The Hollywood Reporter has just broke a shocking story involving beloved Star Trek icon George Takei. According to Scott R. Brunton, a former model, Takei took advantage of him and groped him at a vulnerable time. In an interview, Bruton told THR that though it allegedly happened almost 40 years ago, it was something he would never forget. He says he has told people in the past, but was nervous about breaking the news to the press at long last.
The events that Brunton recalls took place in Hollywood. In 1981, he was working as a waiter while building a portfolio as a commercial actor and model. It was then that he met Takei, who would have been 43 or 44 at the time. Brunton was 23. They met at Greg’s Blue Dot bar, exchanged numbers and occasionally ran into each other at clubs. Brunton recalled having recently broken up with a boyfriend, and speaking with Takei about his heartbreak.
Brunton was invited to dinner and the theater by Takei. Takei “was a great ear” at the time as he consoled the young, heartbroken model, who explained that he was, at the time, not only still very upset, but still in love with his ex-boyfriend. Later that night, Takei invited Brunton up to his condo for drinks. After the second drink, he recalled suddenly feeling incredibly disoriented and dizzy as if he were about to pass out. Takei laid him out on a giant yellow beanbag chair and he apparently passed out.
Brunton said he regained consciousness to find George Takei groping his crotch. His pants were down to his ankles and Takei was attempting to remove his underwear while the other hand felt him up. When he woke, he asked George to stop and was met with, “You need to relax.” When he pushed Takei off and asserted himself again, Takei finally gave in. At first Takei told Brunton he was in no position to drive. Brunton explained that he didn’t care and was going to leave and headed to the car to wait until he felt well enough to drive.
Four friends of Brunton, Norah Roadman, Rob Donovan, Stephen Blackshear, and Jan Steward, allege that Brunton had confided in them years earlier. According to Julia Buchwald, George Takei’s rep, George is currently touring Japan and Australia and couldn’t be reached for comment. Brunton assumed that the media wouldn’t take him seriously in the past, but after Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and other Hollywood heavies had been confronted, he finally felt it was time.
. @GeorgeTakei : This tweet is aging well. Hypocrite. https://t.co/eKqWK2YlJ7
— thebradfordfile (@thebradfordfile) November 11, 2017
Takei recently made a statement regarding allegations of Kevin Spacey sexually assaulting a Star Trek actor.
“For Anthony Rapp, he has had to live with the memory of this experience of decades ago. For Kevin Spacey, who claims not to remember the incident, he was the older, dominant one who had his way. Men who improperly harass or assault do not do so because they are gay or straight — that is a deflection. They do so because they have the power, and they chose to abuse it.”
Brunton was infuriated by the statement, but says he only wants an apology.
Update: George Takei has taken to Twitter to deny the claims, but some have pointed out where he seems to have admitted on Howard Stern’s show to grabbing someone’s genitals without permisssion after he had brought them home.
[Featured Image by Adam Bettcher/Stringer/Getty Images]
