EW Rupert Everett was recently on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He said he was friends with both you and Madonna, but then he brought up the recent incidents and said he thought you were going ''wild'' lately.
EJ Rupert obviously needs publicity. He said I should stop being so cranky. Well, I'm not cranky. I just happened to say [the Madonna crack]. I don't want to escalate it because I like Madonna. She's been to my house for dinner. It was something that was said in the heat of the moment, and probably should not have been said. Would I apologize to her if I saw her? Yeah, because I don't want to hurt any artist's feelings. It was my fault. I instigated the whole thing. But it applies to all those bloody teenage singers.
EW Why do you think the media made such a big deal out of it?
EJ The reaction to it was so hysterical. It was like I said I think all gays should be killed or I think Hitler was right. I just said someone was lip-synching. I'm not afraid to speak my mind. I'm not going to mellow with age. I get more enraged about things as I get older because you see that these injustices go on.
EW Speaking of being enraged about things, how disappointed are you that you can't vote in our election right now?
EJ Very. Last time I did a couple of benefits for Gore. I haven't been able to do anything for Kerry this time.
EW You must have an opinion about President Bush's campaign against gay marriage.
EJ I was a bit of a fence-sitter about it. I thought, Well, if I've got a civil agreement, that'll be fine. But as soon as the president said no [to gay marriage], I said, ''Right, I'm all for it.'' I mean, how dare he say I can't marry David if I want to. You know the scene. If you're a gay couple, and one of them dies, the family steams in, takes everything, and the other half is just completely devastated. I've seen it happen maybe 50 or 60 times in my life. There's nothing the law can do about it and it's just savage. We live in the 21st century. And the things that religious organizations foist upon people are so Middle Ages.
EW I notice you have a wedding band on your left ring finger.
EJ The first time [David and I] went to Paris, which was 11 years ago, we bought these rings, and we've worn them ever since. It was very early on in our relationship. It's the only ring I always wear.
EW Would you ever consider having a ceremony?
EJ Maybe. We've talked about it. But it wouldn't be a public one. It would be private. I don't want a Jennifer Lopez wedding or anything like that. A commitment ceremony would be a nice thing to do for him, because we love each other very much.
EW In December, you'll have an audience with the president when you're inducted into the Kennedy Center Honors. That'll be a perfect chance to give him a piece of your mind.
EJ [Laughs] No, you have to take the high ground. You can't bring your political views into that arena. You have to be gracious.
