# Pete Townshend: pedophile?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [January 11, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003 "2003-01-11T20:08:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/1 "2003-01-11T20:08:38Z")
Rock legend Pete Townshend is under investigation for having kiddie porn on his computer. Townshend claims that he was doing “research” on pedophilia for a book and he adamantly [denies](http://europe.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/01/11/uk.townshend/) that he is a pedophile.
I really, really hope he’s telling the truth. Say it ain’t so Pete, say it ain’t so
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### Author:  [@Payne\_N.Diaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payne_N.Diaz)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/2 "2003-01-11T20:18:21Z")
Ah, the old research idea.
Sorry, officer, I was just doing research for my book on methamphetamine production/pipe bomb engineering/bestiality/…
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### Author:  [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/3 "2003-01-11T20:20:52Z")
Well, this story just broke. Let’s hold off on any judgements until more facts become clear.
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### Author:  [@CLedet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CLedet)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/4 "2003-01-11T20:44:48Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \*
> \*\*I really, really hope he’s telling the truth. Say it ain’t so Pete, say it ain’t so \*\*
Well Pete can use the old research dodge all he wants, his ass is grass now. No one will listen. Even if it’s the truth some people have zero tolerance for this and will make his life hell.
Its a good thing he didn’t “murder” a dog too, ain’t that right DtC.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/5 "2003-01-11T21:19:42Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _CLedet_
> Its a good thing he didn’t “murder” a dog too, ain’t that right DtC.
Touche. 😉
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### Author:  [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/6 "2003-01-11T21:35:17Z")
What the hell is wrong with people? I know it’s a breaking story, and nothing has been proven, but it seems like every other week some celebrity is found to be allegedly a paedophile.
Seeing as someone already mentioned it: what the hells is wrong with that cop that shot the family pet? If cops shot dead every dog that was (god forbid) running in their direction, there’d be a lot of dead dogs around. This story made me feel sick.
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### Author:  [@barton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barton)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/7 "2003-01-11T23:14:46Z")
_Tommy_ didn’t exactly champion child abuse, so I’m inclined to believe Townshend’s take.
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### Author:  [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/8 "2003-01-11T23:32:35Z")
FWIW, Townshend has done a lot of work for charities that help abused children. He has also been public about his interest in both understanding and preventing child sexual abuse and pornography. Some time ago he wrote an article on his own website about how horrified he’d been to turn up kiddie porn links when trying to find information on how to help children in Russian orphanages, and has since then posted several comments about ways to prevent the spread of kiddie porn on the Internet.
Given all this, I do not find it difficult to believe that he really was studying the subject of child pornography with no questionable intentions or motivations. If that is the case, I hope his name is cleared quickly. Of course, if he is proven to be some kiddie porn fiend I hope they lock him up for a long time, but that just doesn’t seem likely to me.
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### Author:  [@caracal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caracal)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/9 "2003-01-11T23:41:19Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by samarm \*
> \*\*What the hell is wrong with people? I know it’s a breaking story, and nothing has been proven, but it seems like every other week some celebrity is found to be allegedly a paedophile.
>
> \*\*
It’s too easy to become a pedophile these days. Spend a few minutes downloading from a newsgroup and tada!-you’re a peophile. Perv’s never had it so easy. I’m curious to find out what steps lead the police to search his files in the first place. Does anyone know?
I hope its not true either, for what its worth.
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### Author:  [@caracal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caracal)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/10 "2003-01-11T23:42:53Z")
peophile=pedophile, I guess the 1st one has to do with golden showers.
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### Author:  [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/11 "2003-01-11T23:43:38Z")
If this is the case:
CNN
> [@](#):
>
> The star said he was interested in adult porn, adding: “I’ve always been into pornography and I have used it all my life.”
Why would he need kiddie porn, just to compare/contrast the differences? I’d assume that kiddie porn wouldn’t be much different than adult porn, but, then as Iris Dement says 'let the mystery be". I’d much resolve to not know the intricacies of kiddie porn and research it at the library or talk with police than sit through videos or pictures of it.
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### Author:  [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/12 "2003-01-12T00:12:44Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by caracal \*
> \*\*It’s too easy to become a pedophile these days. Spend a few minutes downloading from a newsgroup and tada!-you’re a peophile. Perv’s never had it so easy. I’m curious to find out what steps lead the police to search his files in the first place. Does anyone know?
>
> I hope its not true either, for what its worth. \*\*
He used his credit card to gain access to this site which the FBI busted and started arresting judges, doctors, policemen and just the average dirtbag.
