Ex-Oasis singer's remarks to NME prompt Mind to speak out
By Ian Birch
The former Oasis singer, Liam Gallagher, has been critcised by mental healthy charity Mind after calling Adam Ant, who has bipolar disorder, "f***ing nutty".
The remarks, made to NME magazine, followed a feud between the two over a song.
A spokesman for Mind told the Sun newspaper: "It's not helpful for people brave enough to be open to be met with name calling. Many celebrities, like Adam Ant, have spoken out about their mental health problems and we are so grateful that they do."
Gallagher recently told NME, in an interview: "I'm not into a geezer who wears make-up. Especially f***ing nutty ones". The rest of the remarks are unrepeatable and are equally offensive and stigmatising.
Ant, who's 57, has had mental health problems since his early twenties. He told The Quietus last year: "I was sectioned under the Mental Health Act, a Victorian law, which upset me because I don't think I'm nuts. The one liberty I have left, along with deciding who I sleep with, what I wear, how I vote, what I spend my money on, what job I do, is primarily what's going on in my mind."
In response to Ant's offer to meet Gallagher in person and sort out their differences, the Sun reports that Gallagher added: "Bring it on, any time, you f***ing cowboy".
It is hurtful and blatantly unacceptable for anyone to verbally abuse someone with a mental health difficulty in any situation, but for a celebrity - a role model - to do so publically is outrageous.
It is no wonder then that Mind are so upset about Gallagher's comments and felt the need to speak out.
