Stephen Fry: I’m the only person I hurt with my drug use
Stephen Fry has said there is a “huge moral difference” between historical drug use and cases of sexual abuse.
The gay broadcaster, actor and comedian made the remarks in an interview with BBC Newsnight’s Evan Davis.
Fry accepted some people believed he should be arrested for the drug abuse he wrote about in his latest memoirs, More Fool Me.
Last week it was revealed the star had taken cocaine in several high-profile venues.
The locations included: Buckingham Palace, the House of Commons, the House of Lords, Windsor Castle, Clarence House, Sandringham House, BBC Television Centre, ITV headquarters, an array of private members’ clubs in London, and the offices of The Daily Telegraph, The Times, the Spectator and Tatler.
“If people think I should be arrested for historical drug abuse, that’s fine. I’m the only person I hurt.
But he insisted: “I’m the only person I hurt.”
The presenter continued: “I do personally see a huge moral difference between invading somebody’s physical space, raping them, groping them against their will, having sex with when they’re under-age, and me feeding my face with stuff that did me harm.”
He also described the late DJ Jimmy Savile as “an absolutely monstrous, depraved and repulsive piece of work”.
Fry accused establishment organisations of being “so horrified by their own lack of judgement” about Savile and his abuse that they have turned against the same type of people; disc jockeys and light entertainers.
“If you want to talk about rock stars, do we have to name the rock stars that we think almost certainly had sex with 14-year-old children?” he said.
“But those 14-year-old girls were so proud of it that they now in their 50s wouldn’t for a minute call themselves ‘victims’.”
The actor also said it was wrong to use the term “victims” for alleged victims “before the case has even come to court, before certain figures have even been charged”.
He said: “If they’re guilty then quite clearly there should be evidence, but they shouldn’t be hung out like fly paper to try to attract other ‘oh yeah, I think he touched me too when I was that age’.”
Fry was also asked if he worried about accusations given the celebrity circle he mixed in during the 80s and 90s.
He replied: “I’ve always thought them pretty repulsive things to do.
“I’ve never groped anyone as far as I’m aware. But groping is not the same as penetrative rape.
“Again, things are nuanced, and it’s pretty grotesque to grope, especially an under-age child who doesn’t quite know what’s happening to them.
“But it’s not as grotesque as raping them. And the law has to be clear on that.”
