The living room of E. Jean Carroll’s modest hotel suite in Telluride is washed with muted mountain tones, including beige carpets, pine fixtures and an ancient fireplace. Don’t worry, decades of advice columnist brings her and colour.
Carol enters the room with her signature blonde bob and a shock orange jumpsuit wielding around with a logo reserved for Navy recruits. That’s right, as the author of his proud magazine has been fighting Donald Trump since 2019.
She joined two other women who have been accusing Trump of the crime for many years, but two separate cases filed by Carol (one for a loss of honor and one for sexual assault) were brought to trial. Her accusations and ultimate victory (her journey with nearly $90 million in damages awarded by the ju umpire is the subject of “Ask E Jean,” the official choice for The Telluride Film Festival, directed by Ivy Meeropol. Trump sued both Carroll’s cases, but the process is still ongoing. Meeropol is the granddaughter of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and in her previous works she uniquely positions her as she examined one of the architects of Roy Corn, a rising Trump power.
Variety is being seated in candid conversations with the director and discussing the film. This provides unprecedented access to the process behind the fight for Carol Trump. The document contains unprecedented footage of Carroll’s tragic depositions led by Trump’s lawyer Alina Haba, who is currently the US Attorney General and special assistant to the US Attorney General. She also offers a fascinating history of Carol’s legacy as a pioneering female Gonzo journalist and syndicated television host (run by Roger Ailes in Show Greenlight), and is a leading figure in women’s direction and advice she hoped for.
One of the most fascinating parts of the film is the acknowledgment that for decades I didn’t like the advice I gave to women. You told them to “suck it up and work on it.”
E. Jean Carroll: 50% of my answers were bad. I thought I knew everything back then, especially the women at work. If you want to move on, use looks. And of course, that’s good advice. But what if a man calls you a bunch of honey and gives you a pat behind you? Please move immediately. Don’t make a fuss, or you won’t get a promotion. Well – that advice is totally wrong.
You say that professional adults today don’t know what it was like for women in the workplace in the 90s.
EJC: If I had said, “Stay and scream” (the abuse happened), there could have been a bit of a revolution. My advice was wrong.
Ivy Meeropol: But E. When I watched something like Jean’s syndicated television show, she was empowering women. She tells them, “You don’t need to marry to become a complete person.” “You should go to college.” “You should have a passion for your life.” “You should work.” She was talking about empowerment, so that’s complicated.
I’ve seen some of those old show clips. Do you think women at the time were waiting for permission not to be defined by men or motherhood?
EJC: That’s a deep question. What was the woman waiting for? What are you waiting for now? What is the man waiting for?
Some say there is a sense of cessation in the current political situation. No one is open during Trump’s first term. Do you feel that is true?
EJC: I hate to say this, but I do. We wait because we are so frighteningly uneasy and worried, but we have one weapon: Ivy and all the documentary filmmakers. They show you how to step up and speak up. And what if an 81-year-old woman could defeat Donald Trump? Twice? Anyone can do it. With a larger image. I think money is the answer. If (the power) hits a pocketbook by playing cards, that would be it. That moment hasn’t arrived yet.
Given the fear that media companies would be retaliating, there was speculation that your documentary would struggle to find a buyer. Look at what happened with “Apprentice” last year. What do you think?
IM: It feels like we’re somewhere else.
EJC: We are flying (from the perspective of buyer interest).
IM: We thought about this. What if it premiered at a festival in January? We would have been lost at (Trump’s) inauguration show. No one was ready to think about this, which shocked even his supporters. But he does so much damage on so many levels that we are somewhere else today. People are looking for something that feels like there’s a way out of insanity.
The sure signs of authoritarianism are women’s oppression and censorship and abuse of power. The timing of this film is absolutely important. And people come to know the whole story of E. Jean. That was always my intention. I didn’t make this purely focused on attacks. I wanted to tell the whole story of E. Jean, but it helps people understand how this happened, as opposed to people writing it. Surprisingly, there are many progressives who don’t believe what actually happened.
Do you think it includes potential distributors of the film?
EJC: I’m not worried at all. Ivy is the woman who studied Trump and the woman who created him. That was her film, “The Bully, the Coward, the Victim: The Story of Roy Cohn.” (This film) is a natural progression to end Trump.
Many women in situations like yours, E. Jean is under threat of harassment and death, particularly involving people like Trump. Is that still happening today?
EJC: I have trash sludge that comes in everywhere every minute. But that’s fine. If that’s the price, I’d be happy to pay it. Also, I don’t care if someone shoots me. You can’t take part in documentary films or art, and you can’t think life will be easier. If you are an artist, you do what you have to do. There was nothing to stop Ivy. Well, they tried to stop Ivy. Did you know that?
No, say more.
EJC: (My Attorney) Robbie Kaplan, the world’s largest lawyer, told Ivy to stop filming several times.
IM:E. There was time when Jean and Robbie were pouring my little iPhone and showing up in the rain to make a presser on the courthouse stairs. Basically, you cannot film a documentary during trial, as footage can be used as evidence.
EJC: Another important part of the film is the video of E. Jean’s deposition with Trump’s lawyer. No one has seen it.
They were difficult to see. How many hours did you abdicate?
EJC: 7, the first one. Most people don’t know that they have to go to trial before going to trial. Yeah. It will be new and interesting to the audience to see how they torture you before you go to trial. Alina Habba is an epic woman, effervescent and extremely clever. He didn’t speak properly about the law. She is the one who handled the deposit, but she was cruel. She insisted you would make it in the 1700s. (Habba’s office did not immediately respond to Variety’s appeal for comment).
Have you been charged with magic?
EJC: Basically. Alina is the one who started asking if I screamed (while attacking). Ivy caught something even more cruel than what happened during the trial. Women are surprised (when they watch the movie).
IM: I always feel that the trial has been precedent over the films I was making. I wanted to do this right. I didn’t even know that the video deposit could sign me. It was the incredible trust they gave me. But (at that time of power loss) I helped me spend my time interviewing E. Jan about her incredible life, work and adventures.
E. Jean, this film briefly mentions that your syndicated show from the 90s was made with Roger Aile. It will never appear again. How did your career end?
EJC: He’s a great broadcaster. He was a great boss. He was able to run a network… he was one of my best friends. I adored Roger. So did Katie Couric. Knowing him personally, he was great. We didn’t know that under all this was cesspool. It’s amazing. The film tries to warn the nation that it is still ongoing in front of them.
Is the Trump administration currently trying to intervene in this documentary, or is it targeting you in other ways?
EJC: I don’t peek. And it’s now in my New York Times bestseller (“Not My Type”).
Why do you think so?
EJC: He’s in front of the Second Circuit of the US Court of Appeals, so I haven’t heard from him. Yes, if he doesn’t behave, he has to pay me $100 million (settlement from two cases brought against Trump by Carroll awarded her nearly $89 million). And even if he acted, he would have to pay me. He thinks he can win if he just stays silent, but there’s no way. too late. (The White House did not immediately return a request for variety comment).
What does it have to do with writing now? What are you working on?
EJC: Ah, that’s scary. I’m in a frightening stage where I don’t know what I want to do next. I might write about Telluride!
The past few years have been an observational test for you. Where do you find joy?
EJC: Joy? I grab that motherfucker every time it appears.
