German newspaper releases full audio from Morrissey interview after singer denies making controversial comments

Der Spiegel released the full interview after accusations over inaccuracy
Shut down: Newspaper publishes audio in a bit to prove their accuracy
(Kevin Winter/ Getty Images)
Safeeyah Kazi13 December 2017
The Weekender

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A German newspaper has released the full audio of an interview with Morrissey, after he accused them of inaccurately reporting his comments about Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein.

Hitting back at the singer’s claims, journalists at Der Spiegel have now published the audio transcript of the interview, in a bid to prove their accurate reporting.

The former Smiths frontman alleged that he had been misquoted in a post titled ‘The Slander System’, when talking about Donald Trump, Spacey and Weinstein.

Der Spiegel responded to the post in a new article published yesterday, with the full conversation between the Spiegel journalist and Morrissey.

The original interview published comments Morrissey made, including that Kevin Spacey had been “attacked unnecessarily” over alleged sexual assault offences and that “suddenly everybody’s guilty.”

Morrissey then and now - in pictures

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Morrissey also said the Spacey situation didn’t “ring true” to him, when quizzed on Spacey being cut from films.

He said: “I think it's absurd, because as far as I understand the situation, he was in a hotel room with a 14-year-old. Well, Kevin Spacey was 26, the boy was 14.

“You have to wonder where the boy's parents were. You have to assume that the boy had an inkling of what might possibly happen. I mean I don't know about you, but in my youth I was never in situations like that. Never.

“I was always aware of where things could go. If you are in somebody's bedroom, you have to be aware of where it could lead to or say 'why are we here? Why aren't we downstairs in the lobby?' So it doesn't quite ring true to me, and it does seem that he has been unnecessarily attacked.”

He was also presented with the hypothetical option of a button that, if pressed, would kill President Trump to which he replied: “I would, for the safety of the human race.

Awkward: Morrissey released a statement on his blog
So TV/PA

“It's nothing to do with my personal opinion of his face, or his life, or his family. But in the interest of the human race, I would, yes. I think he's a terrible, terrible scourge.”

Appearing to refer to the Weinstein allegations Morrissey said it seemed to be a case of the victim being ‘merely disappointed’.

He said: “You also must wonder if people know exactly what's happening, and they go along with it. But then when it's happened they find that they're either embarrassed and they didn't really like it, so then they reverse it and say: 'I was ambushed, I was taken by surprise, I was dragged into the room'.

“But if the incident had gone very very well, and they had really enjoyed it, and it had led to an incredible career, they wouldn't mention it, and I hate to be that cynical because I hate rape and I hate attack and I hate any sexual situation that is forced on a person against their will. But in many many situations you look at the circumstances and you think the person that is called a victim is merely disappointed.”

He also referred to Berlin as the “capital of rape”’.

Last month a spokesman for Spacey that he was "taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment" in the wake of the allegations, according to the BBC.

The interview can be heard here.

Evening Standard Online has contacted Morrissey’s representative for comment.

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