Tom is on the June 17th issue of Entertainment Weekly, with a Q&A. You can read the full interview here, and here is a bit of it:
Q: You know, usually when movie stars get romantically involved, they try to keep it quiet. You guys seem to be inviting the whole world to celebrate your relationship.
A: I think it’s important in life to celebrate these things. You know, I’m just happy. I can’t contain myself. And I’m not going to try. I refuse.
Q: What’s it like reading all these stories about people not believing the relationship is real, that it’s some sort of publicity stunt?
A: It’s amusing at first. It’s funny. But then you sit back and realize how sad it is that there are people who can’t even imagine feeling like this. But my friends are happy for me. The people who know me are happy. My mom is happy. My family is happy.
Q: You’ve been taking a lot of flak for your appearance on Oprah, for all the jumping around you did on the show. Does the criticism bother you?
A: No, I don’t care. I can’t live my life based on what other people think about me. Who cares what other people say? There are some people who just don’t like to see other people happy. They try to actively stop it. They find that sort of happiness ugly. They’re in the minority, but they squawk pretty loud. They’re like the bullies you grow up with in school. But you know what? If they don’t like it, f— them. If people don’t like it, f— off. (Annie’s note: I make those my words too)
Q: Your comments about antidepressants on Access Hollywood — do you think going after Brooke Shields for her book about postpartum depression might have made the argument a little too personal?
A: It’s not a matter of making it personal. I care about Brooke. I want to see her do well. I think she’s really talented. But she’s misinformed. And, you know, from that Access Hollywood interview, I’ve gotten over 154,000 responses from people thanking me. You should see some of the letters I get. People go for help but their lives don’t get better because of these drugs. They get worse. They feel numb and they’re told that’s a good thing. It’s becoming like Huxley’s Brave New World. It’s like what the English did to China with opium [in the 19th century]. How is this different? It’s how you degrade a society — by drugging the piss out of it
Q: You are aware that your views about psychiatry come across as pretty radical to a lot of people.
A: In the 1980s, you were supposed to say no to drugs. But when I say no to drugs, I’m a radical? ‘He’s against drugs — he’s a radical! He’s against electroshock treatments — he’s a radical!’ [Laughing] It’s absurd!
Q: Well, Freud wasn’t a Nazi, but the point I’m getting at here is that expressing these views isn’t necessarily a public relations bonanza for you.
A: What choice do I have? People are being electric-shocked. Kids are being drugged. People are dying.
Q: Has anybody in Hollywood come to you — your agents or studio people — and asked you to stop talking about any of this?
A: I’ve had a lot of encouragement and a lot of thanks, that’s what I’ve had.
Q: Let me try this again — will any of those decisions involve a ring?
A: [Whispering, with a grin] It’s gonna happen, man. It’ll happen.
The full interview is here. Pictures are here.
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