David Mamet Expresses Sympathy for Felicity Huffman Amid College Bribery Scandal

Playwright David Mamet has expressed sympathy for his longtime friend Felicity Huffman and her husband, fellow actor William H. Macy, following her indictment in a widespread college admissions bribery scandal.

In a statement sent to media outlets on Tuesday, Mamet also slammed the “elite universities,” calling their admissions policies “an unfortunate and corrupt joke.”

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“I’ve known Felicity Huffman for those 35 years, she was my student, my colleague, worked in many of my films, and created roles on stage in three of my plays,” Mamet said. “I’m crazy about them both. That a parent’s zeal for her children’s future may have overcome her better judgment for a moment is not only unfortunate, it is, I know we parents would agree, a universal phenomenon.”

Huffman debuted on Broadway in 1988 in Mamet’s “Speed the Plow” and won an Obie Award in 1995 for her work in Mamet’s “The Cryptogram.” She starred in the premiere of his 1999 play “Boston Marriage.” She also starred in a 2015 Los Angeles production of Mamet’s “The Anarchist” with Rebecca Pidgeon.

Huffman was one of 46 people charged Tuesday, and faces a single felony count of mail fraud. The indictment accused her of paying $15,000 to a charitable organization for help gaming her daughter’s SAT score. Huffman’s daughter scored a 1420 on the test, a 400 point improvement from her previous SAT score.

Macy, who has not been charged, collaborated with Mamet on eight feature films, including “Homicide,” “State and Main,” “Wag the Dog,” “Oleanna,” “Spartan,” “House of Games,” “Things Change,” and “Edmond.”

See Mamet’s entire statement below.

I worked for very many years in and around our Elite Universities. I am able to report that their admissions policies are an unfortunate and corrupt joke.

Harvard was once sued for restricting the admission of qualified Jews; a contest currently being waged by Asians.

The unqualified may be accepted for many reasons, among them, as Legacies, and on account of large donations made by their parents. I do not see the difference between getting a kid into school by bribing the Building Committee, and by bribing someone else. But, apparently, the second is against the Law. So be it.

I’ve known and worked with Bill Macy for nearly fifty years. We started two theatre companies together, one of which, THE ATLANTIC is still in operation in New
York, after 35 years.

I’ve known Felicity Huffman for those 35 years, she was my student, my colleague, worked in many of my films, and created roles on stage in three of my plays.
I’m crazy about them both.

That a parent’s zeal for her children’s future may have overcome her better judgment for a moment is not only unfortunate, it is, I know we parents would agree, a universal phenomenon.

If ever there were a use for the Texas Verdict, this is it. For the uninitiated, the Texas Verdict is: “Not Guilty, but Don’t do it Again.”

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