An interview between George Takei and radio host Howard Stern last month adds a wrinkle to the “Star Trek” actor’s swift denial this week of sexual assault allegations against him.
On Friday, former model Scott R. Brunton said Takei had groped him without his consent 36 years ago in the actor’s home. Takei addressed the claims in a series of tweets on Saturday morning, flatly stating that the events “simply did not occur.”
“Those that know me understand that non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful,” Takei wrote.
In October, the actor had talked about the recent wave of sexual misconduct allegations on “The Howard Stern Show.” His remarks then indicate, if nothing else, the problem with trying to persuade someone to have sex without their absolute consent.
When Stern inquired if Takei had ever been involved in nonconsensual sexual activity, an uncomfortable silence followed, as the actor attempted to laugh off the question.
“Did you ever grab anyone by the cock against their will?” Stern asked at one point.
“Some people that are kind of … umm … skittish or maybe … um … afraid and you’re trying to persuade...” Takei said.
Takei later said that those incidents never occurred on the job and that in his eyes they were consensual.
“No, it wasn’t at work,” he said. “It was either in my home ― they came to my home.”
Stern then tried to get Takei to clarify further, asking if he ever gave someone “a gentle squeeze on the balls.”
“More than a gentle,” Takei replied. “But it didn’t involve power over the other.”
While Takei provided no time frame or specific details about those encounters, there are some similarities between his description and his accuser’s account, notably the location at his home and the type of physical contact.
A representative for Takei did not immediately return HuffPost’s request for comment.
Listen to a clip from the Stern interview below.
