Scott Patterson, famous for playing Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls, has opened up about a difficult moment for him in the show…
Which left him feeling like a “meat stick.”
He has revealed that the “disturbing” scene left him feeling “embarrassed.”
Scroll on to find out why.
Now, everyone loves a good binge-watch…
When you don’t know what series to sink your teeth into next, nothing quite hits the spot like a good old slice of nostalgia.
One look on social media will show you the likes of Gossip Girl, Friends, and Desperate Housewives tend to be go-to’s when it comes to this.
We’ve all been there. Rewatching something you used to love years later hits different.
And sometimes, series don’t always age well.
Times have changed, and when watching through the modern lens, you start to notice some problematic aspects of once-beloved shows.
And sadly, this has been the case for Gilmore Girls.
Well, according to Scott Patterson, who has spoken out about a particularly “disturbing” scene that left him feeling like a “meat stick.”
Gilmore Girls is just one of those shows that everyone loved.
The comedy-drama, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, was a fan favorite of the time, wracking up a huge fanbase.
It’s easy to see why it was an instant hit.
First airing in October of the new millennium, the series was praised for its strong female cast.
It had the perfect mix of comedy and drama to keep you hooked.
And ran for an impressive 7 years, over 7 seasons respectively.
Television critics at the time gushed over Gilmore Girls for its witty dialogue and cross-generational appeal.
Not to mention the relatability of the characters.
The relationship between Rory and Lorelai Gilmore is just as compelling now as it was back when the show first burst onto our screens.
Then there are the love interests of the show…
Max and Lorelai left us all emotional…
Like when Max had 1,000 yellow daisies delivered to Lorelai. And then he just had to propose afterward. We’re not crying, you’re crying.
Or the moment that Christopher and Lorelai almost got together…
But then Christopher’s girlfriend got pregnant and ruined everything. Great timing, Sherry.
Then there’s Rory and Dean…
And the moment they shared their first kiss in the ever-so-romantic Doose’s Market.
However, when you take off the rose-tinted glasses, there are a few moments in the series that might make you realize…
Gilmore Girls has its problems.
Now, the show is known for having strong female characters, one of the most important being Rory…
But here’s where things start to get problematic: fans raised the point that when Rory is single and isn’t interested in boys or dating — she is successful. But, when a relationship is her priority… everything seems to fall apart.
One fan named Samantha Grindell, who wrote an article on the matter, pointed out that it reduces her “achievements and failures to a direct result of her relationships with men.”
In her article, Grindell goes on to say that the portrayal of Rory’s dating life “sends a harmful message to female viewers about the limited ways s*x can function in their lives.”
Many agreed with Grindell, with one Twitter user writing: “I’ve loved the show for many years since but this is true plus it constantly made jokes about lesbians. Which I didn’t pick up until much later after rewatching the series now in my late 20s.”
But this isn’t the only thing that has gotten fans talking about the show.
Scott Patterson has recently opened up about his experience on the show and revealed that he feels angry at himself for not speaking out sooner.
It seems as though the actor, who played Luke Danes in the hit show, has some disturbing memories on set where he felt like nothing more than a “meat stick.”
Discussing his feelings rewatching the Season 3 episode: Keg! Max, the actor said he felt shocked by how he was treated during the scene.
The scene in question sees Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) admire Luke’s butt.
“That was disturbing. I realized it wasn’t OK, and it didn’t make me feel comfortable at all. It made me feel really embarrassed, actually,” Patterson said during his I Am All In podcast.
“It is infuriating to be treated that way — it is infuriating — because you’re being treated like an object. It’s disturbing, and it’s disgusting. And I had to endure that through that entire scene and many takes.”
“It was all about the butt, the butt, the butt, the butt. When we weren’t filming, we were sitting down — people were still talking about the butt, the butt, the butt,” he continued.
“It was the most disturbing time I have ever spent on that set, and I couldn’t wait for that day to be over.”
He went on to share that he was ashamed that he never brought his feelings up with the creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.
“Just because it was 2003 didn’t mean it was OK,” he said. “It’s never OK. And I didn’t feel comfortable doing it and it pissed me off. I never said anything, so I was angry at myself for never saying anything. But, you know, I had this job and I didn’t want to make waves and all that.”
“It’s as disgusting for women to objectify men as it for men to objectify women and it’s as harmful,” Patterson added.
You can listen to his full podcast episode discussing the issue here.
What do you think of his comments?