# India vs. Richard Gere over kissing Bollywood actress **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 26, 2007, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718 "2007-04-26T11:14:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/1 "2007-04-26T11:14:37Z")
[http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070426/wl\_sthasia\_afp/entertainmentindiausbollywoodhollywoodjustice\_070426105253](http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070426/wl_sthasia_afp/entertainmentindiausbollywoodhollywoodjustice_070426105253) \*Gere embraced the 31-year-old Shetty – winner of Britain’s Celebrity Big Brother reality show – and planted several kisses on her cheek in front of thousands of onlookers at the AIDS function in the Indian capital New Delhi earlier this month. The incident triggered a public storm in India, known for its chaste public behaviour despite Bollywood’s sexually suggestive song-and-dance routines.\* Yo’ India! You’ve got semi-naked deities fondling each other on your temples! You worship at shrines of lingams and yonis! And you’re outraged over Richard Gere’s cheek-smooch!?! A kiss that wouldn’t even offend Fred Phelps! Get over it! > **[Asian Historical Architecture: A Photographic Survey](https://www.orientalarchitecture.com/khajuraho/jagadambiindex.htm)** > > Thousands of online photographs and descriptions of historical architecture throughout Asia. > **[Asian Historical Architecture: A Photographic Survey](https://www.orientalarchitecture.com/khajuraho/kandariyaindex.htm)** > > Thousands of online photographs and descriptions of historical architecture throughout Asia. > **[Canvasguru.com is for sale | HugeDomains](https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=canvasguru.com)** > > Choosing the right domain name can be overwhelming. Our personalized customer service helps you get a great domain. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/2 "2007-04-26T11:42:39Z")
It never ceases to amaze (and dismay) me that this is the country that produced the _Kama Sutra_. How the mighty have gone flaccid. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/3 "2007-04-26T11:45:20Z")
**FriarTed** , the Kama Sutra and the Sun Temple in Konark were several centuries ago. Indian society has become a lot more conservative and close-minded since then, especially since the arrival of fundamentalist religious politics (you hear a lot more of “this isn’t our culture” these days). Even in urban India, public displays of affection are severely frowned upon. I’m not condoning it, and I think the whole thing (the lawsuit, not the kiss) is an idiotic exercise in publicity-whoring, but them are the facts. Hand-holding among heterosexual couples is about the limit of what is tolerated in public (funnily enough, though, male friends holding hands and walking with arms around each other is perfectly acceptable). Even that can have severe repercussions, with self-appointed morality police threatening to tell parents and call the police - who, sadly, are all too willing to participate. I think it’s become far more of an issue lately, with politics more and more polarised - the Hindu-fundamentalist BJP has got quite a presence nationally, and doesn’t pass up any opportunity to trumpet “Indian virtues and morality”. Never mind the fact that one of their MPs was recently caught trying to smuggle a woman out of the country on his wife’s diplomatic passport. But I digress. I think it’s a storm in a teacup, making mountains out of molehills, and many other tired cliches. Not quite sure what to do about it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/4 "2007-04-26T11:49:26Z")
More scary than outrageous was what I saw on CNN, where they showed a group of protesters, admittedly only about 200 or so\*, marching and demanding “death to Shetty” and burning her in effigy along with Gere. Oddly, I can’t find many people protesting as loudly the calls for murdering a woman over a kiss. I guess I need help from a Gooooooooooogle expert. This is just outrageous. From: [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/26/arts/AS-A-E-India-People-Gere.php](http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/26/arts/AS-A-E-India-People-Gere.php) > [@](#): > > NEW DELHI: An Indian court issued arrest warrants for Hollywood actor Richard Gere and Bollywood star Shilpa Shelty on Thursday for kissing at a public function, media reports said. - Of course, having “only” 200 people wanting you dead is kind of upsetting. Don’t I know… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/5 "2007-04-26T11:50:21Z")
Please recall that a peck on the cheek is just a peck on the cheek. The same applies to a thoughtful exhalation. At heart, nothing changes. You must remember this A kiss is still a kiss A sigh is still (just) a sigh The fundamental things apply As time goes by. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/6 "2007-04-26T14:17:42Z")
