How wrong we were thinking Beautiful Creatures would be the biggest regret of Jeremy Irons’ year. In the story that just won’t die, a group called Gay USA has announced plans to protest the premiere of a new documentary over his remarks that same-sex marriage might lead to incest.
Members of the group plan to show up tonight in New York at the premiere of Trashed, Irons’ new documentary about the effects of global waste, and released a statement declaring their reason.
“Jeremy Irons wants us to take him seriously when it comes to addressing the trash crisis. From all indications, he is right. But lately he has undermined his credibility and his right to be taken seriously through bigoted and offensive statements questioning the right of gay couples to marry, saying that it would ‘debase’ marriage and would lead to fathers marrying their sons for tax benefits — even though no such thing has happened anywhere in the world where same-sex marriage is legal.”
No doubt the actor who became famous with the homoerotic British miniseries Brideshead Revisited, wishes he’d not only kept his lips buttoned up, but sealed with duct tape, as well.
Polaro
There are so many more important things to do than this. Seriously, Jeremy Irons is not the problem. His comments were even taken out of the full context in which they were meant. This is the kind of liberal BS that makes me cringe at being a liberal sometimes.
tardis
@Polaro:
I strongly agree with you. In an ideal world, we’d want people to be accepting as quickly as possible, but the reality of it is that it takes people time to comprehend, especially considering that, for a lot of people, something like homosexuality is out of their understanding. I feel that when we get people like this and shun them for their stance, all we’re really doing is discouraging a person from understanding the other side. For a religious person, for example, experiences this type of backlash, their position later becomes a position of honor, the “I’m holding onto my Christian values” type of thing, and in the end, it becomes a “faith vs. whatever” type of thing.
I understand the anger, rage and frustration, but this just isn’t the way to achieve progress. We should start a dialogue with one another.
Don’t go after him; go after Uganda or people that really manifest their opinion in a physical nature.
Sohobod
Jeremy Irons is just as thick as shit – he’s not a criminal. Don’t stalk him.
Sohobod
It’s not like he’s Dick Cheney. No one died. Chill out.
Cam
@Polaro:
Nice try. But the second that somebody claims to be something it’s usually because they aren’t.
The fact is, Britain has had legal civil marriages for ages and gee whiz, there is NO movement to make inc-est legal there. Irons knows that, and yet still chose to make his comments.
You say that there are so many more important things to do than this…funny, the Log Cabin Republicans and HRC used to say the exact same thing about gay marriage.
As for Sohobod’s comment on going after Uganda….well, these are British citizens who have just seen a prominent figure in their country come out and attack legal full marriage rights which they are currently fighting for. Sorry you don’t think that is important but it is a bit presumptuous to say that THEY can’t do anything about it. As for your “This is bad, lets just talk to them.” YEah, HRC said that for YEARS and we had no movement on gay rights. It was only after the grass roots stopped smiling and eating sh*t that we started to see anything happen.
kookookachoo
You know, this is PC bullcrap. I’m getting tired of these gay PC “organizations” speaking for me. I am a militant gay man. I came up through the ranks in the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s. I’ve worked hard for our causes, but it is time to STOP bullying people who don’t agree with us on certain issues. Jeez, people say stupid sh*t, get over it. And, if you don’t like Jeremy Irons, then stop helping him by giving him so much of your attention. All this protesting does not hurt him one bit. Only about 50% of the country likes us in most polls. Our behavior is more important than we think.
Cam
@kookookachoo:
Oh give it a rest. So basically marriage is coming up for votes in England, and this guy goes on TV and compares it to inc-est and yet all of a sudden we are getting these people coming on here and doing the typical troll dance of “Gee, I’m a radical liberal gay guy BUT…..”
Yeah sure. Sorry but no real gay guy is going to compare (Bullying) kids being driving to suicide or beaten to death with people not liking Jeremy Irons being a bigot. That is NOM strategy 101.
Additionally, the fact that you are misstating poll numbers was also a nice touch. Another NOM favorite.
Sohobod
@cam
Some people are just stupid. Don’t make such a big deal over it. I don’t like Jeremy Irons or his opinions, but he’s just a thick actor. If he was a politician or a judge, or someone in authority, I’d be more sympathetic to your lefty outrage. But he’s a thick actor. ’nuff said. Please grow up.
