Bill Maher has come out in staunch defence of Woody Allen, insisting the filmmaker is innocent of child molestation allegations and branding actors who regret working with him 'a bunch of pussies'. The comedian made the comments on his 'Club Random' podcast while discussing cancelled artists with guest Katie Couric.
Maher said he 'flat-out' believes Allen, referencing two police investigations that he claimed exonerated the director. 'I don't think he committed that crime,' Maher stated, dismissing the allegation as 'a very improbable crime' and suggesting the accuser's family had motivation and were vindictive.
The HBO documentary 'Allen v. Farrow' was criticised by Maher as being from Mia Farrow's point of view and therefore not trustworthy. He argued that it was unlikely a 57-year-old man would suddenly become a child molester during a divorce and custody battle in a house full of adults in broad daylight.
Couric pushed back, citing evidence such as Allen's preference for girlfriends to dress in 'little anklets and Mary Janes and baby doll dresses'. Maher dismissed this, saying such preferences do not make someone a pervert and are common in society.
Both admitted they do not know the truth, but Maher insisted that if someone has been exonerated by law, they should not be a social pariah. He claimed 'the powers that be in the virtual world' are ignoring the legal outcome based on feelings rather than facts.
Allen's latest film 'Coup de Chance' recently opened in US arthouse cinemas, having premiered at Venice Film Festival last year.
