Roman Polanksi undergoing medical treatment

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by Popsicle

What do you guys think of Jerry Lee Lewis? He married his 13 year old cousin and impreginated her at just 14. The guy was never cautioned or is even brought up in this sense, he is if not worse, on the same level.

Seriously, it seems like one rule for some, one for another.

Jerry Lee Lewis was virtually blacklisted and his career never recovered. Polanski's career has continued to thrive, despite being a fugitive. So, Polanski made out better than Lewis.

[celeb_2006]

Originally Posted by kingcap72

Jerry Lee Lewis was virtually blacklisted and his career never recovered. Polanski's career has continued to thrive, despite being a fugitive. So, Polanski made out better than Lewis.

I agree with kingcap72. Umm, maybe it's just me, but there seems to be a difference between Lewis' situation and polanski where he drugged and raped a girl.

Jerry Lee Lewis FAQ -- The Myra Brown Scandal

Question: Why did Jerry Lee marry his thirteen-year-old cousin?
Answer: Jerry Lee Lewis had already gone through two marriages by 1957; he'd married Jane Mitcham, his second, 23 days before his divorce from his first wife, Dorothy Barton, was final. On December 12, 1957, Jerry married his third cousin, Myra Gale Brown. A lot of ink has been spilled about his close blood relationship with Myra, and the fact that she was only thirteen and still believed in Santa Claus when the pair were married. For a man from his time and place, however, marrying at thirteen and marrying one's third cousin (twice removed) were both fairly commonplace occurrances, although Lewis further complicated matters by again marrying before the divorce from his second wife was final.
Lewis didn't seem to realize that this was offensive to most urban markets (and to other countries): in fact, Sun Records' Jud Phillips (brother of producer Sam) had warned him against taking Myra with him to England on his first European tour. Jerry Lee, never one to change his mind, took her anyway. When they stepped off the plane on May 22, 1958, Lewis obligingly told the british press that Myra was his wife (although he gave her age as 15 and moved up the date of their actual wedding). His bride, for her part, told the gathering that fifteen wasn't too young to marry back home: "You can marry at 10 if you can find a husband."
The press in both London and Memphis, TN, soon discovered the truth about Myra's age and the date of their wedding, and the response was immediate: The British press began labeling Lewis a "cradle robber" and a "baby snatcher," criticizing his performances (which have always been hit-or-miss, depending on the singer's mood), and calling for a boycott of his concerts. More than one paper went so far as to suggest his deportment; after several tour dates were canceled, Jerry and his new bride left the country.
Worse, when Lewis' plane landed in New York, he found the scandal had crossed the ocean with him, cutting short a career that, at its peak, had seemed the only one capable of rivaling Elvis Presley's. (The situation was not helped by the fact that his latest single was called "High School Confidential.") The American press proved just as harsh as their English counterparts, and Jerry Lee's fee for personal appearances soon dropped from $10,000 a night to $250. He tried to apologize, remarrying Myra in a ceremony that Lewis thought would validate the relationship and even going so far as to have an open letter printed in Billboard, but to no avail. To Jerry Lee, the uproar was hard to understand: "I plumb married the girl, didn't I?" Jerry was quoted as saying to one reporter. (Indeed, Lewis had moved in with Myra's parents when he married her.) About to depart for the Army, Elvis himself -- who would soon fall in love with a fourteen year old girl -- told reporters that if they were in love with each other, it was all right with him. Jerry Lee Lewis eventually got his career back in the late Sixties as a country performer, where his personal life was not viewed with such outrage, and he eventually outlived Elvis, but his career as a rock star was forever crippled by the scandal. Lewis and Myra were divorced in 1970; in 2004, the divorce proceedings began against his sixth wife, Kerrie McCarver, whom he married in 1984. Myra is still alive today. The couple had two children: son Steve Allen Lewis (named after the host), who tragically drowned at three, and daughter Phoebe, who now manages the singer and lives at his ranch in Nesbit, MS.

[witchcurlgirl]

Originally Posted by celeb_2006

Umm, maybe it's just me, but there seems to be a difference between Lewis' situation and polanski where he drugged and raped a girl.

Nah, me too. The age thing is creepy in both cases, but Polanski is a rapist, and would be the same even if that girl had been 25.

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by celeb_2006

I agree with kingcap72. Umm, maybe it's just me, but there seems to be a difference between Lewis' situation and polanski where he drugged and raped a girl.

