Dame Joan Collins has denounced the current standards around consent, claiming today’s attitudes are “out of control”.
During an appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, the Dynasty star said: “What’s going to happen to seduction? Is it not going to be allowed any more? Is somebody going to have to ask permission to the parents before they kiss a girl?”
“It’s absolutely becoming out of control, and it seems to have happened in the last two years.”
The 85-year-old’s comments came in response to recent calls for the 1940s Christmas song “Baby It’s Cold Outside” to be taken off the radio after claims it referred to non-consensual “date rape”.
Collins said the interpretation of the song was “preposterous” and added: “It seems to get worse and worse. ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ is one of the sweetest numbers − gentle and kind and funny and tuneful. How dare they?”
She also criticised the news that comedians invited to perform at a benefit gig at the University of London were asked to sign a “behavioural agreement” that ensured they would only discuss topics in a “respectful and non-abusive way”.
She said: “I grew up going to variety theatres, because my father was an agent and he put on shows. I saw comedians of all ilks and nationalities making jokes about other nationalities and using these outrageous metaphors. You can’t do that. You can’t say anything. You can’t say somebody has frizzy hair, you can’t say they’re short. The only thing you can do is you can make jokes about age."
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