3 times Hollywood warned us about Harvey Weinstein

The investor Warren Buffett said it takes 20 years to build a reputation but five minutes to ruin it. Harvey Weinstein is undoubtedly living the expression right now, as filmmakers, actors and studios do everything to separate themselves from his name.

But the once-admired producer had also gained a different sort of reputation, which won't be altered for some time.

In the last two decades, comedians were happy to get laughs by using their knowledge of Hollywood's ''open secret" culture, where moral failings were excused by financial and awards success, and sexual favours and irascibility were just part of the formula for greatness.

Here are some of the times the truth about Weinstein was hinted at:

ENTOURAGE CHARACTER ASSASSINATION

The HBO series featured a movie producer named Harvey Weingard (played by the late Maury Chaykin). Weingard/stein's sexual appetite is played down in favour of a focus on the character's incredible temper. He threatens all who annoy him with career ruination.

Like Weinstein, the character is serious about making his food tastes known loud and clear: he berates a drinks waiter for bringing him cranberry juice (he insists he never asked).

In a scene in a restaurant, he alternates between plotting violent revenge on a fellow filmmaking diner (were it not for his doctor's warnings about high blood pressure) and yelling at another waiter for failing to bring him his salad on time.

But Weingard's violent persona failed to act as a ''mirror" that would encourage the Miramax executive to control his rage.

Entourage's Kevin Connolly claimed to have been approached by Weinstein at a party, where he passed on a message for the show's producers: ''Tell them if they ever mention my name again, they're dead."

The threat was too good not to be included in a later episode of the show, but Weinstein is alleged to have called the producers personally, this time to say he enjoyed the recap.

SETH MACFARLANE'S OSCAR JOKE

The Family Guy creator was presenting at the nominee announcement ceremony for the 2013 Oscars. Alongside Emma Stone, he read out the names of the actresses who would be in competition for Best Supporting Actress and applauded them for making it that far: ''Congratulations, you five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein."

30 ROCK WEINSTEIN FAN FICTION

The sitcom that satirises behind-the-scenes dealings in the media world also found time to make fun of Weinstein's reputation. In the Season 6 episode Kidnapped by Danger, Jenna Maroney, the self-obsessed actress and aspiring singer stresses her willingness to stand up for herself.

"I turned down intercourse with Harvey Weinstein on no less than three occasions," she tells a friend, ''out of five."

A season later, the same character made another reference to the studio boss, this time hinting at a longer relationship.

Coincidentally 30 Rock's creator Tina Fey has just guest-starred in another media sitcom. In Great News, she plays a recently-promoted television executive who embarks on a sexual harassment spree in her office but defends herself by claiming that her victims ''wanted it". - The Daily Telegraph