[here](http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/) is a troubling picture of townsend and CONVICTED pedophile gary Glitter who he toured with. I hope it is just a coincidence. God, I hope he is telling the truth.
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### Author:  [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/13 "2003-01-12T02:20:42Z")
> [@](#):
>
> CONVICTED pedophile gary Glitter
He may very well be a paedophile, but he was convicted of possesion of indecent images of children. He didn’t actually molest any children.
If the News of the World digs up a photo of Glitter and Townsend does that creates guilt by association?
The picture looks like it was taken at some charity event before the Glitter revelations.
I’d bet the NOTW would love to imply it was some kiddy porn lovers convention.
hey look! Its a bicture of Gary Glitter with Roger Daltry, the lead singer of the Who! Is he a pederast also?
[http://www.garyglitter.8m.com/ggsound.html](http://www.garyglitter.8m.com/ggsound.html)
and Right Said Fred! they are in the same room! Kiddy Fiddlers the lot of em!
Christ! Its Convicted Pedophile Gary Glitter with notorious nonces The Spice Girls!
[http://www.garyglitter.8m.com/gspice.jpg](http://www.garyglitter.8m.com/gspice.jpg)
I’m hoping that Pete Townshend’s story is true. If not, then I hope the law deals with him correctly. But I think the News of the World and its ilk will have him tarnished for the rest of his life regardless of the outcome.
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### Author:  [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/14 "2003-01-12T02:34:32Z")
Hoo, boy, this is absolutely horrible. And yes, God Almighty I do hope Pete’s story is the truth…
… but even then it may not be worth sh\*t, if possession of CP is one of those “strict liability” laws where it doesn’t matter what you “believed” or “meant”, but the very fact that it is there is all that matters. I know that _in the USA_ there has been at least one case of a _journalist_ researching an article on CP who was busted and convicted for actually downloading.
Damn, this is one bad trip.
(Though in any case, after the Gary Glitter case, wouldn’t anyone half sensible have realized it’s a really, really, really BAD IDEA to get CP files into your computer, or CP sites into your browser history?)
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2003, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/15 "2003-01-12T05:14:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by TwistofFate \*
> \*\*He (Gary Glitter) may very well be a paedophile, but he was convicted of possesion of indecent images of children. He didn’t actually molest any children. \*\*
And he was just kicked out of Cambodia (known as a haven for child molesters). A coincidence, we would hope.
At the very least, Pete, knowing Glitter’s history of being busted for downloading child porn, you were pretty damn stupid.\*
\*I would like to believe you are not morphing into Wicked Uncle Ernie.
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### Author:  [@cart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cart)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/16 "2003-01-12T11:53:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \*
> \*\*Townshend claims that he was doing “research” on pedophilia for a book and he adamantly [denies](http://europe.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/01/11/uk.townshend/) that he is a pedophile.
> \*\*
Gary Glitter must be kicking himself.
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### Author:  [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/17 "2003-01-12T13:56:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by TwistofFate \*
> **He may very well be a paedophile, but he was convicted of possesion of indecent images of children. He didn’t actually molest any children.
> If the News of the World digs up a photo of Glitter and Townsend does that creates guilt by association?
> The picture looks like it was taken at some charity event before the Glitter revelations.
> I’d bet the NOTW would love to imply it was some kiddy porn lovers convention.**
Both exceptionally good points. I too thought the NOTW was being incredibly manipulative.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/18 "2003-01-12T14:17:28Z")
According to Sky News, Townsend informed the police of what he was doing, though it’s not clear whether he did this before or after accessing the site.
BTW, **Twisty** , there are some allegations of molestation against Glitter from the 70s in the UK that were made on a Channel 4 documentary, but the alleged victims couldn’t press charges due to the length of time between the alleged events and the time at which they were reported to police.
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### Author:  [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/19 "2003-01-12T14:40:12Z")
So I guess “Fiddle About” was a first-person confession?
> [@](#):
>
> I’m your wicked Uncle Ernie
> and I’m glad you won’t see or hear me as I
> Fiddle about
> Fiddle about
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### Author:  [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/20 "2003-01-12T15:20:00Z")
**gobear** , Townshend says that it _was_ a kind of first person account, but not in the way you imply.
> [@](#):
>
> "I have been writing my childhood autobiography for the past seven years. I believe I was sexually abused between the ages of five and six and a half when in the care of my maternal grandmother who was mentally ill at the time.
>
> I cannot remember clearly what happened, but my creative work tends to throw up nasty shadows-particularly in Tommy."
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