Posted in: Movies, TV | Tagged: george takei, HRL

George Takei Denies Sexual Assault Allegations

Star Trek star and geek icon George Takei has denied allegations that he assaulted former model Scott R. Bruton in 1981. Takei took to Twitter to issue a statement.

"Friends, I'm writing to respond to the accusations made by Scott R. Bruton," Takei tweeted Saturday. "The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur, and I do not know why he has claimed them now. I have wracked my brain to ask if I remember Mr. Brunton, and I cannot say I do."

"But I do take these claims very seriously," Takei continued, "and I wanted to provide my response thoughtfully and not out of the moment. Right now it is a he said / he said situation, over alleged events nearly 40 years ago. But those that know me understand that nonconsensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful."

"Brad, who is 100 percent beside me on this, as my life partner of more than 30 years and now my husband, stands fully by my side," he concluded. I cannot tell you how vital it has been to have his unwavering support and love in these difficult times. Thanks to many of you for all the kind words and trust. It means so much to us."

Bruton told The Hollywood Reporter that he was invited for a drink at Takei's condo in 1981, but after feeling dizzy and disoriented following a second drink, he alleges, Takei removed Bruton's pants and groped him. "The next thing I remember I was coming to and he had my pants down around my ankles and he was groping my crotch and trying to get my underwear off and feeling me up at the same time, trying to get his hands down my underwear," Bruton claimed.

In the hours after the allegations, a recent clip of Takei on SiriusXM's Howard Stern radio show went viral. In the clip, Takei describes an unspecified incident in which Stern asked Takei if he had ever sexually assaulted anyone during a conversation about the Harvey Weinstein allegations, which have seemingly opened the floodgates of sexual harassment and assault claims against powerful men in entertainment and politics.

"Some people are kind of, um, skittish. Or maybe, um, afraid and you're trying to persuade," Takei responded, though he insisted that he never used his position of power to sexually harass or assault anyone.

"So what do you mean?" Stern asked. "You mean some guy who was hesitating to have sex with you and then you gave him a gentle squeeze on the balls or something?"

"More than a gentle–" Takei replied, laughing. "But it didn't involve power over the other."

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