“I’ve been going to gay bars for as long as I can remember. One of the reasons, because I don’t get into fights in gay bars that often… because the aggressive d*cks swinging in hetero bars, I just got very sick of [it]. As a kid because it was like…I don’t want to end up eating in a punch-up. And I did. That would happen quite a lot. And it would just be a good place to go. Everybody was chill, everybody. You didn’t really have to sort of state your sexuality. It was okay. And it was a very safe place to be. And I could meet girls there, cause there are a lot of girls there for exactly the same reason I was there. It was kind of…an ulterior motive.”—No Time to Die actor Daniel Craig, on why he prefers frequenting gay bars to straight bars. In the same interview, he recalled stopping in a Venice, California gay bar, The Roosterfish, just prior to the release of Casino Royale, his first outing as Bond. The visit predictably sparked tabloid rumors.
in quotes
Daniel Craig loves gay bars and hey, we can relate
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Smith David
This made me smile. This is such an str8 guy’s response. Regardless, Daniel seems like good people and there’s nothing like a man fully secure in his sexuality.
basils_Herald
If this is the goal post of insecurity our society is aiming for, Gen Z is going to have their work cut out for themselves in therapy. How far have we come as queers, if folks like Craig only sees gays as a vector to getting themselves laid or more publicity? This is not what being an ally looks like.
Cato
It’s particularly cool that, as a (mostly?) straight man, he sees gay bars as a safe space. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone was so comfortable with themself?
mikeTigg
I love him even more. A real man.
Gadfeal
Not just straight men, but also straight women who are just out for a girls’ night.
Similarly, hounded “celebrities” find refuge from 24 hour paparazzi in legal jurisdictions that protect the right to privacy and personal image publication. People like the Joli-Pitts, Charlie Rose, Jodie Foster post Hinckley shooting, Tina Turner have, or have had, residences in France where both the intense privacy attitude, and legal protection of one’s image mean that “celebrities” are usually not bothered much (except at trade events), and only the deepest pocketed publisher would absorb the legal costs of breaking French privacy laws.
Gadfeal
I remember as a teenager that Paris Match had revealed, with photos of then President Mitterrand with a young woman, that she was his adult daughter outside of his marriage to Danielle.
The reaction was swift and so French; letters poured in decrying the scandal of Paris Match being incredibly disrespectful of someone’s private life, including that of the President. The French had no judgment about “morality” of having parallel families; the assumption was that his wife, Danielle, was aware of the daughter, and that the Mitterrands came to an arrangement long before.
In effect, the idea of “sexual scandal” was alien to the French, and they don’t consider the private life of politicians as a factor in their ability as a public servant. They didn’t understand why anglophone press so insistently focused on the private lives of celebrities, and this in a “predominantly Catholic” society.
Kangol2
Yes, France is quite different than the US or even Britain. The US’s early European settlers and founders included religious dissenters, among them the Puritans, and the US views of sex and sexuality, whether among politicians or anyone else, has almost always been decidedly different from those of France. That said, the prior US president before the current one is a man who admitted to sexually assaulting women, who has been accused of rape or assault by multiple women, who also has been accused of creeping on teenage girls at beauty pageants, and whose associate was convicted of covering up this candidate’s affairs with a porn star, while this candidate’s wife was pregnant, and a beauty queen. On top of this he is still being sued for defamation by a woman he allegedly raped, and was a good friend of one of the most notorious pedophiles of the last 25 years (and in whose custody said pedophile died under mysterious circumstances). So clearly the old rules do not apply, at least for right-wing Republicans.
Nancy Joyzee
I like him even more now
woodroad34
Apparently he has a gay brother for whom he hosted a bachelor party for at Roosterfish in Venice, CA…so this doesn’t surprise me. According to the bartender he was very outgoing and friendly to guests and patrons of the bar
mz.sam
The Roosterfish in Venice was the best non-WeHo neighborhood bar in it’s heyday. No attitude, fun relaxed atmosphere and guys talked to you. Sunday afternoons were chillax festive…even Jason Gould (Barbra’s director/artist son was there same night I was).
Fahd
I saw him recently on Graham Norton, and he does seem to be a genuinely nice person.
Man About Town
“I’ve been going to gay bars for as long as I can remember. One of the reasons, because I don’t get into fights in gay bars that often”
How exactly does a “genuinely nice person” have a history of getting into fights in bars, both gay and otherwise?
Fahd
@Man about town
As the good looking one myself, I can empathize with him. I’m sure some of the “aggressive dicks” as he calls them in the straight bars picked fights with him to try to reduce the competition.
To anticipate your next comment, when I wrote “person” above I wasn’t trying to erase the word “man” or anything. I guess I wrote “person” because I didn’t think his gender was important in what I was saying.
Whatever the screen name, you’re the same old corrosive personality.
czeminskistr
The person who commented on your comment is either being disingenuous or hasn’t spent time in straight bars. It’s exhausting dealing with the aggressive behavior and always so many fights. Especially the bro bars with college guys. Gay bars are such a safe space in comparison.
Doug
The rumor I’ve always heard about Daniel Craig at the Roosterfish bar in Venice was that he was outside the bar making out with another guy. It’s probably just a rumor (as well as wishful thinking on my part).
FridM
It turns out he was kissing Bruce Bozzi. Lucky Bruce.
powersthatbe
Love DC. “What makes you think this is my first time?” Best line in an action movie ever. Cheers.
JRamonMc
This article speaks volumes as to this mans acceptance and comfort level around other men. Always loved Daniel Craig. He seems like such a genuine guy in all the interviews I’ve seen. Will miss his James Bond character as he is one of my top 2 along with Sean Connery.
Tombear
Gay Men’s bars are traditionally non violent conversely Lesbian bars are very violent and in many cases rude to their male patrons brought in by a Lesbian.
jayhalleaux
Went to Europe in 2004. All the good bars at the time were gay bars. Wasn’t even out then and had some family members with me at the time. Was told by everyone at the time that if you did not want to get into a fight, don’t go into a straight bar. Met a lot of people at the time, visiting from the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy etc and they all told me the same thing.
Only straight clubs I went to at the time was in Ibiza. Back then you had to socialize with new people, because you had no phones to keep yourself busy.
Jim
Glad Daniel’s stint as Bond is over.
He’s a fine actor and now he can tae on my projects
Heywood Jablowme
“I don’t get into fights in gay bars that often”
THAT often?
BoomerMyles
I remember him playing Francis Bacon’s rough trade lover in Love is the Devil. He also had a full on frontal nude scene.