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Jeremy Irons:“Who wants their ass groped?”
I don’t follow gossip about Jeremy Irons. I have great affection for him as an actor, but I don’t actively seek out information about his personal life. He’s been married to the actress Sinéad Cusack since 1978 and he seems like a pretty nice, eccentric, lovely Englishman. I might have to rethink my opinion of him after this article, though. It’s not just that Jeremy seems to be in the Dark Ages as far as his view of sexual harassment – it’s also the information about his history with women other than his wife. Jeremy is definitely “PRO” sexual harassment – but of course, Jeremy might be in a different place than most men – because if Jeremy Irons patted my ass, I would probably giggle, not slap him.
Any woman ‘worth her salt’ should be able to take a pat on the bottom with good humour, the actor Jeremy Irons has said in a controversial interview. The 62-year-old declared that such an advance is nothing more than a man indulging in friendly ‘communication’.
His views are sure to anger feminists and those who have campaigned for equality in the workplace but may find sympathy with those who believe political correctness holds too much sway in modern Britain.
Irons, who made his name as Charles Ryder in the 1981 television adaptation of Brideshead Revisited, said: ‘[Political correctness] has gone too far. There are too many people in power with too little to do, so they churn out laws to justify their jobs. I hope it’s a rash that will wear itself out.’
Interviewed in this week’s Radio Times, he went on: ‘Most people are robust. If a man puts his hand on a woman’s bottom, any woman worth her salt can deal with it. It is communication. Can’t we be friendly?’
Irons has been married to actress Sinead Cusack for 33 years. The couple, who have two grown-up sons, Sam, 32, and Max, 25, are reported to have an open relationship.
Last year, the actor was seen in what was described by observers as a ‘prolonged clinch’ with a pretty Broadway assistant stage manager less than half his age. Then there was a bizarre incident in which Spanish actress Loles León successfully sued a five-star Madrid hotel for £39,000 after she broke her wrist and pelvis falling down steps in the actor’s luxury suite.
She claimed she had gone to the suite so that she could tell friends she ‘had spent the night with Jeremy Irons’.
The actor has previously described his relationship with his wife as ‘dysfunctional’ and claimed that ‘part of our nature is to have as many partners as possible’.
He admitted: ‘Sinead and I have had difficult times. Every marriage does because people are impossible. I’m impossible, my wife’s impossible, life’s impossible.’
He also once said: ‘No marriage is what it seems. I will say that it is very difficult to be everything to one person.’
In this week’s interview he is more circumspect, saying: ‘I float ideas, which I shouldn’t. But why not stir the pot? Lack of privacy is faintly aggravating, particularly if you have a salacious private life, which I hope most people have. We only live once. We all like dirty secrets, don’t we? [But] I’ve never needed a super-injunction. They’re terribly expensive you know.’
Irons is currently starring as Pope Alexander VI in the 15th-century drama The Borgias on Sky.
[From The Mail]
So, Jeremy has an open marriage (or an understanding wife). And if he wants to be friendly to a woman, whether she’s a coworker, a waitress, a random on the street, he’s going to put his hands on her. At what point does it become less about “being friendly” and more about him being a handsy, dirty old man?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Written by Kaiser
Posted in Jeremy Irons, Sexual Harassment
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Don’t get it…if he wants an “open” relationship, why get married?!
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i’m friendly with many male co-workers: i touch their ass (LOL)
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And what does Gerard Butler have to say about this??
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Well he’s certainly eccentric, he’s always creeped me out a bit anyway.
Normally I’d be on the feminist bandwagon but seeing what’s going on in my country today makes this seem trivial in comparison. My heart goes out to the people of London and other cities in the UK.
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There’s no point judging his marriage–that is between himself and his wife and while it may not be what another person would choose for themselves, that’s their business and either is free to leave if they are unhappy.
I have some sympathy for Irons’ point about the insanity of political correctness–that we all live in fear of daring to offend anyone at all; and, let’s face it, everyone can find something to be offended about in any-damn-thing.
However, suggesting that a man should feel free to touch a woman anywhere, but particularly in any private place, and she should just loosen up and accept it is stupid and disrespectful of women in general. I seriously doubt if a man would be that casual about random women just putting their hands on his butt whenever and wherever.
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Keep your hands to yourself buddy, if you still want to keep them.
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@5. Anne: Well put, I completely agree.
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People with creepy little lives always feel better if they can convince people that their creepiness is just them being more evolved and the rest of us are just provincial rubes. Doesn’t make it true and it doesn’t make Irons any less icky.
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I’ve always loved him, but now he seems like an old-school, unreconstituted harasser. Sigh.
Re: the marriage, I’ve certainly heard enough about “open relationships”; in fact, I just met someone yesterday (from a dating site!) who “decided” with his wife (actually sounds like SHE decided) to have an open marriage. I think the whole thing is BS. With this couple – as well as with Jeremy and Sinead – it seems like one person gets bored and wants to sleep with other people, and the other person goes along just to preserve the relationship. Or both people are bored and the relationship is stagnant, and they think sleeping with other people will perk things up, LOL.
