TJ Miller's Coming to Australia But Should We Just Forget About His #MeToo Allegations?

Trigger Warning: This article discusses rape and sexual assault.

T.J. Miller has announced he'll be touring Australia in November with his stand-up comedy show, less than a year after claims were first made public about his alleged sexual harassment and assault of a woman.

In December of 2017, The Daily Beast reported that a woman had come forward and alleged that Miller had sexually assaulted her while they were in college in the early 2000s. Miller and his wife, who attended college with him at the time, denied these allegations, claiming that the woman making them was using the #MeToo movement "to launch these false accusations again."

The Daily Beast, however, corroborated the story with other sources and found that a student court hearing had gone ahead, but that the university couldn't disclose any information due to privacy laws.

Then, earlier this year, Miller was arrested for making a fake bomb threat on a train. While drunk, Miller allegedly got into a row with a woman on the train and then called up to report another woman, whom he claimed was suspicious. 

And just this week, Miller's former Silicon Valley co-star, Alice Wetterlund, called him out on Twitter over his on-set behaviour.

But unlike Kevin Spacey (who was written out of a movie and a Netflix series over assault allegations), Miller still appeared in the Deadpool sequel as well as Ready Player One this year.

And now, later this year, he'll appear at a comedy festival in Sydney, Just For Laughs.

Previously, the Australian government has banned or reconsidered the entrance of entertainment acts for less. In 2015, Odd Future leader Tyler, the Creator cancelled a tour after activist groups urged the government not to grant him a visa due to misogynistic lyrics. While the outcome of his visa application was never made public, the public pressure was enough for him to cancel his tour plans.

It brings up a bigger question of whether we can appreciate the art for what it is without taking into account the actions of the person who created it.

In the past, serious allegations against celebrities were often swept under the rug (see directors Woody Allen and Roman Polanski), but the #MeToo movement has attempted to bring an end to those days.

Nonetheless, while some accused performers like Spacey and Louis C.K. were immediately "cancelled", others, like Casey Affleck, seemed to get away relatively unscathed, and are still working on upcoming projects.

It may be the severity of the allegations that determines who gets to continue to work and who doesn't, but T.J. Miller seems to be one of those actors in the middle; neither cancelled nor unscathed reputationally.

The #MeToo movement showed us how important it was to listen to the stories of those who had experienced sexual harassment and assault. However, the next stage will be ensuring our memories aren't too short when it comes to processing and remembering these accusations, and the accused.

Have you experienced sexual assault or sexual violence? Seeking to support someone who has? Call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

Header Image: 20th Century Fox