In a recent episode of Celebrity Big Brother UK, 72-year-old actor Mickey Rourke faced backlash for making offensive remarks toward 21-year-old social media star JoJo Siwa.
The incident began when Rourke inquired about Siwa’s sexuality. Upon learning that she is interested in women and has a non-binary partner, Rourke responded inappropriately, stating, “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay any more.“ Siwa promptly retorted, “I can guarantee I’ll still be gay and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship.” Rourke then added, “I’ll tie you up.”
The situation escalated when Rourke remarked to another housemate his intention to “vote the lesbian out real quick,” a comment Siwa labeled as “homophobic.” Shortly after, Rourke used a British slang term for a cigarette, “fag,” directing it toward Siwa, then clarifying, “I’m not talking to you.” This prompted fellow contestant Chris Hughes to caution Rourke about the offensive nature of his language.
In response to these incidents, Big Brother issued Rourke a formal warning, stating: “Further language or behavior of this nature could lead to you being removed from the Big Brother house.“ Rourke apologized in the diary room, attributing his remarks to “talking smack” and asserting he had no dishonorable intentions. He later extended a personal apology to Siwa, acknowledging his “short fuse” and emphasizing he “didn’t say it out of meanness.” Siwa accepted the apology, saying, “I appreciate your apology.”
The public reaction has been swift and critical. Viewers expressed their dismay on social media, with one commenting, “JoJo Siwa being subjected to homophobic bigotry from Mickey Rourke was a hard watch.” Another viewer noted, “I can’t believe I am watching 21-year-old JoJo Siwa educate 72-year-old Mickey Rourke on the word f*g at 9:50pm on a Wednesday night on ITV1.” Many have called for Rourke’s eviction from the show, citing his comments as “dangerous” and “disgusting.”
