The fallout from Asia Argento’s sexual assault scandal continues.
Page Six reports that CNN has pulled episodes of “Parts Unknown” that the #MeToo movement activist either appears on or that she directed from its streaming service, CNN Go, following allegations that she had sex with an underage former co-star, who was later paid in a settlement deal.
Asia appeared on two episodes of “Parts Unknown” — the food, travel and culture series hosted by her late boyfriend Anthony Bourdain, who committed suicide in June while in France to shoot the show — that were filmed in Rome and Southern Italy. She also directed a Season 11 episode that took place in Hong Kong.
“In light of the recent news reports about Asia Argento, CNN will discontinue airing past episodes of ‘Parts Unknown’ that included her, until further notice,” a CNN spokesperson told Buzzfeed News.
Days ago, it was revealed that Asia had been fired from her role as a judge on Italy’s version of the competition show “X Factor” because of the scandal.
In September, The New York Times reported that Asia recently paid Jimmy Bennett $380,000 after he accused her of sexually assaulting him in a Los Angeles-Area hotel room. (They had intercourse in 2013 when he was 17 and she was 37; the legal age of consent in California is 18.) Asia denied having “any sexual relationship” with Jimmy and claimed that Anthony, who met Asia in 2016 while filming Season 8 of his show, had actually paid the settlement for her so that they could move on.
But days later, information emerged alleging that Asia had privately confessed to having intercourse with the then-underage actor. Non-binary model Rain Dove — who’s dating Asia’s friend Rose McGowan (who, like Asia, was among the first stars to accuse disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of rape) — confirmed that they’d released text messages to police in which Asia allegedly admits it.
“This is a person who represents a certain ideal and who has called out for all those accused of sexual assault to be honest about their experiences in order to allow justice for the victims, However when the NYT statement came out, in which Asia denied any sexual engagement that’s when it became clear that they were not going to follow their own ethics,” Rain explained in a lengthy post on social media.
According to Jimmy, he waited so many years to have a lawyer approach Asia about what happened because “My trauma resurfaced as she came out as a victim herself,” he explained in a lengthy statement posted on Instagram.
