Get A Job, Kevin Spacey

I bartend a couple of nights a week. It can be embarrassing. It’s not a normal bartending job. The drinks I sling often come in a commemorative cup you can take to your seat. My uniform consists of a costume tie that I know little about. Patrons can treat me as subhuman quite often. Some nights, it feels like it’s not worth it, and I want to throw down my ties and quit. But I have responsibilities. I have bills to pay. Since I’m not making enough money as a professional writer, it’s what I have to do.

Kevin Spacey has found himself in a similar(ish) predicament. The actor cannot find work in the entertainment industry. That is, thankfully, where our similarities end. Spacey has been accused of and sued for sexual misconduct. He has won most of those lawsuits. Still, he is persona non grata in Hollywood, save for a small handful of people who think we “need” him.

The actor sat down with Piers Morgan to talk about the lawsuits and how they have led to financial troubles. “I’m not quite sure where I’m going to live now,” Spacey claimed. He goes on to say that his home in Baltimore is being foreclosed on and that he is deeply in debt. When asked how much money he has, Spacey claims he has none. The whole thing feels like utter bulls***.

Since his exile from Hollywood, Spacey has, on several occasions, filmed videos as his character from House Of Cards. He addresses the camera, claiming that the truth will come out and his accusers will get what’s coming to them and other such nonsense. They are maddening, but a great example of why we can’t take what this man says at face value. He has turned this whole thing into a performance. When I see him take calculated pauses while pleading his case to Morgan, it’s hard to feel sympathetic.

Spacey’s claims of being broke are also hard to take seriously. He was a highly successful actor for decades. Yes, people can be bad with money and legal fees can be high, but broke? Broke, Kevin? He says he’s managed to avoid bankruptcy, but we’re supposed to believe he has nothing. Kevin Spacey doesn’t know what broke is. But, if he is as broke as he says, he can get a f***ing job.

A refrain often heard from celebrities facing the consequences of their actions is that they can’t get work. That isn’t true. If Spacey is so hard up for cash, he can get a job. He just doesn’t want to. To quote another actor who has had to pivot to reality TV in the face of his downfall, “[the] world needs plenty of bartenders!”