Morrissey Will Not Do Any More Print Interviews
Morrissey has suggested he was misquoted over the Hollywood sexual misconduct scandal, and he’s called it the “last print interview” he’ll ever do after its contents were repeated around the world. However, in a new interview, he appeared to back up the views he’d expressed about accusations leveled separately at Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein.
Speaking from the stage at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago on Saturday (Nov. 25) he told the audience (video below), “I did an interview a couple of weeks ago for a German newspaper and, of course, let me just say this: That was the last print interview I will ever do. Unless you see the words form in my mouth and then you see or hear the words come out of my mouth… please, if you don’t see that, I didn’t say them.”
Earlier this month Morrissey was reported to have described the recent spate of sexual misconduct allegations as having become “a play. ... Anyone who has ever said to someone else, ‘I like you,’ is suddenly being charged with sexual harassment.” But he also said, “Rape is disgusting, any physical attack is repugnant. But we have to see it in proportion. Otherwise, every person on this planet is guilty.”
Yesterday (Nov. 26) The Sunday Times published an interview which took place after the German article had been released. The new story referred to the contents of the previous one before quoting Morrissey as saying, “You must be careful as far as ‘sexual harassment’ is concerned, because often it can be just a pathetic attempt at courtship.” He added, “I’m sure it’s horrific, but we have to keep everything in proportion. Do you not agree? I have never been sexually harassed, I might add.”
Later in the interview he discussed how journalism had changed arguing that it had become difficult to exercise the right to express an opinion. “The Guardian, you can’t even meet them halfway,” he said. “So obstinate. They don’t want to talk to you. They want to correct you. You can’t simply say, ‘This is how I feel,’ because they’ll say, ‘How you feel is wrong.’ And they’ll say, ‘He’s racist. He should be shot, he should be drowned.’
“It’s very difficult to sit down with somebody and simply convey your feelings. In a democracy you should be able to give your opinion about anything. We must have debate, but that doesn’t happen any more. Free speech has died.”
Morrissey is touring the U.S. in support of his latest solo album, Low in High School.