Billy Connolly blasts ‘dastardly’ men in the wake of Hollywood sex scandal as he receives knighthood from Prince William at Buckingham Palace alongside wife Pamela Stephenson
BILLY Connolly has described the behaviour of men implicated in the Hollywood sex scandal as “dastardly” as he was knighted today.
The comic, 74, was joined by wife Pamela Stephenson to receive the honour for his services to entertainment and charity from Prince William at Buckingham Palace.
He said “men will have to get a grip on themselves" in the wake of the scandal that is engulfing the entertainment world and now spreading to politics too.
He added: "I think the air is going to be cleared and a lot of things that should have been done years ago are going to be done to protect young men and women.
"I think that's going to spread to government, to industry, to university, to all sorts of realms, anywhere power is exercised over the powerless.
"Men will have to get a grip on themselves.";
He continued: "It's been very, very unfair because they (the perpetrators of sexual abuse) have held their careers as a sort of ransom which is a deeply and desperately dastardly thing to do.
"So they've made them feel ashamed of themselves, which is a horrible thing to do to a person.
"Your ego is so important to an actor or performer of any kind and to smash it that way is unkind in the extreme."
Known primarily for his comedy, Connolly has also had a successful acting career, starring in films including Mrs Brown, Brave, A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies.
He said men will have to learn "things they should have known years ago - manners".
In 2013, Connolly announced he was being treated for the initial symptoms of Parkinson's disease, admitting he had started to forget his lines during performances.
After the ceremony, in which recipients of the honour kneel to be knighted, Connolly said: "I sighed with relief when I saw the stool had a handle. It wouldn't have crossed my mind before."
The Glasgow-born star added: "I'm not sure if I want to be the poster boy for the disease.
"I don't know enough about it. What I do is ignore it completely and get on with my life."
He said comedy was helping him get through the disease, which is characterised by symptoms including a tremor or fine shake, slowness of movement and unsteady balance.
After learning he had been given a knighthood in the Queen's birthday honours list, Connolly said: "I am a little embarrassed but deep within me, I'm very pleased to have it.
"I feel as if I should be called Lancelot or something. Sir Lancelot, that would be nice. Sir Billy doesn't quite have the same ring."
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