Kobe Bryant has certainly done his best to repair his image following the 2003 rape allegation that marred the future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer's career for quite some time. However, the incident is rearing its head again and has cost Bryant a spot in the Animation Is Film Festival.
Eric Beckman, CEO of GKIDS, which is the independent distribution company that produces the event said in a statement regarding Kobe's dismissal: “After discussions with the various stakeholders of Animation Is Film, the decision has been made to remove Kobe Bryant from the 2018 jury, [...] We are a young organization and it is important to keep our collective energies focused on the films, the participating filmmakers, and our festival attendees.”
Kobe's animated film, Dear Basketball, was dropped after an online petition surfaced on Change.org imploring the festival's committee to remove him from the event. “This is an urgent time to say NO to toxic and violent behavior against women,” the petition reads. “Keeping Kobe Bryant on the jury sets a precedent of lenience for sexual criminals and further undermines the visibility and respect that victims of harassment and assault deserve.”
Source: nypost.com
