Rhys Ifans criticised over date rape comments

**Honey** · August 4th, 2008, 09:18 AM

Rex Features

Rhys Ifans has been criticised after he appeared to make light of date rape in a radio interview.

The Welsh actor was recording an interview for Q Radio when he was asked to comment on a track by the Gutter Twins. Praising the song, he replied: "It's kind of like being date raped, which I like."

Ifans was then asked if date rape was a good thing, to which he responded: "Well yeah, for guys."

His comments have been condemned by Graham Rhodes of the Roofie Foundation, a helpline for victims of drug-related date rape.

"If he wants to retract that, it would be nice for the 9,000 people who have been drug raped in the past 12 years," Rhodes said. "It shows a total lack of understanding and compassion for the issues. I hope everyone boycotts everything he does now."

It is not the first time that Ifans has been criticised for making inappropriate comments. Speaking at a concert in aid of raising money to end child slavery and prostitution earlier this year, he remarked: "Why is paedophilia so popular? Because kids are so f***ing sexy."

Ifans has recently been in the headlines after being dumped by actress Sienna Miller. He is now said to be romancing Kimberly Stewart.

Showbiz - News - Ifans criticised over date rape comments - Digital Spy

**Sarzy** · August 4th, 2008, 10:38 AM

He's a twat.

**cmmdee** · August 4th, 2008, 10:40 AM

I think he meant he wants to get violated, not the other way around.

And fortunately for him, his penis is way violated from all the unheard STDs he prob got from Sienna.

**Folieadeux** · August 4th, 2008, 10:54 AM

Moronic FREAK. What a stupid and perverse comment.

**sputnik** · August 4th, 2008, 01:35 PM

hehe i thought it was pretty funny. but then i have a twisted sense of humour and i can laugh at the most serious and taboo things.

**RevellingInSane** · August 4th, 2008, 02:03 PM

I took it as he likes being date raped. If he likes being on the receiving end of violence, more power to him.

**SpookyGirl** · August 4th, 2008, 02:10 PM

I'm not going to smack him around too much for his comment- I joke around about inappropriate things all the time. People take things way too seriously nowadays. I don't think Rhys Ifans runs around date raping people.

**katerpillar** · August 5th, 2008, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by RevellingInSane

I took it as he likes being date raped.

Yeah, that's how it reads to me.

...oops. I'm not going to criticise him for the joke either, because I make tasteless jokes all the time. Still, I have to cringe - he should have had more sense than to crack a joke like that on radio, with the public listening! There's such a thing as tact and sensitivity, depending on the context of your situation and audience.

**Rica** · August 5th, 2008, 09:01 AM

People read to much into some things.
I'm sure guys love being date raped when its a girl doing it.
Not sure if its a guy doing it to them tho....

And he's allowed to like anything he wants to. Its his personal choice. He isnt saying date rape is a good thing, just that he enjoys it.

**crumpet** · August 5th, 2008, 09:10 AM

Right or wrong, lots of guys joke about how it's a guy's dream to be 'raped' by a woman.....they don't mean it literally but are taking the word out of context to refer to be devoured or ravished by a woman in bed (usually a hottie, not a Marge the battle ax type).

**Hummus** · August 5th, 2008, 10:25 AM

Yeah, I think (hope) he was joking, so I'm not really bothered by what he said.

**nana55** · August 5th, 2008, 10:29 AM

I'm sure he was joking. I also hope to God that remark about child slavery was a sarcastic joke. However it was stupid to make it at the event itself.