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March 28, 2024, 11:10:05 AM

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I hear you're a pest now, Noel Clarke?

Started by Custard, April 29, 2021, 09:48:55 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Alberon

'I'm not a predator' says predator.

Apologies for the Daily Heil link, but it's the only place it appeared. In the quote below he claims to have considered suicide.

QuoteClarke, 46, a married father-of-four, is accused of being a sexual predator and a bully. Allegations – made by more than 20 women and spanning a 15-year period – include claims of unwanted touching or groping, sexually inappropriate behaviour and comments on set, the covert filming of a naked audition and the sharing of explicit pictures without consent.

Clarke, who grew up in a tough and impoverished part of West London, vehemently denies the claims. He has not, he says, been granted the presumption of innocence, let alone a fair hearing.

'Twenty years of work was gone in 24 hours,' he says, speaking for the first time about the allegations that destroyed his career. 'I lost everything. The company I built from the ground up, my TV shows, my movies, my book deals, the industry respect I had. In my heart and my head it has damaged me in a way I cannot articulate.'

In the past year, Clarke and his wife Iris, who have been together for two decades, have had a new baby they haven't dared tell anyone about. Financially the family has been left 'running on fumes'. Most seriously, at his lowest, Clarke was suicidal. He pocketed a folding hunting knife bought as a souvenir while filming Auf Wiedersehen, Pet in Arizona 20 years ago and planned to cut his own throat.

'I needed to do something unsurvivable,' he says today. 'I was reaching for a book and the knife fell out of my pocket. My one-year-old said, "Daddy, why have you got that?"

'I said, ''It's just to pick the dirt out of my nails..." And he said, 'Oh, OK," and somehow the ordinariness of that snapped me out of it. Up to that point, I had been waiting for the right moment to kill myself. I was out of here. Done. I didn't care about anything. My mind was destroyed.'

QuoteHe has been so traumatised he hasn't been able to watch TV for a year because he only sees people who have turned their backs on him.

He agreed to speak to The Mail on Sunday because there has been no day in court, no forum in which to publicly defend himself. He wants the film and TV industry to create a framework where 'women and vulnerable people are protected but which also protects people who may be thrown under the bus unjustly'.

Clarke makes a plea for the context of incidents and conversations to be considered and for women to 'differentiate between an evil guy and someone who might have made a mis-step'.

He also believes the entertainment industry needs to clean out its Augean stables in a calm and rational manner, saying: 'I am not trying to excuse evil men. But I think we are ALL here' – he means at this impasse – 'because of them.

'I'm not a predator. I have crossed the road to avoid walking behind women since I was 15 years old.'

He acknowledges that not all of his past behaviour has been beyond reproach, particularly when events of almost two decades ago are judged by the standards of today.

'I've been a regular dude, for sure, I flirt. Have I ever made a saucy comment? One hundred per cent. But not to the extent that it warranted the destruction of my life.

'I can't say I never talked about sex at work. We're adults in a workplace and people make jokes and have conversations with each other that cross the line. Sometimes you're with each other for six, seven months, away from home. I think sometimes these are just normal, or slightly inappropriate, conversations that people have. I was never involved in any conversation that I didn't believe was mutual, wasn't being reciprocated.

'Maybe I should have known better. But you know what, I didn't always know better.'

Clarke goes on to give specific rebuttals to some of the allegations.

He has apparently sued BAFTA and The Guardian for defamation. I can sort of see that this is his only hope. Even a full and abject apology wouldn't bring his career back. But I can't see the trial having the desired effect as there are too many separate allegations.

https://www.mailplus.co.uk/edition/features/186208/im-not-a-predator-doctor-who-star-noel-clarke-hits-back-at-allegations-in-explosive-first-interview

JamesTC

I don't understand why famous people waste their remaining money suing when their reputation is in tatters. He is probably well off, he could just live off his royalties and any money in the bank. Even if he has existing commitments like a mortgage, he could downsize his home and make do without needing to do much more work going forward.

Cold Meat Platter

"He has been so traumatised he hasn't been able to watch TV for a year because he only sees people who have turned their backs on him."

FUCK YOU YOU DIDN'T STAND UP FOR JK ROWLING

Dex Sawash

Credible report of conversation with a 1 year old

Ferris

Quote from: Dex Sawash on May 29, 2022, 02:20:58 AMCredible report of conversation with a 1 year old

Yeah that stuck out to me as absolute cobblers. At that age you get a monosyllabic word or two, maybe, but it's basically incomprehensible.

