Armie Hammer launches podcast, recalls when 's‑‑‑ hit the fan' with sexual misconduct allegations
The embattled actor welcomed guest Tom Arnold for the inaugural episode of "The Armie HammerTime Podcast."
Armie Hammer is stepping back into the limelight with a new podcast nearly four years after his career was derailed by allegations of sexual misconduct.
The embattled actor, 38, announced the launch of The Armie HammerTime Podcast in an Instagram post Monday, calling it a journal of sorts, or a "chronicling of putting my life back together" after a prolonged absence from Hollywood.
"Some of you are going to love this, and some of you are going to f---ing hate it," Hammer said, promising long-form conversations with a rotation of guests.
Related: Armie Hammer says he's selling his truck because he can't afford the gas
The inaugural episode features a conversation with actor and comedian Tom Arnold and delves into both host and guest's experiences with addiction, rehabilitation, the impact of fame, and the journey of rebuilding one's career after setbacks.
Hammer's troubles began in early 2021 when allegations surfaced online that he sent disturbing messages to various women on social media who said they had been in sexual relationships with him. Messages purportedly sent by Hammer expressed BDSM and cannibalistic desires; he called the allegations "bulls---." Hammer was also accused of rape and other acts of violence by a woman named Effie, leading to a police investigation that was ultimately dropped due to "insufficient evidence."
Hammer has maintained that all his sexual relationships were consensual, though he conceded that he was emotionally abusive toward some former partners and that there was an imbalance of power. The actor was dropped by his talent agency and publicist in the wake of the allegations, and exited a number of acting projects.
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In his debut podcast episode, Hammer invites Arnold to ask him anything, and Arnold obliges by inquiring about "when the s--- hit the fan" and Hammer's career imploded. "When your agency dropped you, was that a phone call?" Arnold wonders. "What was that like?"
"I remember when the s--- hit the fan," Hammer replies. "It was gradual. First it was like little pieces of s---, and then it was the whole thing. The little pieces of s--- were, 'There's someone online saying things about you being abusive. It's starting to pick up traction. Do you know who this person is?'"
Hammer continues, "Once the rape thing was dropped, the s--- hit the fan so hard," recalling how crisis PR firms were called in. Hammer says he was "completely silent" during that time at the behest of his attorney, who told him to "shut the f--- up" amid the criminal investigation. "I wasn't going to do anything to make this worse," Hammer says.
Related: Armie Hammer reflects on being 'shut out' of Hollywood: 'Grateful for every single bit of it'
It was "super hard" to stay silent, Hammer maintains. He also speaks on the initial "resentment" he felt toward those who distanced themselves from him in the thick of the controversy, recalling, "Every single person would call me and say, 'I've known you since you were 19 years old. You're not this guy. We know this isn't you.'"
That was cold comfort, Hammer says: "In my head I'd go, 'Great, yeah, thanks for the phone call, but don't call me with that. Say something about this because no one is stopping this and it's just a train that's running away.'" But a chat with a weed farmer changed his perspective: "He goes, 'You set your house on fire and your house is burning to the ground, and now you want your friends to run into a burning house with you?'"
Elsewhere in the conversation, Arnold quips that "the cannibalism stuff" is his "favorite" part of the scandal.
"It's wild," Hammer replies, grinning. He adds, "I'm not gonna lie, I kinda like the cannibal stuff now."