Newsroom on the MAX streaming channel and watched it. I got the idea to see if I could get the DVDs. I found them on ebay and bought them. Then I found Studio 60. Which just arrived and I'm watching it now. I can remember when it was first on TV but I ignored it back in 2007 not knowing what it was about and anyway, I wanted to watch The Unit about spec ops team, a show created by David Mamet, of whom I've long been a fan. Since studying screenwriting at university in the early 80s.

I thought about getting The West Wing DVDs but 7 years? That's about $80 so I figured I'd hold off. I'm really liking Studio 60. On the wall in Matthew Perry's character's office was a framed poster of a cover of a Life magazine with Woody Allen and Humphrey Bogart on it.

Mark McKinnon (from Kids in the Hall, playing a depressed writer), Bradly Whitford and Matthew Perry in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

I've had that magazine cover in a frame hanging on my wall forever but since I moved here 6 years ago in a too small house, it's in my spare room with all my other art and framed works.

I know, so said about his passing, my friends seemed to think back in the 90s when people were trying to figure out which "Friend" you were in your group of friends, that I was Chandler. I was never quite sure how I felt about that, but, he was funny, so... 

SO, finally getting to the point...I kept seeing the Life mag cover in the office in Studio 60 and I started thinking about where my framed copy was. Should I hang it? If I do, where? If in the living room and people see it who come over, well then what? How will they react? How should I react? Should I hang it? That pissed me off because I loved his movies, books, plays, and then he had to be human and do weird things and now what? 

Sigh... so many people like that. My mother couldn't stand Charlie Chaplin who was incorrectly maligned for leaving for France. I grew up separating the artist from their art or I felt, we'd have no art. Or much much less.

So that got me to thinking again about the philosophical, ethical and moral implications of all that all over again. Which led us to here, now.

Anyway, this is what ChatGPT said:

This is a challenging issue, especially as many public figures and artists have seen their legacies reevaluated in light of revelations about their personal behaviors. The tension between appreciating someone's artistic output and acknowledging their harmful actions is real, and there isn't a single answer that works for everyone. However, there are some thoughtful ways to navigate this, especially as an artist who has to balance personal ethics with public perception.

Here are a few approaches to consider:

1. Separate the Art from the Artist (to a Degree)

Some argue that art should be evaluated on its own merits, independent of the artist’s personal life. The work may still have value, evoke emotions, or offer insights regardless of who created it. In this view, you can appreciate Allen’s storytelling or Cosby’s comedy as cultural contributions, without endorsing their personal behaviors.

However, publicly defending this perspective can indeed invite criticism, especially if people feel it minimizes the harm caused by those individuals. If you choose this approach, be prepared to explain how you separate appreciation for the work from endorsement of the artist's personal choices. You could acknowledge their actions as reprehensible while recognizing the influence of their art.

2. Ethical Engagement with the Art

You could continue to engage with the art, but do so with critical awareness. For instance, you might highlight how problematic aspects of the artist’s personal life inform or even taint their work. In Woody Allen's case, some have pointed to themes in his films that might now be viewed differently in light of his personal controversies. By engaging critically, you demonstrate that you’re not ignoring the ethical issues.

This can also extend to how you publicly talk about the artist’s work, showing that you’re aware of the complex dynamics and not just passively consuming the art.

3. Reframe Your Engagement with Their Work

Instead of completely avoiding or wholly embracing the work of controversial figures, you might frame your engagement with it in a way that opens a discussion. For example, you could discuss how your feelings toward Allen’s films have evolved over time, or how you now see certain aspects differently. This acknowledges the impact of the artist’s actions without dismissing their artistic contributions.

As a fellow artist, this can be particularly valuable because you’re showing that you are conscious of the relationship between art and morality in a way that others might appreciate. You're not endorsing bad behavior, but you’re also not erasing the value of art.

4. Limit Financial Support

If it’s important to you to maintain some ethical boundaries, consider how you engage with their work financially. For example, you can still watch Allen’s movies but avoid purchasing new releases or giving direct support to ongoing projects. You could also donate the money you might have spent on their art to causes related to the harm they caused (e.g., supporting victims of abuse).

This allows you to still engage with the art, while making it clear that you’re not financially supporting individuals whose actions you disagree with.

5. Acknowledge Public Sensitivities

Publicly endorsing the work of controversial figures could harm your reputation as an artist. If you’re concerned about marketability, it might be worth carefully weighing how and where you express your appreciation for Allen or others like him. You can still privately enjoy the work while being mindful of the current cultural climate.

In creative spaces, especially, how others perceive your choices (even in terms of what you admire) can affect collaborations, opportunities, and audiences. Acknowledging that their behavior is wrong, while critically engaging with their art, can strike a balance.

6. Transparency in Personal Artistic Influence

If you draw inspiration from these figures, consider being transparent about how you engage with that influence. For example, instead of simply saying "I admire Woody Allen’s work," you might say, "Woody Allen’s earlier films have influenced my understanding of comedic timing and character development, but I struggle with reconciling that influence given what we now know." This demonstrates a nuanced position and shows your audience that you’re aware of the larger conversation around such figures.

7. Move Toward New Influences

If the ethical conflict feels too strong, it might be worth seeking out new influences that align with your values. The art world is vast, and there are many filmmakers, comedians, and creators who produce incredible work while maintaining ethical lives. Shifting focus to these figures can not only alleviate your ethical dilemma but also introduce fresh perspectives into your own work.

8. Open Discussion

Opening up a dialogue about these issues could humanize your approach. As an artist, if you express that you, too, are grappling with the complexities of separating art from artist, it could resonate with others who are having similar struggles. This might involve discussing these topics with your audience in interviews, on social media, or within your work itself. It could demonstrate intellectual and moral consideration.

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Ultimately, it's about striking a balance between your personal enjoyment of the art, an ethical response to the artists' behavior, and your public positioning as an artist. There's no simple answer, but thoughtful, nuanced engagement can help you navigate this complicated issue.

So, about the framed Life magazine cover. What did I do about it? It's now hanging in that spare room with the rest of my art. Yeah, I don't know either, but is it we who have to suffer for someone being less than we expect of them, even if by far? I think in the end, it's a personal decision. 

I still haven't been able to watch a Woody Allen movie since it all came out about that family and Woody involvement. I may not be able to give him money for a new film because of it. Then, he may not be around much longer as he's 88. But the framed Life mag cover? It's just enough that it's still good and pays some kind of homage to that part of my personality that is still innocent. And always will be.