The only part of his story I have personal experience of seems to be bullshit, but I'm sure he's telling the absolute truth about everything else.

Sonny_Jim

Yeah I'm sure it was all just a series of mis-steps, FFS.  What fucking context can you bring that changes unwanted contact and secretly filming people to 'actually it was fine to do what I did, actually'.

What a grade A fucking prick, he's not a sex pest, women just 'misunderstood his actions'.  Put him back in the cancelling machine for another 5 years.

EDIT
QuoteI have crossed the road to avoid walking behind women since I was 15 years old.'
What kind of fucking maniac thinks like this???

Janie Jones

Quote from: Dex Sawash on May 29, 2022, 02:20:58 AMCredible report of conversation with a 1 year old


Quote from: Ferris on May 29, 2022, 02:31:45 AMYeah that stuck out to me as absolute cobblers.


The Daily Mail Online (which is different to the link posted above) says 'eleven year old' so I think 'one year old' is a mistake.

Zetetic

Quote from: Sonny_Jim link=msg=4931991EDIT What kind of fucking maniac thinks like this???
Lots of men, in some situations, I believe. Some of whom are sex pests, or worse, in other situations and some who aren't.

Martin Van Buren Stan

Quote from: Sonny_Jim on May 29, 2022, 02:46:09 AMYeah I'm sure it was all just a series of mis-steps, FFS.  What fucking context can you bring that changes unwanted contact and secretly filming people to 'actually it was fine to do what I did, actually'.

What a grade A fucking prick, he's not a sex pest, women just 'misunderstood his actions'.  Put him back in the cancelling machine for another 5 years.

EDIT What kind of fucking maniac thinks like this???

Do you mean what kind of maniac thinks of crossing the road to avoid following a woman, or what kind of maniac thinks that's worth noting in an interview defending himself from abuse allegations?

I do the crossing the road thing myself, I thought it was pretty common

I do that, because I'm 6ft 1 and my legs are long so I'll catch up with with most woman rather quickly which can be rather awkward and potentially intimidating.

It's the Savile defence, though, isn't it? Doing good stuff to balance out the bad. No need to learn from your mistakes because you're already a good person.

Sonny_Jim

Maybe I'm not tall enough, but it's never crossed my mind.  Sounds mental.

EDIT:  To clarify, it doesn't matter if the person in front of me is male/female/whatever, I'm awkward enough it doesn't matter.

The Guppy

I do a lot of walking around at night like a loon, and if I find myself following a lone woman I'll sit on a wall and have a wee rest. Create a bit of distance.

I'm a big bloke but I'm also weedy and anxious, so I get nervous about blokes following me. It's gotta be even worse for women.

The alternative is to SPRINT at them so you can overtake quickly and they can relax. I always hear a gasp of relief when I thunder past them so I reckon I'm a top bloke.

Sonny_Jim

I've done the whole pull a confused face, look at phone for a moment then stop for a bit routine, to get that personal space back.  Like a mini 20 second play about someone who forgot where they were going.  But it's always for my own anxiety, I've never done it because I think I'm scary to the other person.  Maybe it is me who is the real psychopath aaaaaahh

I also do that, lots of friends have said it triggers them and makes them uneasy if walking down a street and they can see/hear a man walking behind them for a while or moving closer. Expecially if you're a quick walker, I cross the road so I can overtake without it feeling threatening to the other person, or if walking at the same pace so it doesn't seem like I'm following them so they don't feel uncomfortable.

Admittedly part of this is for selfish reasons as the overthinking about it makes me quite anxious.

bgmnts

Thankfully i'm a short squat ball of fat and shame so I give off the absolute opposite of threat energy, so I would be able to walk around at night and pass a lone woman without getting maced.

touchingcloth

Quote from: Sonny_Jim on May 29, 2022, 11:34:35 AMMaybe I'm not tall enough, but it's never crossed my mind.  Sounds mental.

EDIT:  To clarify, it doesn't matter if the person in front of me is male/female/whatever, I'm awkward enough it doesn't matter.

We've had threads discussing the road crossing thing before, I think.

I've done it ever since a drunken walk home at university where a similarly drunk woman in front of me crossed the road, then a little while later crossed back, came up to me
Quote from: thelittlemango on May 29, 2022, 11:43:54 AMI also do that, lots of friends have said it triggers them and makes them uneasy if walking down a street and they can see/hear a man walking behind them for a while or moving closer. Expecially if you're a quick walker, I cross the road so I can overtake without it feeling threatening to the other person, or if walking at the same pace so it doesn't seem like I'm following them so they don't feel uncomfortable.

