Russell Crowe under fire over ‘sodomising’ female co-star

Russell Crowe has come under fire for joking about ‘sodomising’ female co-star in the current climate of the sexual harassment scandal.

While presenting an award at the Australian Academy Of Cinema And Television Arts awards, the actor recalled an awkward sex scene from 1992 movie Romper Stomper with co-star Jacquie McKenzie. In comments that were reportedly left out of the broadcast, he said: “I was sodomising Jacqueline McKenzie. on the set of Romper Stomper. I didn’t actually intend to do that. ‘I was trying to keep my bits away from her bits, and she’s been given one of those pieces of elastic that the girls get when you do those scenes, which protects them from all things, and my bits and pieces were in a little canvas sack with a drawstring.”

He continued: “And it was actually my desire to keep the bits apart. It wasn’t until the opening night of the film that it was pointed out by none other than Jackie McKenzie’s beautiful late mother that we were in fact, in her mind, engaged in sodomy. ‘Anyway that was just a story about sensitivity!”

The joke was met with muted laughter, and has since drawn criticism for being a “tone deaf” joke. The 53-year-old has since released a statement apologising for any offense caused by his words.