Richard Dreyfuss came under fire last month for making hateful comments at the Jaws screening event at The Cabot in Beverly, Massachusetts. He appeared on stage in a floral print dress and went on a controversial rant against women empowerment and the LGBTQ community after taking it off.
What was supposed to be a celebration of the classic killer shark movie ended with patrons and attendees walking out, although some stayed back in agreement with Richard. Recent reports reveal that he visited a pro-LGBTQ store just before the event to try on up to five dresses.
Surveillance video shows Richard Dreyfuss at a pro-LGBTQ shop
Photos of the Oscar winner at a certain Worthy Girl Consignment store near Cabot Theater made it to the internet thanks to TMZ, which got more information from the boutique staff. One could spot Richard trying on multiple dresses before settling with the blue one he wore at the Jaws screening. His final pick by plus-size brand— Torrid cost about $21, and the delighted ladies at the store were happy to assist him during try-ons.
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Staffers of the pro-LGBTQ shop said they assumed Richard to be a cute old guy who wanted dresses, which confirms why they looked cheerful and chatty in the shots. Later that day, they were disappointed to realize Richard had tricked them into selling him the outfit that he wore to make homophobic comments on stage.
In response to Richard’s rant, the Worthy Girl consignment store is now selling pride shirts referencing the controversy, and all proceeds from its sale will go to North Shore Alliance for LGBTQ+ Youth. The Cabot Theater also issued a statement dissociating themselves from Richard and his unkind comments and apologized to attendees via email for the distasteful experience.
While social media users clapped back at Richard, his 37-year-old journalist son, Ben Dreyfuss came to his defense, saying everyone was entitled to their contrasting personal opinion on social issues. He made light of the situation, joking about how he refused to give Richard his X password for a decade now. Ben later claimed a neutral stance and accused outlets of misreporting his stance.