[QUOTE=International Herald Tribune] [Judge Dinesh] Gupta earlier viewed television footage of the event, which he called “highly sexually erotic,” saying the pair violated India’s strict public obscenity laws. [/QUOTE] “Sources say the judge then retired to his chamber alone with a hand towel and a large container of _ghee_, and “re-evaluated” the obscene footage for the next hour and a half.” ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/7 "2007-04-26T14:25:00Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] More scary than outrageous was what I saw on CNN, where they showed a group of protesters, admittedly only about 200 or so\*, marching and demanding “death to Shetty” and burning her in effigy along with Gere. Oddly, I can’t find many people protesting as loudly the calls for murdering a woman over a kiss. I guess I need help from a Gooooooooooogle expert. This is just outrageous. From: [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/26/arts/AS-A-E-India-People-Gere.php](http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/26/arts/AS-A-E-India-People-Gere.php) - Of course, having “only” 200 people wanting you dead is kind of upsetting. Don’t I know… :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] I totally overlooked that the arrest warrant was for her also! :smack: However, the news story I read didn’t mention that she also was burned in effigy. Of course I protest that- it’s worse because she’s there in the country & thus in real potential danger, as distinct from Gere. ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/8 "2007-04-26T14:36:07Z")
Why did he kiss her anyway? None of his handlers had warned him that that kind of thing wouldn’t go over well in India? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/9 "2007-04-26T15:08:26Z")
[QUOTE=Autumn Almanac] Why did he kiss her anyway? None of his handlers had warned him that that kind of thing wouldn’t go over well in India? [/QUOTE] Dude, she was totally giving him the look! ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/10 "2007-04-26T15:09:14Z")
[QUOTE=Autumn Almanac] Why did he kiss her anyway? None of his handlers had warned him that that kind of thing wouldn’t go over well in India? [/QUOTE] Richard Gere is a pretty clumsy public figure. All this really means is that now the TWO most populous countries in the world hate his guts. For the longest time, it was just China. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/11 "2007-04-26T15:18:39Z")
[QUOTE=Autumn Almanac] Why did he kiss her anyway? None of his handlers had warned him that that kind of thing wouldn’t go over well in India? [/QUOTE] He says it was to entertain the truck drivers to whom they were giving a talk on AIDS awareness. You’d see far worse in any Bollywood potboiler, but apparently because it was done by Those Loose-Moraled Westerners to Our Saintly Indian Woman it’s much, much worse. :rolleyes: Yes, fundamentalist idiots piss me off. Apparently in India it’s now acceptable to take out any sort of greivance against the person who upsets you. Example: cricketers get booted out of World Cup, [fans attack house](http://worldcup.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1825244.cms). Disgusts me beyond belief. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/12 "2007-04-26T15:28:19Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Richard Gere is a pretty clumsy public figure. All this really means is that now the TWO most populous countries in the world hate his guts. For the longest time, it was just China. [/QUOTE] And Hamsterdam. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/13 "2007-04-26T15:50:17Z")
[QUOTE=Autumn Almanac] Why did he kiss her anyway? None of his handlers had warned him that that kind of thing wouldn’t go over well in India? [/QUOTE] In India? Did you see the way he pawed at her, bent her backwards and kissed her even as she was obviously uncomfortable with the whole thing? As Jon Stewart said on The Daily Show, “You know what? I actually think that’s considered offensive in our culture as well.” [Video here](http://www.ipatrix.com/2007/04/18/jon-stewart-daily-show-richard-gere-kiss/) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/14 "2007-04-26T16:09:04Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] Did you see the way he pawed at her, bent her backwards and kissed her even as she was obviously uncomfortable with the whole thing? As Jon Stewart said on The Daily Show, “You know what? I actually think that’s considered offensive in our culture as well.” [Video here](http://www.ipatrix.com/2007/04/18/jon-stewart-daily-show-richard-gere-kiss/) [/QUOTE] Certainly