October 19, 2007
McKellen Makes Fun Of Singapore's Anti-Gay Laws On TV
David Foucher READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Sir Ian McKellen was so irritated to discover homosexuality is illegal in Singapore during a recent visit to the country, he asked for directions to a gay bar on live TV.
The openly gay Lord Of The Rings star was in Singapore for a pantomime performance when he decided to poke fun at the country's anti-gay laws during a television interview.
He says, "I didn't realise, as a gay man, that I'd be a criminal once I arrived - because it's illegal for a man to make love to another man in Singapore.
"I was rather naughty because I was on an early morning show - the sort of show that happens all over the world on TV, where you get a couple who are clearly not married or related that flirt all the time, usually an older man with a younger woman.
"At the end of the interview, they asked what was I looking forward to doing while I was in Singapore. And I looked at the man, who was clearly straight, and said, `Can you recommend any decent gay bars?', which would be illegal in every possible way.
"I looked at the playback of the programme afterwards and I've never seen the credits come up (on the screen) so quickly."
David Foucher is the CEO of the EDGE Media Network and Pride Labs LLC, is a member of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalist Association, and is accredited with the Online Society of Film Critics. David lives with his daughter in Dedham MA.