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That’s the same way my group of friends show our affection. Plenty of significant others have thought our touchy relationships were weird or sexual, but it’s like a handshake or hug for us. A pat on the bottom is like affectionately ruffling hair, or a pat on the back. And if Irons patted my bottom, I’d pat right back.
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Jeremy Irons in Die Hard With a Vengeance can pat my ass and then some.
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RobN – You hit the nail on the head. Completely agree with you.
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Well I guess I’ll just start groping random guys packages. It’s a form of communication you know.
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women everywhere knows if the guy is cute, it is not harrassment, we welcome such “friendly” pats on the bottom.
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@HannahG-maybe that’s the trouble with Irons–he’s looking at life through the perspective of a Hollywood movie star. Let’s face it, even judging by the comments here, most of us would be flattered to be ‘ass-patted’ by a movie star…so maybe he thinks that’s true across the board? Because let’s face it, there is a big difference between movie star and gross loser who works at the same office and grabs your ass on the elevator!
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He sounds just like Terry Richardson — creepy with a healthy dose of sleazy.
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I just love it when white, heteronormative, abled-bodied, men complain about political correctness. How dare all of us people that have been treated like second class ciziten (and many of us still are) ask to be treated with basic human decency.
Yeah because a woman that doesn’t like having some guy feeling her up is just taking herself too seriously. Rape and sexual violence towards women are a thing of the past. Loosen up, stop being such prudes ladies. Why can’t women just take a compliment?
Look Jeremy, until the rest of us are given the privilages that people like you have been given since birth you’re just going to have to deal with it.
He is so perfectly cast as Rodrigo Borgia.
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old perv.
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What a pig.
When I was in my 20s I went with a friend to a club (the first and last time I visited a club in my 20s). It was all well and good, with loud music and plentiful booze, until some piece of garbage grabbed my ass. It was one of those disgusting ass-grabs that basically ends up being a whole crotch-grab. On instinct, I spun around and punched the idiot and warned him to, “Never fucking touch me again.” I suppose Mr. Irons would say this douchewad was just being friendly, to which I would reply that I was simply reciprocating his friendliness with my fist.
Seriously, guys, never be “friendly” and grab a random girl’s crotch, because you never know if she is going to end up being a “friendly” karate black belt.
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Disgusting. Its attitudes like his that keep women from really, fully, stepping forward to entirely claim equality. That outmoded way of thinking needs to die a deserved death~it is demeaning, disresepctful, and intended to keep perpetuating the idea that women are mere toys, not actual human beings with the right to NOT be sexually molested. Would he go around touching men on their ass, and expect them to tolerate it? Its not about being politically correct, its about regarding your fellow human/huwoman as that~not some object somehow beneath you, therefore undeserving of their basic right to live without harrassment. Sheesh.
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Said the creepy older guy…
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Yeah, right go ahead pat my ass…draw back a stump.I’m gonna rip that hand off and feed it to you.
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I have to agree with Kaiser in that I would also likely giggle if he patted my bottom. It would not be a turn-on, as I don’t find him sexually attractive, but I would be very amused, not at all offended. I don’t agree to an open marriage/relationship myself but at least he is being honest instead of sleazing around in private and acting like a goodie two-shoes in public. I say that if it works for him, then so be it.
By the way, Sinéad looks magnificent. She has seemingly gotten more beautiful with age.
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“If you put your hand on my body, I’m gonna take it off yours.”
My body. I decide who touches it.
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Great actor. Always love him but why stop at the butt? Grab whatever you want if you’re going to assault someone with impunity.
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@jinni Well said!
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@Rita – quite literally guffawed upon reading your comment. i’m receiving weirded out office stares as a result.
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Guess I’m not worth my salt. I don’t think it has anything to do with political correctness, if you touch me in a way that makes me uncomfortable, I’m going to ask you to stop. End of story.
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I suspect he would also pat men on the butt.
He looks utterly lecherous in the last pic.
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He can grope the hell out of me!
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LOVE HIM that is all
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Creepy old guy.
Reminds me of the father of a former boyfriend of mine.
My boyfriend used to warn me: “get out of the way of my old man, he likes to grope my girlfriends…!” O_O
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@theotheryael
I hope you don’t think I approve of groping. That’s why I used the term assault. My point being, why should the butt be any different than another body part. When a man grabs a woman’s butt he is saying “I don’t respect you but I am testing the waters”…as it were.
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He is a great actor but his ideas are so much like the series Mad Men. He smokes a lot, I imagine he stinks like tobacco all over.
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I’d let him touch my ass. He’s on my Hot Older Men list. His voice is like manna from heavean. I could listen to him read poetry all day long. Ahh.. bless him
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“if Jeremy Irons patted my ass, I would probably giggle, not slap him.”
UGGGGHHH.
It’s kind of a British thing to put someone down and then ask them to agree with you, isn’t it?
