Oscar-winner George Clooney has announced he will lead a boycott of all Brunei-owned hotels over the recent passage of a horrific anti-gay law.
Clooney penned a fiery op-ed this week, calling on the world to stay far away from any hotel venue owned by the Brunei Investment Agency, a company in turn owned by the Sultan of Brunei. The actor notes that he has boycotted the same hotel company in the past over anti-gay laws.
The terrifying new law would see people convicted of same-sex activity stoned and whipped to death. The draconian attitude and punishment earned Clooney’s ire. His proposed boycott would include two hotels in the US, both in Los Angeles: The Beverly Hills Hotel and The Hotel Bel-Air.
Related: That Time George Clooney Photographed His Penis For Roseanne
“Every single time we stay at or take meetings at or dine at any of these nine hotels we are putting money directly into the pockets of men who choose to stone and whip to death their own citizens for being gay or accused of adultery,” Clooney writes. “Brunei is a Monarchy and certainly any boycott would have little effect on changing these laws. But are we really going to help pay for these human rights violations? Are we really going to help fund the murder of innocent citizens?”
As a celebrity Clooney has long championed progressive causes, including queer rights. Brunei has a long history of violence against LGBTQ people, and homosexual activity was illegal prior to the passage of the new penal codes. However, the new laws, which were introduced in 2014 as part of a nationwide effort to codify Islamic Law, saw much harsher punishments implemented for a variety of offenses including proscribed amputations for theft and the death penalty for not attending Islamic religious services.
Hussain-TheCanadian
The Amir (Prince) of Brunei, along with his disgusting family, are without a doubt, one of the vilest families on the planet. Is it not enough they lord over Brunei as if its their own family farm, creating and approving laws that are so disgusting, even the Arab media this mourning are saying “WTF”.
Maybe if this Amir cared about “morality” and “honour”, perhaps he should apply it to himself and his son, who’s whoring, and gambling is legendary at this point all across the UK, France, Montenegro, Hong Kong, and Lord knows where else.
All of those filthy “Royalty” that plague the world are just self serving @ssholes who deserve no respect, but our scorn, contempt, and hostility.
Heywood Jablowme
Your Canadian royalty is cute, though – especially Harry!
Vince
I’ve seen pics of the young “Prince” looking all ghetto mafia. It’s always the same. Every kind of Hedonism for us. Sharia for you. It’s amazing that the population doesn’t just over throw these shitheads like King louie and Maria Antoinette. No one would shed a tear.
Vince
Also last year Caitlyn Jenner and Gus Kenworthy were caught partying with the Prince Of Brunei for his Birthday Party. Wonder what Gus has to say about that?
iamru2
@ Vince not surprised about Ken he just oozes hypocrisy to me!
draven
Thank you George. This is a very serious deal. People laugh and joke about this and think it’s funny but it’s absolutely horrible. I will never travel out of the USA because I wouldn’t feel safe. I don’t like hotels. This is horrible. I feel so sorry for any gay people in that country whom I’m sure don’t know what’s going to happen to them. I feel your pain and I will keep you in my prayers. I can only imagine what’s going through your minds if you live in that horrible country or any other country where gay people or any people are treated bad or in different. God be with you. I’m sorry……..so so sorry for crimes against man like this!
rodzilla
Thank you draven for being so empathetic. You seem a might over anxious though. I am hoping your own situation is happy and safe. best regards my brother!
DCguy
The country passed a law saying that LGBT people wouldn’t just be killed, but would be killed by being trapped in one place and having rocks hurled at them until they were mutilated and dead.
Frankly not only should all businesses owned by Brunei be boycotted, but no countries should do business with them or allow them to own anything.
Vince
We need to renew the Beverly Hills Hotel boycott for starters.
Kieran
Now THAT is what you call an ally.
redzebra1
Yeah, whereas Colton Haynes has done nothing and HRW gave him an award!
dean089
While I do applaud this effort, Brunei has been a cesspool of human rights violations for decades. Not just gay rights but women’s rights, human trafficking, all sorts of awful stuff. At the same time, the Sultan of Brunei has long been known as someone who will pay a lot of money to celebrities just for showing up at his parties. So along with the applause there’s also an element of ‘What took you so long?’
Yooper
There’s no such thing as a “Johnny come lately” to this party.
Creamsicle
He’s paid off the right people, and he’ll never stop. He must have learned how quickly Sukarno, in neighboring Indonesia, was deposed as soon as he tried to form an economic block that could stand independently from both the Soviets and the First World.
draven
I’m confused was the 2019 Glaad Awards held at one of these hotels owned by these people? Beverly Hilton? Huh?
draven
I’m still confused was the 2019 Glaad awards held at one of the hotels owned by these people? If so why? This has been known for some time the horrors and pain inflicted upon gay people in those countries and the laws to stone gay people to death and the hotels own by them in Los Angeles. If the Beverly Hill hotel is own by them and the Glaad awards were still held there I’m totally “SHOCKED”. Could someone please clarify this for me! They should have changed the venue immediately even though money would have probably been lost if so. Please someone clear this up for me.
PinkoOfTheGange
The Beverly Hilton is on Wilshire and a Mid-century international style building.
The Beverly Hills Hotel is on Sunset and a bad Spanish colonial/mission style done up in pink.
The Hilton hosted the awards last night.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
FCUK QUEERTY CENSORS!!!