boorish and a bad idea, and she did look uncomfortable. But isn’t the reaction a bit extreme? It’s not like Gere suggested a beauty pageant contestant would make a good wife for Mohammed, or something similarly riot-worthy. Even the one comment on that video site can’t resist the mad rush to symbolize, with Gere as the post-colonialist White Man defiling the “daughter of India,” and suggesting Gere should “pay the ultimate price” (death, I guess, unless there’s some worse penalty I’m not aware of?) Here’s an idea: why don’t we let Shetty decide whether or not it was a big deal to her? She’s already stated it wasn’t and wants to move past it, so as far as I’m concerned the rest of the hoopla is just a lot of people with pre-existing grudge hammers riling themselves up over having found another suitable nail. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/15 "2007-04-26T16:10:13Z")
Wow. Putting aside that that was one of the least funny TDS bit I’ve ever seen (save the Sharpton bit at the end), what the hell was Gere doing?! Looks like a drunk guy at last call on Saturday night. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/16 "2007-04-26T16:15:03Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] And Hamsterdam. [/QUOTE] Don’t forget Poland. ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/17 "2007-04-26T16:19:44Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] In India? Did you see the way he pawed at her, bent her backwards and kissed her even as she was obviously uncomfortable with the whole thing? [/QUOTE] Actually, no, I haven’t seen the video. The account I read described it as “friendly kisses on the cheek,” like what two presenters at an awards show would do. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/18 "2007-04-26T16:27:43Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Certainly boorish and a bad idea, and she did look uncomfortable. But isn’t the reaction a bit extreme? It’s not like Gere suggested a beauty pageant contestant would make a good wife for Mohammed, or something similarly riot-worthy. [/quote] Sure, the reaction is extreme. Burning effigies, calls for death, arrest warrants—it’s all ridiculous. One could condemn the reaction unequivocally, and call them all a bunch of backward troglodytes, at the risk of being labeled a cultural imperialist. One could shrug and say, “Who are we to judge their culture?”, at the risk of being labeled a cultural relativist. I chose simply to focus on Gere’s initial actions. [QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Here’s an idea: why don’t we let Shetty decide whether or not it was a big deal to her? She’s already stated it wasn’t and wants to move past it, so as far as I’m concerned the rest of the hoopla is just a lot of people with pre-existing grudge hammers riling themselves up over having found another suitable nail. [/QUOTE] Sure, Shetty gets to decide how she feels about it. Absolutely. But the fact that she chooses to move past it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a bonehead and inappropriate move in the first place. Even if she’s happy to forgive, it’s still clear from the video that she was very uncomfortable with it. I have no particular grudge against Richard Gere; i was just amazed at how idiotically he acted. > [@Autumn Almanac](#): > > Actually, no, I haven’t seen the video. The account I read described it as “friendly kisses on the cheek,” like what two presenters at an awards show would do. Well, go back to my previous post and click on the link. You can judge for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/19 "2007-04-26T16:36:19Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] But the fact that she chooses to move past it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a bonehead and inappropriate move in the first place. Even if she’s happy to forgive, it’s still clear from the video that she was very uncomfortable with it. I have no particular grudge against Richard Gere; i was just amazed at how idiotically he acted. [/QUOTE] No argument there. Although to play devil’s advocate, a lifetime of jokes about one’s alleged gerborectal proclivities is bound to set a guy on edge. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718/20 "2007-04-26T16:42:39Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Even the one comment on that video site can’t resist the mad rush to symbolize, with Gere as the post-colonialist White Man defiling the “daughter of India,” and suggesting Gere should “pay the ultimate price” (death, I guess, unless there’s some worse penalty I’m not aware of?) [/QUOTE] Well, they could make him watch one of his movies… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-vs-richard-gere-over-kissing-bollywood-actress/401718.md?page=2)