“I’m going to call you an insecure piece of ass and you’re going to giggle and feel special, aren’t you?”
THIS attitude is why Joe Francis (an alleged rapist) has made millions of dollars exploiting young women by coercing them to show their tits for the camera. “C’mon honey, prove you’re ‘worth your salt.’ Here, I’ll give you a free hat.”
It’s also why Polanski felt he was entitled to drug, rape, and sodomize a 13 year old girl. He was a famous director, she should just shut up and take it as a compliment!
Until women stop giggling and twirling their hair as a reaction to an obvious attempt to keep them powerless objects that men can easily manipulate, things will never get better for us.
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@jinni, love love love your first sentence. My thoughts exactly!
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HannahG: Ditto.
Jeremy Irons (Damage) and as the voice of Scar can pat my ass and then some too. We don’t need to stop at friends.
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“In the end, she was just like everyone else.” The end of Damage, great movie.
That being said, patting someone you don’t know on the bum is demeaning. That’s the issue for me, not “assault”. It says I’m nothing but a sexual plaything, not worth real interaction. It’s like calling women you don’t know “hon”or “sweetie”. Patronising.
Someone I know? Depends on the context and what kind of a relationship we have.
PS That first photo? I thought it was Michael Bay!
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20 years ago, when he was hot, yes.. Now, HELL NO..
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How creepy and icky is this guy?
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Runs with Scissors, Word.
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No guy has a right to touch me without my permission. What a supercilious, sexist ass. He sounds creepy and self-serving trying to justify his ickiness.
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@Runs with Scissors — well said!
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Vote for Runs w/ Scissors as post of the month.
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Don’t do this to me, Jeremy! I want to like you! You were amazing in Lolita! Don’t be a misogynistic dick!
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Ha! I knew it. I had the feeling he a dirty old man. Watch those hands homeboy!
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All I can really do is shake my head at these old Humbert Humberts… It’s not like they’re gonna change now!
But if anyone ever told me I needed to show I was “worth my salt” by letting them grab my ass, I’d punch them in the neck.
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Thats groce. Disrespectful. I would slap the dood, and give him a lecture “thats my private place, d*” Sure it looks different cos hes famous movie star. But no one wants all men to behave like this. Private places are not in “friend coworker” zone, if hes so touchylikie he can pat a shoulder. And even that I would not like from my male friends at work.
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Jeremy baby, I understand perfectly. Your hand on my ass is just your way of saying,”Hi!” My knee to your nuts is just my way of saying, “Right back at you, hon.” My stiletto heel smashing into the instep of your foot, OTOH, means, “Have a nice day, sweetie!”
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No, asshole, it’s sexual harassment. Keep your f**king hands to yourself.
ETA: neff, I like the way you think. You too, Runs with Scissors.
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God. This coupled with his signed support of roman Polanski make me dislike him soooo much.
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The only nice thing I can say about this whole article is that I love the red velvet jacket. The guy’s a jerk. I remember when Brideshead was on. Irons said his character wasn’t gay!!!
If he touches any part of my body (not that I’ll ever be anywhere near the old perv) I’d punch him so hard he’d remember birth.
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I used to work around skeezy old men like this. Luckily for me, when they saw my 6’2 230 lb husband they backed off quick.
My opinion is if you think a woman looks nice tell her. That will take you a lot farther than touching her. Touching a woman without her permission especially in a private place is implying she has no value as a person.
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@Lady D, knitter, mags, Ruffian9, thanks so much for saying so, very cool of you
@neff, lol
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Men feel so entitled to say shit like that. Keep your hands to yourself, creepy old bugger!
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My body is *mine*, you perverted old creep, and *I* decide who gets to be “friendly” with me. Hands off!
I cosign Runs with Scissors and neff! If this cockhead gets to say “hi” with his hands” we get to say “no” in whatever physical language we think he’d best get the message in.
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Sad thing is if you’re a good looking bloke it’s ok if you touch my arse. However if you are an ugly old man then no, please, get your creepy hands off me.Sorry guys but that’s just the way it is. My boss who is old, ugly and obnoxious does the touchy thing, AND makes gross suggestive comments. Everytime I look at him I want to vom up a little. HR issue waiting to happen.
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I’m so sick of people using the political correctness argument as a free ride to being an asshole.
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If Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s legal troubles don’t shake the sense into all wealthy, famous gropers and harassers, then nothing will, until their own run-ins with the police and courts.
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“because if Jeremy Irons patted my ass, I would probably giggle, not slap him. ”
And this is why some men have the attitude of I’ll do whatever i want to you and you’ll like it. He isn’t in a different place because you think he’s a good actor with a nice voice.
Disgusting.
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Well that’s a relief, that guy on the bus today and the other guy in the elevator last week were just being “friendly” with me.
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Hold up! I didn’t know he was married to Sinead Cusack. She’s AMAZING!!!!!
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Jeremy can grab my bum any time he wants. Nuff said.
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