Did actor's punchline cross today's fine line?
Bill Murray has said a poorly judged joke led to his being accused of misconduct, triggering the suspension of his latest film.
In an interview with CNBC, the chastened 71-year-old broke his silence over the claim of “inappropriate behaviour” made against him, admitting that what he thought was funny in his youth was no longer acceptable today,
“I did something I thought was funny and it wasn't taken that way,” he said during the annual shareholders meeting of the Berkshire Hathaway financial conglomerate.
“The movie studio wanted to do the right thing, so they wanted to check it all out, investigate it and so they stopped the production.”
Murray admitted he had been brooding about the incident in recent weeks and hoped he had learned his lesson.
“We're talking about it. I think we're going to make peace with it, I'm very optimistic about that,” he added.
The actor, whose film career has included starring roles in Lost in Translation, Ghostbusters and Caddyshack, suggested that the incident reflected how humour has evolved over the years, with offence being taken at jokes which were once considered acceptable. He said: “It's been quite an education for me.
“The world is different than it was when I was a little kid. What I always thought was funny as a little kid isn't necessarily the same as what's funny now. Things change and the times change, so it's important for me to figure it out. I think it's a sad dog that can't learn anymore. I don't want to be that sad dog and I have no intention of it.”
Murray was due to star alongside Seth Rogen in Being Mortal — a film version of surgeon Atul Gawande's non-fiction book about endof-life care. It was the big screen directing debut of Aziz Ansari, an actor and Golden Globe-winning comedian. Neither Ansari nor Rogen were included in the complaint, which led to filming being abruptly brought to a halt by Searchlight, the production company.
The film was halfway through production when work was suspended.
Murray, the winner of a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and two Emmy Awards, described the incident as a “difference of opinion” with a woman working on the production.
Murray said: “As of now, we're talking and we're trying to make peace with each other. I think that's where the real issue is, between our peace. We're both professionals, we like each other's work. We like each other, I think, and if we can't really get along and trust each other, there's no point in going further working together or making the movie as well.
“What would make me the happiest would be to put my boots on and for both of us to go back into work and be able to trust each other and work at the work that we've both spent a lot of time developing the skill of.”
The star has forged a reputation for eccentric off-screen behaviour. Over the years he has gatecrashed a couple's engagement photo shoot, given an impromptu speech at a stag and on one occasion changed places with his taxi driver, taking the wheel to enable the man to carry on practising the saxophone. On another occasion, niggled by fans taking selfies with him, Murray lobbed three mobile phones off a restaurant roof — before agreeing to pay for them afterward. Fans have also reported spotting him riding children's bikes in Walmart.