Polaro
@cam Jeremy who? He was being a bit of a prat and made a statement that could have been taken as tongue-in-cheek. If you want to protest something, protest something that actually matters. Protesting this guy with his twisted logic on British interference is just way too irrelevant to matter.
Polaro
interference should be inheritance
MuscleModelBlog.com
I guess that he now wishes that he could go back and time to take back what he said. The thing is, with the Internet, TV, etc., your words will be remembered forever–so choose them wisely.
Lefty
He never said gay marriage might lead to in_cest.
Can someone protest the group protesting Jeremy Irons, for being even thicker than he is?
And in what way were his remarks “anti-gay”?
Still, I guess the media machine has to keep churning along to keep that ad revenue pouring in, so why bother with facts?
Depressingly ironic that so many keep saying he should choose his words more carefully, when most media outlets have just misreported what he actually said anyway.
And half those commenting don’t even seem to have bothered to actually read or hear what he said in the first place.
Unbelievable.
Ken
GIve the poor guy a break. He’s an actor, not a philosopher. I think he was just inarticulate because he tried to work without a script.
Lefty
Who is this group “Gay USA”, btw?
I can’t find anything about them. There’s a NY cable TV show and podcast by that name, but there’s nothing on their site about this. And there’s a group making a film (surprise, surprise), could be them, but again nothing on their site.
For a group planning a protest they don’t seem to have much of a web presence, beyond sending a press release to various gay news outlets (who of course dutifully print without even checking who they are).
I love this quote of theirs:
“Jeremy Irons wants us to take him seriously when it comes to addressing the trash crisis. From all indications, he is right. But lately he has undermined his credibility and his right to be taken seriously through bigoted and offensive statements questioning the right of gay couples to marry…”
You’ve gotta love that “but”.
Yeah, Irons has been involved in a film about a very serious global problem. One that affects all of us and future generations; but screw all that – he said something silly about gay marriage so we’re protesting the movie anyway…
MikeE
Wow! Who knew Jeremy Irons had so many sockpuppet accounts on Queerty.
Lefty
@MikeE: Who knew stupidity was so rampant. The people protesting the film he merely presents (it’s written and directed by someone else) – and it’s an important film about a very serious subject – are even more stupid than Irons.
He never said anything “anti-gay” or homophobic. He said something that was a bit dumb.
Why are “Gay USA” (whoever they are) protesting this film? Is gay marriage really that important that it trumps all other ethical and moral concerns?
It’s ridiculous.
These people are a danger to themselves…
alexoloughlin
@Cam: With respect, Cam…Britain doesn’t yet have legal civil marriage equality. Civil Partnerships mirror marriage in many ways but under the 1973 Matrimonial Causes Act, they are not regarded as such. The law will be amended once the current equal marriage bill passes shortly assuming it gets through the Lords and if it doesn’t, the Parliament Act will probably be invoked overriding the decision which means a year from the date it first passed in the Commons on February 5th, 2013, equal civil marriage will be legal in England and Wales.
balehead
I love the fact this group doesn’t understand FREE SPEECH….what a bunch of gay separtist bullies!
Polaro
@balehead No one is suppressing free speech. Its a discussion. Just because you have an opinion does not mean you are correct. And if you spout off something stupid in a public forum, you need to be educated. That is free speech in the form of a discussion. If you want a soapbox with no opposition, get a job with Fox News.
jennwaldo
The “protest” was pathetic. Two men showed up. One holding a sign which read “Tell Jeremy stop trashing gay marriage”. The other guy was trying to hand out fliers, which no one was taking.
Freddie27
Jeez, leave him alone. Yes he made a stupid point on gay marriage, but who cares? Leave him alone. I’m still watching The Borgias.
Cam
@balehead: said..
“I love the fact this group doesn’t understand FREE SPEECH….what a bunch of gay separtist bullies!”
__________________________
I love how you think everybody on here is stupid enough to fall for that line.
1. He isn’t an American Citizen, so the 1st Amendment isn’t an issue over in Britain.
2. Lets say he IS a U.S. citizen. He is free to say what he wants….and people who DON’T like what he says are free to criticize him for it.