Jerry Lee Lewis FAQ -- The Myra Brown Scandal

Question: Why did Jerry Lee marry his thirteen-year-old cousin?
Answer: Jerry Lee Lewis had already gone through two marriages by 1957; he'd married Jane Mitcham, his second, 23 days before his divorce from his first wife, Dorothy Barton, was final. On December 12, 1957, Jerry married his third cousin, Myra Gale Brown. A lot of ink has been spilled about his close blood relationship with Myra, and the fact that she was only thirteen and still believed in Santa Claus when the pair were married. For a man from his time and place, however, marrying at thirteen and marrying one's third cousin (twice removed) were both fairly commonplace occurrances, although Lewis further complicated matters by again marrying before the divorce from his second wife was final.
Lewis didn't seem to realize that this was offensive to most urban markets (and to other countries): in fact, Sun Records' Jud Phillips (brother of producer Sam) had warned him against taking Myra with him to England on his first European tour. Jerry Lee, never one to change his mind, took her anyway. When they stepped off the plane on May 22, 1958, Lewis obligingly told the british press that Myra was his wife (although he gave her age as 15 and moved up the date of their actual wedding). His bride, for her part, told the gathering that fifteen wasn't too young to marry back home: "You can marry at 10 if you can find a husband."
The press in both London and Memphis, TN, soon discovered the truth about Myra's age and the date of their wedding, and the response was immediate: The British press began labeling Lewis a "cradle robber" and a "baby snatcher," criticizing his performances (which have always been hit-or-miss, depending on the singer's mood), and calling for a boycott of his concerts. More than one paper went so far as to suggest his deportment; after several tour dates were canceled, Jerry and his new bride left the country.
Worse, when Lewis' plane landed in New York, he found the scandal had crossed the ocean with him, cutting short a career that, at its peak, had seemed the only one capable of rivaling Elvis Presley's. (The situation was not helped by the fact that his latest single was called "High School Confidential.") The American press proved just as harsh as their English counterparts, and Jerry Lee's fee for personal appearances soon dropped from $10,000 a night to $250. He tried to apologize, remarrying Myra in a ceremony that Lewis thought would validate the relationship and even going so far as to have an open letter printed in Billboard, but to no avail. To Jerry Lee, the uproar was hard to understand: "I plumb married the girl, didn't I?" Jerry was quoted as saying to one reporter. (Indeed, Lewis had moved in with Myra's parents when he married her.) About to depart for the Army, Elvis himself -- who would soon fall in love with a fourteen year old girl -- told reporters that if they were in love with each other, it was all right with him. Jerry Lee Lewis eventually got his career back in the late Sixties as a country performer, where his personal life was not viewed with such outrage, and he eventually outlived Elvis, but his career as a rock star was forever crippled by the scandal. Lewis and Myra were divorced in 1970; in 2004, the divorce proceedings began against his sixth wife, Kerrie McCarver, whom he married in 1984. Myra is still alive today. The couple had two children: son Steve Allen Lewis (named after the host), who tragically drowned at three, and daughter Phoebe, who now manages the singer and lives at his ranch in Nesbit, MS.

Yeah, there's definitely a difference. I consider what Lewis did statutory rape. The fact that Polanski drugged the girl and forced her to have sex changes the dynamics of the two situations.

[A*O]

The British press went for Jerry Lee Lewis because his wife was so young (16 is the age of consent in the UK), not because she was his third cousin twice removed (barely "cousins" at all but it makes a good headline). In the UK you are legally allowed to marry your FIRST cousin so they couldn't really complain.

Polanski wouldn't be the first dirty old man to seduce a naive teenager. The difference is that he got caught.

[Alysheba]

Let's have a pity party.

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by Popsicle View Post
What do you guys think of Jerry Lee Lewis? He married his 13 year old cousin and impreginated her at just 14. The guy was never cautioned or is even brought up in this sense, he is if not worse, on the same level.

Seriously, it seems like one rule for some, one for another.

The Jerry Lee Lewis case, though creepy, isn't quite the same. It's much closer to Elvis and Priscilla. Remember that at that time, and in some jurisdictions a girl could marry with her parents consent, if she herself was below the age of consent. In other words a 14 year old could marry with her parents permission - though she herself was unable to consent. I believe that may still be true today.

The Anand Jon case might make a better comparison. Jon went away for his antics involving underage girls, drugs, and intimidation.

[january]

Any information about where this guy is?

[Pippin69]

I don't think it's the same either because Lewis didn't drug and rape her. Wasn't Lewis and his cousin married for like 40-something years, too? Sick as it was it's just not the same to me.

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by january

Any information about where this guy is?

I'm not sure about JLL, but Polanski is currently undergoing medical tests as per his lawyer ... I mean doctor's orders. I think that the 'dirty old man test' is going to return positive! They've also determined that he's old enough to beat military service!

By The Associated Press
Lawyer says Polanski undergoing medical tests - Yahoo! Canada News

PARIS - One of Roman Polanski's lawyers says the jailed filmmaker is undergoing medical tests, though his current condition "is not of exceptional gravity."

Herve Temime told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that after Saturday's tests Polanski would return to the Swiss prison where he is being held on a U.S. arrest warrant for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

The Paris-based lawyer declined to say what kind of exams Polanski had undergone or where they were administered.

Swiss tabloid newspaper Blick printed pictures Saturday of a van it said had whisked the director from the prison the northeastern city of Winterthur to an unnamed Zurich hospital.

Polanski has been in custody since late September.

[Trixie]

Originally Posted by AgentOrange

I think that the 'dirty old man test' is going to return positive!

[celeb_2006]

Hopefully he'll get well soon.

He really, really, REALLY needs to pick up that lifetime achievement Oscar- in PERSON in Los Angeles next year!!!

[witchcurlgirl]

I bet he'll feel better if he takes a quaalude............