JoJo Siwa’s partner Kath Ebbs has branded Mickey Rourke a “dangerous person” following his homophobic comments directed at the 21-year-old Dance Moms star during Wednesday night’s episode of Celebrity Big Brother (9 April).
Oscar-nominated actor Rourke, 72, was given a formal warning by Big Brother after he suggested he could turn Siwa straight, before announcing he “needs a fag” and pointing at Siwa, saying, “I’m not talking to you.” He also remarked that he would “vote the lesbian out” of the show.
Siwa’s partner Ebbs, who is non-binary, has issued a furious video online criticising Big Brother for airing “dangerous language”, calling Rourke’s comments “beyond disgusting”.
Ebbs said that while they appreciated viewers calling out Rourke’s comments as homophobic, many have overlooked the “misogynistic and violent” undertone of his remarks, such as when he said to Siwa, “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay anymore,” before saying he will “tie” her up.
Breaking down their perspective on the conversation, Ebbs said: “Firstly, he asks her if she is into boys or girls, she answers that she is gay. He then proceeds to tell her that he is going to turn her straight if she is in the house long enough. She shuts it down.”
“Once she shuts it down, he says he’s going to tie her up. That is a rape joke, that’s what that is, call it what is is.”
Ebbs added: “[Siwa] shuts him down over and over again, he then goes, ‘Actually I’m going to get rid of you’. Which is rooted in misogyny.”
“He deemed her unf***able in that moment and then went if the male gaze is not apart of this situation and I have no power over you sexually…Then he’s like oh, well then, ‘I’m going to bully you… If you are not going to play into my creepy jokes then okay I’m going to bully you and I don’t want you here’ and then he proceeds to call her a fag”.
They further expressed disappointment that another level wasn’t added to the conversation.
“Yes, I am glad that the production gave him a formal warning and told him he said he was homophobic, but that is dangerous, dangerous language and obviously it is a TV show with cameras everywhere and security,” Ebbs said.
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Ebbs said that they would be “genuinely be so disappointed if the public doesn’t vote Mickey out”.
They added: “I don’t give a f*** if you think he is entertaining, I don’t give a f***,” calling Rourke a “pig” and a “dangerous person”.
Siwa’s partner extended their thanks to Love Island star Chris Hughes, who has been praised for defending and comforting Siwa during the interaction.
Ebbs said: “And obviously we saw the beautiful Chris Hughes, which, thank you Chris, thank you for doing my job. I was very upset and then when I saw him backing her, having her back and comforting her made me feel a little bit better especially because he is a cis [cisgender] straight white man.”
“And they’re the kind of allies, unfortunately. I hate to say it, that we need in situations like this to stand up to f****** misogynistic homophobic men.”
After the exchange aired on TV, Rourke was given a formal warning by Big Brother – but viewers have been calling for the actor to be removed from the show.
Rourke apologised to Siwa several times after the incident, blaming his “short fuse”. She told him she appreciated his apology.
It comes after Rourke faced criticism for “grabbing” and “ogling” Big Brother host AJ Odudu during the launch episode of the programme on Monday night (7 April), in which Odudu told him, “Stop looking at me!”
One viewer wrote on X/Twitter: “He should be removed for this. It’s disturbing, particularly after how he was with AJ, too.”
Rourke’s representatives have been contacted by The Independent. They initially declined to comment when the episode aired.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the programme told The Independent: “All Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectation for appropriate behaviour and language.”
“Housemates are monitored 24 hours a day and instances of inappropriate behaviour are dealt with appropriately and timely.”
