Ashleigh Banfield, who earlier this week went on the offensive against a woman who accused comedian Aziz Ansari of sexual misconduct on a date, has now gone after the writer of the article after she insulted Banfield’s looks and her age.
Banfield went after Babe reporter Katie Way while appearing on CNN on Wednesday, reciting some “choice words” that Banfield said Way sent to her.
“The reporter who wielded those very powerful words, sent some very choice words my way as well,” Banfield said. “I want to share this because I think this gives us an insight into the caliber of the person who held that nuclear weapon that was wielded on Ansari’s career, the caliber of this 22-year-old young woman … I assume she fashions herself a feminist in this movement.”
Banfield went on to recite the words, “Ashleigh, someone who I’m certain no one under the age of 45 has ever heard of, I hope the 500 retweets on a single news writeup made that burgundy lipstick, bad highlights, second-wave feminist has-been really relevant for a little while.”
Banfield then added, “The reason I want to share that is, if you truly believe in the #MeToo movement, if you truly believe in women’s rights, if you truly believe in feminism, the last thing you should do is attack someone in an ad hominem way for her age — I’m 50 — and for my highlights — I was brown-haired for a while, when I was a war correspondent interviewing Yaser Arafat, and in Afghanistan and Iraq, Gaza and the West Bank, Google those places … that is not the way we have this conversation, as women or men, we don’t attack — as journalists, let’s be frank — we do not attack people for their age or their highlights or their lipstick. Because it is the most hypocritical thing a woman who says she supports the women’s movement could ever do.”
During Monday’s episode of her HLN show “Crime & Justice,” Banfield criticized the woman who accuse Ansari of sexual misconduct during a date, accusations Banfield said “chiseled away” at the #MeToo movement.
In a column for Babe published on Saturday, an anonymous woman said that during a date last summer, Ansari behaved disrespectfully and aggressively pressured her to engage in sexual acts despite “verbal and non-verbal cues” that she was “uncomfortable and distressed.” Ansari said in a statement that the encounter was “by all indications was completely consensual,” but that he “took her words to heart” after she told him in a text that she was uncomfortable and upset about the encounter. Ansari also said “I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue.”
In her comments on the matter, Banfield addressed the accuser, saying: “I’m sorry you had a bad date … I’ve had a few myself. They stink.” But, she said, “by your own clear description, this wasn’t a rape, nor was it sexual assault. So what exactly is your beef? That you had a bad date with Aziz Ansari?”
Banfield added, “by your own admission … wasn’t a rape, nor was it a sexual assault. Your sexual encounter was ‘unpleasant’ at best. It did not send you to the police. It did not affect your workplace … or your ability to get a job.”
Watch Banfield take on the reporter in the video.