Last week we brought you the story of several men who were duped into participating what they were told was a “student film” or “comedy sketch,” as they were directed to approach an actress on Hollywood Boulevard who was pretending to be drunk and attempt to take her home. The video, however, was presented as a “social experiment” as one of the endless follow ups to that Hollaback! video of a woman walking around New York City for ten hours straight.
In hindsight, it was probably not a very smart decision on the part of the men who participated in the video, which went on to acquire upwards of eight million views on YouTube before the two men behind it, 20-year-old Stephen Zhang and 22-year-old Seth Leach were publicly shamed into taking it down — but that decision also does not absolve Zhang and Leach of wrongdoing.
Now the actress in the video, 24-year-old Jennifer Box, has also come forward to publicly apologize for her part in the stunt — claiming that Zhang and Leach likewise misinterpreted her role in what she was told was a “lighthearted prank show.” In a video of her own, which the actress has uploaded to YouTube, Box states, “Had I known the damaging outcome of this video, I never would have participated. And for the record, every male seen in this video were nothing but perfect gentlemen.”
Knowing how cutthroat it is for young actresses in Hollywood, it’s hard to judge Box too harshly for taking what she thought was a legit gig, but props to her for admitting to her mistake. Now how about the douchebags that started this whole thing try their hand at an apology? Guessing that probably wouldn’t be beneficial in any potential lawsuits, though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOMElSq5IXE
(Via Daily Dot)