Don’t Disrespect My Art! Shonda Rhimes Says Scandal Doesn’t Co-Sign Adultery

Let’s be clear. The creator of Scandal (Shonda Rhimes) feels that in no shape, form or fashion does ABC’s Scandal endorse adultery. Yes, the entire two seasons have somehow centered between President Thomas Grant III (played by Tony Goldwyn) having an affair with Olivia Pope (played by Kerry Washington), but according to the 43-year-old, that’s not its intent. She expressed these sentiments after Betrayal executive producer David Zabel, compared his show to Scandal. In short, he explained that both shows feature a plot line that centers on a married woman’s *romanticized* affair with someone else’s husband. Apparently, Shonda #NoLikey. She responded:

I don’t feel like we’re making adultery acceptable. We weren’t setting out to make adultery OK. To me it’s not about adultery or not adultery. We’re telling the story of these two characters who very specifically have this kind of relationship […] we tell all sides. So while there are times when you’re like, ‘Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) and Liv are wonderful and I want them to be together,’ there are also times you think, ‘Fitz is scum and he shouldn’t be cheating on his wife.’ And there are times you think, ‘Olivia should go off and find herself somebody who’s single.’ I like the fact that everybody feels this big debate. That’s fantastic, because that’s the point. We’re not giving a judgement on it one way or the other.

Do you agree with her notion that Scandal suggests that adultery is ‘okay’? P.S. Don’t you love her sarcasm?

[Blogs Indie Wire]