# The Casting Couch: Overblown Myth? Harsh Reality? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383 "2007-12-09T15:28:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/61 "2008-03-14T01:37:51Z")
And yet when Robert Altman made _The Player_ and slammed all that was despicable in 1992 Hollywood, this issue had no place at all. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/62 "2008-03-14T14:41:05Z")
I seem to recall that in Joe Eszterhas’s book, he said that the “casting couch” was no longer considered routine, and, in fact, when a producer-type tried to say, “I slept with X, give her the job,” the reaction was “We don’t do things that way any more. And X already has the job.” ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/63 "2008-03-14T14:50:19Z")
[QUOTE=Slithy Tove] And yet when Robert Altman made _The Player_ and slammed all that was despicable in 1992 Hollywood, this issue had no place at all. [/QUOTE] Maybe he saw it is a good thing, not a bad thing- he was a director after all 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/64 "2008-03-14T15:32:54Z")
I have to believe that it’s still common for actors to sleep their way into the business. In my brief and mostly unspectacular opera career, where there’s much less money to be made than in film or TV and much less fame to be had, I’ve seen it happen twice for sure (as in, person I know does not get the part, part mysteriously becomes available again, person I know arrives at social event that night on the arm of the director and wearing a nearly transparent dress, person I know gets part…), and I’ve been solicited directly at least once with a promise of a specific opportunity. It may no longer be expected, but I bet it’s common. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/65 "2008-03-14T23:28:18Z")
I know it happens on the internet. How do you think I got that “Hi Opal” gig? I KID!!! ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/66 "2008-03-15T00:45:35Z")
[QUOTE=Figaro] I have to believe that it’s still common for actors to sleep their way into the business. In my brief and mostly unspectacular opera career, where there’s much less money to be made than in film or TV and much less fame to be had, I’ve seen it happen twice for sure (as in, person I know does not get the part, part mysteriously becomes available again, person I know arrives at social event that night on the arm of the director and wearing a nearly transparent dress, person I know gets part…), and I’ve been solicited directly at least once with a promise of a specific opportunity. It may no longer be expected, but I bet it’s common. [/QUOTE] Not to cast aspersions, and I really don’t know what I’m talking about here having little experience with either the Opera or Film worlds, but could it be that it’s _more_ prevalent int he opera world? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/67 "2008-03-15T00:56:40Z")
I’ve heard that Walt Disney was pretty notorious for using the casting couch and that it’s how Minnie Mouse (formerly Wilhelmina Strinchlemauser of Duluth, Minnesota) and Daisy Duck (formerly, oddly enough, Joan Crawford, and also of Duluth Minnesota) broke into the biz. Strictly rumor that I have no way of knowing if it’s true, but it’s rumored that Jason Priestly got his big break on a producer’s desk (no idea if the alleged director was supposed to be Aaron Spelling or not) and Deney Terio of _Dance Fever_ filed a suit alleging that Merv Griffin (producer of the show) ordered him to report for duty to his office if he wanted to keep his job/boost his career. ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/68 "2008-03-15T03:08:28Z")
[QUOTE=sjc] Not to cast aspersions, and I really don’t know what I’m talking about here having little experience with either the Opera or Film worlds, but could it be that it’s _more_ prevalent int he opera world? [/QUOTE] I suppose it’s possible. I guess we’ll have to conduct studies to find out 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/69 "2008-03-15T05:29:38Z")
[QUOTE=Figaro] I have to believe that it’s still common for actors to sleep their way into the business. In my brief and mostly unspectacular opera career, where there’s much less money to be made than in film or TV and much less fame to be had, I’ve seen it happen twice for sure (as in, person I know does not get the part, part mysteriously becomes available again, person I know arrives at social event that night on the arm of the director and wearing a nearly transparent dress, person I know gets part…), and I’ve been solicited directly at least once with a promise of a specific opportunity. It may no longer be expected, but I bet it’s common. [/QUOTE] Have you ever had a job that might be considered dirty or nasty? ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/70 "2008-03-15T19:06:55Z")
[QUOTE=Oslo Ostragoth] Have you ever had a job that might be considered dirty or nasty? [/QUOTE] I’m not sure what you mean. If you mean a role that contained strong sexual content acted out on stage, then yes. If you mean a job that I got by doing something dirty or nasty, then no. If you mean something else, then I’m confused… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/71 "2008-03-16T03:42:38Z")
