The Dreyfus comments at “Jaws” are regretted by Cabot Theater.
A public apology is being extended to disgruntled moviegoers who saw the classic Jaws over the weekend at the Beverly, Massachusetts-based Cabot Theater.
The event, billed as “An Evening With Richard Dreyfuss + Jaws Screening,” promised fans an intimate look into the making of the Steven Spielberg classic and perhaps some behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
But when Richard strayed off script into what many called a divisive tirade, the audience was in for a surprise.
He covered everything from gender affirmation and transgender youth to Barbra Streisand and even the inclusion requirements for the Academy Awards.
The audience responded quickly and in two groups. Some voiced dissatisfaction and disappointment, while others just left.
Dreyfuss was referred to by one participant as a “small-minded bigoted view of women and choice,” and as a “embarrassment to society.”
They bemoaned not knowing earlier about Dreyfuss’s alleged propensity for making contentious remarks and attacked the theater for not adequately screening his performance.
The Cabot venue formally apologized to all those who attended the contentious event.
“We are aware of and have grave concerns about, the recent incident with Richard Dreyfuss before a Jaws movie showing at The Cabot.
The inclusiveness and respect that we promote as an institution are not reflected in the opinions expressed by Mr. Dreyfus. The spokesman said, “We sincerely apologize for the distress this has caused to many of our patrons.”