Anthony Anderson has responded to a video of him telling a 17-year-old Lindsay Lohan that he ‘likes them young’.
The video from 2003 has resurfaced on social media recently, originally filmed for The Sharon Osbourne Show on December 16, the actor was there as a guest host.
He was 33 at the time with Lohan being 17.
The clip shows Anderson asking Lohan about her living arrangements, to which she responds that she is currently living with her friend, Raven-Symoné.
The Law & Order star then responds; “Both of you are beautiful women. Both of you are young and have your individual styles,”. “What gentlemen will be at the new pad with you and Raven-Symoné?”.
Lohan responds; “No one. I don’t have a boyfriend,” to which Anderson responds, “She’s single, but looking!”
The 17-year-old Lohan replies: “I’m illegal, for people that are old.”
Anderson said: “Some men like them young. We ain’t gonna mention no names, but I’m one of them,”, causing the audience to laugh in response.
Before cutting to commercial, Anderson then puts his arm around Lohan and says to the audience: “Right now, we’re about to get our freak on,”. The teen, in response, covers her mouth.
People have been left outraged online, with one person commenting: “It just kept getting worse… and worse,” while another agreed, “My jaw is still on the floor.”
“Is it a rule that to be successful in Hollywood you have to be a complete creep?” another person commented.
Some online brought up Anderson’s past, with previous allegations of s*xual assault – inlcuding a 2004 accusation while filming Hustle & Flow. At the time, his representative told CNN that he “absolutely denies the heinous charges that have been made against him,” and that he is “a happily married family man who has never been accused of — no less involved in — anything remotely like this.”
Addresing the now viral clip, his spokesperson said: “This interview was clearly intended as comedy. He regrets if the humor was in poor taste and maintains the utmost respect for Lindsay. Any implication to the contrary is both inaccurate and potentially defamatory.”
Addressing his past allegations, the spokesperson added: “In regard to your request for comment regarding previous decades-old allegations, they have been thoroughly investigated and determined to be entirely meritless. Any attempt to conflate unsubstantiated allegations with this interview is slanderous.”