Russell Crowe responds to criticism over 'sodomy joke' about female co-star
Russell Crowe has responded to criticism after he made a joke about "sodomising" a female co-star.
The actor was discussing the need for "greater sensitivity" at an awards ceremony in Sydney, Australia on 6 December when he decided to tell an anecdote about filming a sex scene with Jacqueline McKenzie for the 1992 film Romper Stomper.
The Guardian reports that the moment was edited out by organisers when the show was telecasted on Channel 6, but the clip is available to hear below:
"I was sodomising Jacqui McKenzie on the set of Romper Stomper, and I didn't actually intend to do that," Crowe told the audience. "I was trying to keep my bits away from her bits, and she's been given one of those pieces of elastic that the girls get when you do those scenes, which protects them from all things, and my bits and pieces were in a little canvas sack with a drawstring.
"And it wasn't actually in my desire to keep the bits apart. It wasn't until the opening night of the film that it was pointed out by none other than Jacqui McKenzie's beautiful late mother that we were in fact, in her mind, engaged in sodomy. Anyway, that was just a story about sensitivity!"
Crowe was quickly criticised for the "tone deaf" comments made in a climate where more and more women and men in the film industry are coming forward to detail their experiences of sexual misconduct.
The actor later responded to the criticism in a statement, saying: "Actors and actresses by the nature of our job get thrown into some embarrassing, bizarre and extreme circumstances. It's an ironic combination that sensitivity combined for the job has also to be coupled with an ability to put aside your embarrassment and fears and cope with the humiliation.
"Jacqui and I survived that moment in our young careers because we looked after each other. Our friendship has only strengthened over teh years and it's a story we both cringe and laugh over. The way I delivered the story was to elicit that half cringe/half laugh reaction. Obviously I was only intending to make people laugh. Especially Jacqui, and she did."
He added that his anecdote was not intended to be a comment on "other issues".
McKenzie also defended her former co-star, stating that there were no "blurry lines" while shooting the sex scene in question and that Crowe's story "bears no relevance" to the "very important conversation of sexual harassment in the workplace".
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