Jeremy Piven sounds off on #MeToo movement: I'm 'a case of collateral damage'

According to Jeremy Piven, the #MeToo movement has gone too far.

While on comedian Andrew Schulz's podcast last month, the 53-year-old actor discussed what he considered the shortcomings of the #MeToo movement, which he said has treated him as "a case of collateral damage."

The actor has faced multiple sexual misconduct allegations, all of which he has denied. Though Piven underwent a lie detector test in an attempt to dismiss the charges, CBS pulled the plug on Piven's series "Wisdom of the Crowd" in 2017. Now, the former screen star spends his days on the road performing stand-up comedy.

In Piven's mind, journalists have escalated the #MeToo movement in an effort to garner more clicks on their articles.

"Who benefits from putting that story out?" he said. "The problem was it was a feeding frenzy, and the editors basically said, 'Go out there. Get me more. Get me those Hollywood actors. Let's round them up.'"

According to Piven, the media doesn't pay as much attention to stories that show another side to allegations. He cites the case of Geoffrey Rush as an example. After The Daily Telegraph published two reports of sexual misconduct against the Oscar winner, Rush filed a defamation case against the newspaper and won.

More: Geoffrey Rush, accused of inappropriate behavior, wins case against The Daily Telegraph

Piven added he fell victim to the movement by becoming too associated with his womanizing character Ari Gold on "Entourage." One of Piven's accusers alleges he assaulted her while she was an extra on the show.

More: Woman alleges Jeremy Piven assaulted her on 'Entourage' set in 2009

"This guy is an easy target," he said, in reference to his "Entourage" character. "Not only who wouldn't believe it, but who wouldn't rally behind taking that guy down?"

Despite portraying a fast-talking, foul-mouthed agent on the HBO comedy, Piven said his real-life career has been anything but glamorous.

"I grew up in extreme poverty. My parents are theater actors. I grew up in a retirement home. I am a Jewish stage actor. There is no white privilege. There has never been any white privilege," he said. "I’ve earned every crumb in my entire life.”

More: Olivia Munn on 'The View' sounds off on #MeToo and why she doesn't feel bad for 'white men'

Piven said media pressure to keep the scandals coming has weakened the #MeToo movement's credibility, diminishing the voices of those with legitimate sexual assault experiences. The way he sees it, that's "the biggest tragedy of what's happened" with the movement.

"Because of that and because of opportunists coming out of the woodwork, the real victims are taking a step back."

More: 19 million tweets later: A look at #MeToo a year after the hashtag went viral

By putting his attention on his comedy career instead of his setbacks, Piven said he finds fulfillment in his predicament.

"When I go on the road, and I'm selling out these rooms, and I'm standing up there with nothing to hide, and I'm making them laugh from beginning to end, that's real," he said. "I can get better as a comic every day, and not take a victim mentality, which is, 'Man, they took me down.'"

More: Woman alleges Jeremy Piven assaulted her on 'Entourage' set in 2009

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jeremy Piven says he was 'collateral damage' of #MeToo movement