Rupert Everett: British Soldiers Are Whiny Wimps

Outspoken British actor Rupert Everett, 49, has given a new interview in England, where he calls UK troops "wimps," among other things. The "My Best Friend's Wedding" star made waves a few months ago when he called Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro and Robert Redford "parodies" and the "Ocean's" movies "a cancer."

Now, while promoting a documentary about a 19th century British army officer named Richard Burton who explored a male Bombay brothel called "The Victorian Sex Explorer," Everett, whose dad was a major in the Army, gave an interview to the Telegraph:

"I did have to do cadet corps for one year at Ampleforth, but it wasn't for me. I would have liked to have been in the Army in Burton's time, because then you could more or less do what you wanted. They would give you four years off to go and explore.

"Now what do you get in the Army? Bad helmets and Basra. Your guns don't work and everyone hates you when you come back..."

"In Burton's day they were itching to get into the fray. Now it is the opposite. They are always whining about the dangers of being killed. Oh my God, they are such wimps now!

"The whole point of being in the Army is wanting to get killed, wanting to test yourself to the limits. Now you have to fly 15,000ft above the war zone to avoid getting hit. I don't think there is any point in having wars if that's how you're going to behave. It's pathetic. All this whining!"

You can't say that, Rupert! "You can. The whole point of being in the Army is going to war and getting yourself blown up. That and p---ing on prisoners. Yet we all get shocked by Abu Ghraib. Oooh!" He puts his hand to his mouth as if scandalised.

"But that's war. If you don't like that side of it, don't do it. Of course soldiers are going to p--- on the first prisoners they take. It goes with the territory."

That's not why they do it, though, I say. If you are a British soldier risking your life in Iraq and Afghanistan, you are motivated by a sense of duty and principle.

"No, you do it because you are a nasty, jammy ---t and you want to p--- on everyone. That's what drew you to the Army and that's what they pay you for. They pay you to tie up prisoners and attach electrodes to their nipples and testicles and p--- on them. Don't let's complain that only the Americans do that. That is a horrible double standard."

Comments

[MagisterLudi]

Ali G: But what harm has violence ever done?
Media analyst: Oh... death!
Ali G: Yeah, but apart from that.

[SharonB]

And now for the "mea culpa"...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2099885/Rupert-Everett-apologises-for-calling-soldiers-%27wimps%27.html

Next week we will here that he is entering rehab to stop him from putting his foot in his mouth.

[totalliberal]

Brits, wimps? To paraphrase Wellington on the eve of Waterloo while watching a few of his troops tear at each other over a chicken. "I don't what the French think about these brutes old boy, but frankly they terrify the hell out of me?"
Ask the Argentinians who outnumbered them 5 to 1 on the Falkland Islands if they think they are wimps.

[tess08]

the Argentines did not have the FIREPOWER that the first world Brits did.
It's not that the Brits were superior, their tech weapons were and that makes a load of difference, chap.

[SharonB]

I think he needs a really good shot of reality.

[continental]

This is obviously a solution to first, the Iraq war, then the war in Afghanistan and ultimately, the war on terror worldwide. Since Rupert has all the answers, we can simply put him on the front lines and he'll win the war(s) singlehandedly (In fact, he'll have one hand tied behind his back, just to show off.)

[Big0725]

What a wanking pufter! I bet he did "do" the cadet corps at Ampleforth.

[quotidiano]

Eh, I think he's right. Our sign-ups are generally poor, bored, sadists or a combination of the three. That's just what happens in war. When you order a war, you get a war. I mean guys come on, netflix Platoon and use your imagination for the first time again.

[ramal]

Go Rupert! I would guess that too many in the UK, just like in the US, are joining the armed forces with the idea of making a cush career for life out of it and then when an actual war comes along (and they face death or dismemberment) they wonder what the hell happened. In a democracy a very small and exclusive peace time armed forces should be maintained and for the very rare VALID war institute a draft for all men and women 18 to 26.