Admittedly part of this is for selfish reasons as the overthinking about it makes me quite anxious.

I've always crossed for the same reasons. Since COVID I've started doing it pretty much every time I walk past someone, whether it's the middle of the night or broad daylight. DONT MIND ME IM GOING TO NEITHER RAPE YOU NOR SNEEZE CORONAS INTO YOU

touchingcloth

I won't link to it because it's in the thread about the phwoar thread, but we took a long rambling detour in that thread to avoid following a woman and while we were on that detour we talked about taking long rambling detours to avoid following a woman.

Ferris

I also do the "person nearby alone walking home at night near me - create distance thing". If they aren't bothered then it makes no odds, if they are then it's a nice thing to do.

North America has lots of long streets on grid systems so if I'm going the same general direction as someone, I might walk behind them for 15-20 minutes. I can go half a block south then get on the next street in the grid and keep going my merry way and everyone's happy.

Bonus, I did this Friday night and made friends with a raccoon on a side street while pissed up. A victory.

Ferris


Blue Jam


touchingcloth

Quote from: Ferris on May 29, 2022, 01:18:18 PMRaccoon friend:



Good picture - it really shows just how pissed up he is. Wreckedoon.

GoblinAhFuckScary

can confirm that men walking behind you at night is frightening regardless of their intention or character. can't read minds

Alberon

I can get scared by a man walking behind me at night and I am a man.

Still, even if he's telling the truth, Clarke listing some times he's wasn't a pest doesn't start to make up for all the times he was.

Ferris

Quote from: touchingcloth on May 29, 2022, 01:25:06 PMGood picture - it really shows just how pissed up he is. Wreckedoon.

Cunt was plastered. An absolute disgrace.

(The raccoon wasn't much better.)

touchingcloth

"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them, women are afraid that men will kill them."

Why don't women cross the road before they laugh at me?

Hath not a man eyes? Hath not a man hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases,
heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer, as a woman is?

Cruelty, thy name is woman.

Blue Jam

Quote from: GoblinAhFuckScary on May 29, 2022, 01:28:00 PMcan confirm that men walking behind you at night is frightening regardless of their intention or character. can't read minds

It's also frustrating to be told "Not All Men Are Like That" in a world where rape victims are also told they were naive and shouldn't have been so trusting. You just can't win here.

Malcy

I've also crossed a road rather than walk up behind a woman. Anyone really. More so late at night when the streets are empty. I think it's just a sign of the times and done to put someone at ease. I don't like it if it's me with someone walking behind me.

Even if i cross to pass them and then cross over again to get where I'm going it just seems like a good thing to do.

A month or two back I was walking the long road home and there was a fairly hammered woman not far in front of me so I was hanging back and slowing down etc and she ended up on her phone asking someone to collect her as I think she was quite wary despite being all over the pavement. Got a proper slowed down drive by stare by whoever picked her up and i just nodded as if to say "no need to panic".

Blue Jam

Quote from: Malcy on May 29, 2022, 05:44:22 PMGot a proper slowed down drive by stare by whoever picked her up and i just nodded as if to say "no need to panic".

I once had a woman trying to sell me stolen DVDs and following me for a bit until I shouted words at her to the effect of "Get away from me". As I did a tall bloke happened to be passing and thought I was shouting at him and held his hands up in an "I mean no harm" gesture and went "Sorry!" and scarpered off.

The first case of internalised misandry I have experienced. I felt a bit bad about that tbh. Poor guy.

Malcy

Quote from: Blue Jam on May 29, 2022, 06:20:50 PMI once had a woman trying to sell me stolen DVDs and following me for a bit until I shouted words at her to the effect of "Get away from me". As I did a tall bloke happened to be passing and thought I was shouting at him and held his hands up in an "I mean no harm" gesture and went "Sorry!" and scarpered off.

The first case of internalised misandry I have experienced. I felt a bit bad about that tbh. Poor guy.

Brilliant! But sad as well. Either that or you scared off a penitential attacker pre-emptively!

I'm another one who's crossed the road to avoid walking behind a lone female at night. In fact, as I posted in another thread a couple of years ago, to provide further "reassurance" I've made pretend phone calls in a sing-songy voice to try to present myself as the least threatening person around: "Hiya, only me! No, it's Voltan, you silly sausage! Ooh, what are we like!?" etc. It probably makes me sound like a maniac but that's not my intention.