[QUOTE=Figaro] I’m not sure what you mean. If you mean a role that contained strong sexual content acted out on stage, then yes. If you mean a job that I got by doing something dirty or nasty, then no. If you mean something else, then I’m confused… 😕 [/QUOTE] Inside joke. Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel, used to sing opera. Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/72 "2008-03-16T13:19:00Z")
Well [Star Magazine](http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2007/12/jamie-lynn-spears-gossip-of-the-day-casey-aldridge-not-the-father-nickelodeon-executive-might-be/) has claimed in print that a Studio Executive might be the father of 16 year old Jamie Lynn Spears baby. They don’t claim that it is a 1:1 casting couch scenerio but 16 year old and Studio executive sounds close (and awful). In the Past, a [book charged](http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2001_July_17/ai_76577639) that Natalie Wood’s Mom let/made her sleep around for parts In Mario Puzo’s The Last Don he creates a Hollywood where the Director sleeps with the supporting actress and (I think) the Star sleeps with the lead actress and the Writer is SOL. That this is the general way of doing business and well understood unless the woman is running a film as a star or director (which the male characters see as turning the world upside down). Now it is a work of fiction, but Puzo has been writing screenplays & in the Hollywood scene since the early 70’s ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/73 "2008-03-17T00:46:03Z")
I’m pretty far removed from the world of Hollywood, but I’ve done some theatre directing in my time, and I’ve had more than one actress “joke” about sleeping with me to get the role. It was pretty clear at the time that they were saying it as a joke, but that the offer was real, if you follow me. And this was low-paying, low-profile theatre. These were women who just wanted to get a credit on their resume, and hope for the next gig to be better. If it’s happened to me, I can’t believe it hasn’t happened to a lot of other people. And I have to believe that some of them take advantage. thwartme No, I never took anyone up on it. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/74 "2008-03-17T02:59:58Z")
[QUOTE=Oslo Ostragoth] Inside joke. Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel, used to sing opera. Sorry! [/QUOTE] :smack: I really should have gotten that. My SO is obsessed with Mike Rowe. Completely. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/75 "2008-03-17T03:44:03Z")
[QUOTE=Figaro] :smack: I really should have gotten that. My SO is obsessed with Mike Rowe. Completely. [/QUOTE] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/76 "2008-03-17T03:55:19Z")
Nowadays, movies are SO expensive to make, there’s no way even the stupidest and horniest producer would jeopardize a film’s possible success by giving a major part to an actress just because she gave him a hummer! In the old studio days, there were so many movies being made, so inexpensively, a producer or a studio boss could afford to give B-movie roles to girls who provided sexual favors. But there’s just too much money at stake in today’s movies. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/77 "2008-03-17T04:28:24Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] Nowadays, movies are SO expensive to make, there’s no way even the stupidest and horniest producer would jeopardize a film’s possible success by giving a major part to an actress just because she gave him a hummer!.. [/QUOTE] Maybe so, but _promising_ a major part is free, it’s the delivering that is pricey. And I’ve heard Hollywood is the heartland of empty promises. ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/78 "2008-03-17T17:32:49Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] Nowadays, movies are SO expensive to make, there’s no way even the stupidest and horniest producer would jeopardize a film’s possible success by giving a major part to an actress just because she gave him a hummer! In the old studio days, there were so many movies being made, so inexpensively, a producer or a studio boss could afford to give B-movie roles to girls who provided sexual favors. But there’s just too much money at stake in today’s movies. [/QUOTE] Sure if you’re talking about big block busters, but what about those Sci-fi “Made for TV” events? Or the Direct-to-video stuff. Lots of parts out there in smaller films that I’m sure have this kind of behavior. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383/79 "2008-03-17T23:03:48Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] I know it happens on the internet. How do you think I got that “Hi Opal” gig? [/QUOTE] On a slightly more serious note, 90% of the porn I happen to see on the internet seems to be filmed casting couch auditions. Girl comes to “producer’s” apartment. He films her screwing him with a hand held camera. At the end of the clip she “gets the job”. ETA: I am in no way insinuating that Opal has anything to do with internet porn. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-casting-couch-overblown-myth-harsh-reality/429383.md?page=3)