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George Takei Accuser Changes Story, Now Says Their Encounter Was ‘Not Painful’ and ‘Didn’t Scar’ Him

Scott Brunton also admits that certain events he described never took place.
George Takei16th Annual Movies for Grownups Awards, Arrivals, Los Angeles, USA - 06 Feb 2017
George Takei
Matt Baron/REX/Shutterstock

Scott Brunton, who last year accused “Star Trek” actor George Takei of drugging and sexually assaulting him in 1981, has changed several details of his story in a new interview with the Observer. The former model now says he doesn’t remember any inappropriate touching and, upon being presented with the opinions of two toxicologists who ruled out the spiked-drink scenario, says this makes Takei “a little less sinister.”

In the Observer’s words, Brunton “walk[ed] back key details and let slip that, in his effort to be listened to, he’d fabricated some things. This and other evidence would indicate a hard-to-swallow conclusion: We — both public and press — got the George Takei assault story wrong.”

Brunton admitted that a coffee meeting he previously said he’d had with Takei never took place; he also referred to his encounter with Takei as a “great party story” that he’s told “maybe 20 times,” as well as something that was “not painful” and “didn’t scar” him.

His characterization of Takei at the time is also notable: “He was 20 years older than me and short. And I wasn’t attracted to Asian men. I was a hot, surfer, California boy type, that he probably could have only gotten had he bought, paid for or found someone just willing to ride on his coattails of fame.”

Still, Brunton feels as though he was mistreated and is owed an apology.

“I don’t want to sound like I’m so vengeful, but, I mean, you do want to get back at someone like that that has done something like that,” Brunton said. “If it just tarnishes their reputation a little bit, well, that’s what you get for doing what you did.”

Takei responded to Brunton’s new version of events in a series of tweets. “As many of you know, this has been a very difficult period for myself and my husband Brad as we have dealt with the impact of these accusations, but we are happy to see that this nightmare is finally drawing to a close,” he wrote.

“As I stated before, I do not remember Mr. Brunton or any of the events he described from forty years ago, but I do understand that this was part of a very important national conversation that we as a society must have, painful as it might be. It is in that spirit that I want folks to know, despite what he has put us through, I do not bear Mr. Brunton any ill will, and I wish him peace.

“Brad and I are especially grateful for the many fans who stood by me throughout this ordeal. Your support kept us going, and we are so immensely thankful for you.”

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