14 DAY TRIAL // Bronson Pinchot, who fans mostly remember for his part of adorable Balki in “Perfect Strangers,” resurfaced in the media the other day with a series of not-at-all-flattering comments about some of his ex co-stars. These included Tom Cruise, whom Pinchot labeled a homophobe, Denzel Washington, who was vile, and Bette Midler, for whom Pinchot used an appellative that can hardly be transcribed here. He stands by his comments, Pinchot tells the Wall Street Journal – with a slight correction.
As one might easily imagine, the moment Pinchot’s comments made it on to the blogosphere, they immediately generated talk of a potential lawsuit. Denzel was probably the least offended by what his former co-star said, because it could very well be that his behavior had been misinterpreted. Tom Cruise, on the other hand, had all the reason to sue, as Pinchot accused him of discrimination and even went to great lengths to show that he was the only to do so on the set of “Risky Business.”
Herein lies the problem, the actor explains. It’s true that Tom Cruise made disrespectful comments, but it’s also true that, for him at the time, it was an unremarkable thing. “The context of the question was, ‘how did he strike me as a person’ at a point in his career when he was a virtual unknown. And my answer was that, coming straight out of the world of theater, as essentially all the supporting male actors did, where homophobic language was not heard, I remember thinking his use of it was remarkable and excessive; however, it is also true to say, in hindsight, that for a 20 year-old with no background in theater, such language is actually unremarkable. Which I did not know at 23.” Pinchot says.
If the star gives Tom Cruise the benefit of the doubt – in a way –, he remains unmoved in how he feels about Washington. He was mean and cruel and completely unwilling to see anyone else past his own person, and Pinchot has no intention of issuing a retraction on the comment that emerged yesterday. Working with the Oscar-winning actor on “Courage Under Fire” was an experience he will never forget and whose scars he will probably wear for the rest of his life.
“I regret my choice of words there [that Denzel Washington is one of the most unpleasant people he has ever met], and would like to amend my statement by saying I found his willingness to be ungenerous, unkind, knowingly hurtful both mentally and physically to myself and the crew to be the saddest misuse of stardom I have ever experienced or hope to experience.” Pinchot concludes by saying.