[Steamboater]

Everett's so butch! LOL In explorer Richard Burton's day, colonialism ruled and natives were murdered and treated as subservient. This is what Everett admires? Buton waas a fascinating man though and I'd like to see this documentary about him. There was a wonderful mini-series many years ago (and I've been trying to find it over the years but haven't been able to on video or DVD). It was about great explorers and Africa. The episode about Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke was terrific. Poor Speke. He was in love with Burton but Burton allegedly was heterosexual. Burton 'outted' Speke though in the sense of proving that Speke did not find the root of the Zambezi river or Nile--I forget which one. Speke was so humiliated, he commited suicide. Burton was not the nices t of people either, something he has in commonm with Everett obviously so I could see why Everett wants to make a documentary about him. After Burton died, his wife burned most of of letters etc.

[kuvasz]

the documentary was called "in search of the nile," but a better source on burton is "the devil drives"

i have burton's 18 volume set of the arabian nights translation and have read it entirely through twice, the other versions are weak comparison's because of burton's commentaries on the stories and meaning of things in them.

yeah, burton was quite a figure

[Artos]

Rupert is an idiot. When and if he ever has the testicles to join up and actually fight a war then he can shoot his mouth off all he likes. And guys like Phantomaviator who seem to be supportive of his stupidity should also shut up. Flying up above the battlefield totally removed from the chaos and able to go back to a rear area after an few minutes of killing people with impunity, is not real fighting. Real fighting is seeing the gore up close and Personal. Until you witness the death and destruction that way then you haven't experienced the true horror. Jet Jockeys create more havoc then they experience. Guys like Rupie and Bush should just shut the hell up because they don't know what they are talking about.

[KPinSEA]

That boy needs a handler to keep him away from the press whenever he ingests whatever psychotropic substance makes him babble like that.

[PhantomAviator]

..


HEY!!!

He's not supposed to say that kind of stuff OUT LOUD!!!
We all just KNOW deep in our hearts that he's right.

PAX AMERICANA!!!!

Ave, Caesar, morituri te salutant!!!!
.

[jalapeno]

The point he is making is that war is death, if you don't want to die don't sign up!

If enough don't sign up, there will be no war! Voila!

[marymansour]

What happened, Rupert? A British soldier turned down your advances? There doesn't seem to be much interest in your films these days. Is that why you're dissing Pacino, Redford and the Oceans series? Go find something meaningful to do. Get a life.

[tcolgan001]

Judging from all the whining below, it seems he hit a chord.

We seem intent on viewing Abu Ghraib as an anomaly, the work of "a few bad apples" and not the inevitable result of the actions that were taken. Attempt to rule another country based on a belief
in our moral superiority and their incompetence and this is the result.

Hire people to carry a gun into a foreign country to impose our rule and who are you going to attract?

Sometimes it takes an offensive Brit to get Americans to face the facts.

[cruzy]

I didn't find Mr. Everett's remarks offensive--I appreciate his sardonic wit. However, you are full of shit!

Most Americans, myself included, do not support the war, and we don't need a "Brit" to get us to face the facts. Many of us, myself included, thought it was crap from the beginning.

As for your gratuitous comments abour our brave men and women serving in the armed forces, I am afraid your remarks expose you as a pathetic and ill-informed individual. I have several relatives and some friends serving in the military, and every single one of them was outraged by the sadistic abuses occuring in Abu Ghraib. Every single one of them is a kind, compassionate, intelligent, and fine individual. Not a single one of them believes in asserting their "moral superiority" on anyone. And they all have had grave concerns about the war.

They have spent their time in Iraq, doing their best to help those who lives have been shattered by the fighting and trying to serve as good ambassadors for the U.S. despite everything. They, my Dear, represent the majority of the individuals who serve in our armed forces, not the minority.

[tcolgan001]

I wasn't making any assertions about the percentage of soldiers that are compassionate or not. The point is that when you try to impose your rule on others with guns Abu Ghraibs result.

Sometimes this war seems to be more about defending "our brave men and women serving in the armed forces" then anything else.

see:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tcolgan001/2538401685/in/set-72157605358634821/

[ShirleyBowers]

While I'm certainly the last one to defend the arrogant and sanctimonious British, this guy may have a point in distinguishing the differences in motivations between soldiers from the World Wars and the current occupation of Iraq. Fighting for your very survival is quite different than fighting for a paycheck or, worse, because of some sadistic enjoyment.

[Big0725]

Said by a people that went to war over F**KING SHEEP in 1982. Thanks for the advice, lime sucker.