April 7, 2013 | Celeb Watch

Jeremy Irons insists his 'incest' comment not anti-gay

Many people have spoken out on the recent interview with Jeremy Irons, in which the actor stated that his concern with gay marriage was that it could possibly open the door to father-son marriage.

After several days of silence on the negative reaction, Irons took to his own website and wanted to set the record straight. Sort of ...

He wrote: "I am deeply concerned that from my on line discussion with the Huffington Post, it has been understood that I hold a position that is anti gay. This is as far from the truth of me as to say that I believe the earth is flat.

"I was taking part in a short discussion around the practical meaning of Marriage, and how that institution might be altered by it becoming available to same-sex partners. Perhaps rather too flippantly I flew the kite of an example of the legal quagmire that might occur if same sex marriage entered the statute books, by raising the possibility of future marriage between same sex family members for tax reasons, (incest being illegal primarily in order to prevent inbreeding, and therefore an irrelevance in non reproductive relationships). Clearly this was a mischievous argument, but nonetheless valid.

"I am clearly aware that many gay relationships are more long term, responsible and even healthier in their role of raising children, than their hetero equivalents, and that love often creates the desire to mark itself in a formal way, as Marriage would do. Clearly society should find a way of doing this.

"I had hoped that even on such a subject as this, where passions run high, the internet was a forum where ideas could be freely discussed without descending into name-calling. I believe that is what it could be, but it depends on all of us behaving, even behind our aliases, in a humane, intelligent and open way."

Basically he's saying that everyone is over-reacting, gays are great and can have awesome relationships, but don't let them get married because then, you know, dads and sons will want to get married next. Got it.

Confirmation that Jeremy Irons is, indeed, an idiot.