27 November 2017
Newsdesk
Morrissey has attempted to clarify the controversial remarks he made about the sexual harassment scandal sweeping Hollywood.
Promoting his new album Low in High School in Germany recently, the former The Smiths star addressed the scandals swirling around Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, who is accused of pinning Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp to a bed when he was 14, apparently telling publication Der Spiegel he questioned the people behind the allegations.
"I think that’s ridiculous," Morrissey was reported as saying in the English translation of the German article. "Kevin Spacey was 26, the boy 14. In that case, you ask yourself where the parents of the boy were? You ask yourself whether the boy sensed what could happen.
"I don’t know how things are with you, but I have never been in situations like these in my youth. Never. I was always aware of what could happen. If you’re in somebody’s bedroom, you need to be aware of where that could lead."
Morrissey also weighed in on the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault scandal, insisting the disgraced movie mogul's accusers knew "exactly what is happening and they are playing along", adding, "Afterwards they find it embarrassing or they didn’t like it. And then they turn it around and say, 'I’ve been attacked, I’ve been surprised, I was dragged into the room'. But if everything had gone just fine and made possible a great career, they wouldn’t talk about it."
But on Sunday (26Nov17), Morrissey backtracked somewhat over his original comments, telling Britain's The Sunday Times newspaper: "You must be careful as far as ‘sexual harassment’ is concerned, because often it can be just a pathetic attempt at courtship. I’m sure it’s horrific, but we have to keep everything in proportion. Do you not agree? I have never been sexually harassed, I might add.”
Following the publication of the Der Spiegel interview, Garbage star Shirley Manson was among those who slammed Morrissey for his comments, writing on Twitter: "Morrissey has lost the f**king plot. Weinstein + Spacey unfairly attacked? For rape, sexual abuse + coercion etc. F**k U Morrissey! F**k YOU (sic)."
Weinstein is currently under investigation in Los Angeles, New York and London following a string of sexual assault, harassment and rape accusations. The producer has denied he ever had non-consensual sex with any of his accusers. Meanwhile, Spacey is also facing multiple accusations of sexual assault and harassment, and has seen his career stall since Rapp first came forward with his story.
