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Anthony Anderson is responding to the backlash he's receiving over a resurfaced interview with Lindsay Lohan during which he told the then-teen that "some men like 'em young."
Anderson's controversial comments stem from a 2003 interview with Lohan, 17, who appeared on The Sharon Osbourne Show to promote her film, Freaky Friday, while the comedian was serving as a guest host.
During the interview, Anderson made several comments about Lohan's age, saying she had "grown up a whole lot" since starring in The Parent Trap, as he put his hand on her knee. Anderson also noted that she and Raven-Symoné, another popular teen star at the time, were both beautiful.
Anderson asked Lohan if she had plans to bring any "gentlemen" to her new home, to which she responded, "No."
“Hmm, she’s single but looking!” Anderson replied.
“But I’m illegal for people that are old," the 17-year-old actor argued.
Anderson then informed Lohan that "some men like 'em young."
“We ain’t gonna mention no names, but, you know, I’m one of ’em," Anderson said.
The Black-ish star's comments resurfaced on social media this week, sparking backlash.
"He's disgusting," one X user wrote.
"Gross," another person commented.
Amid the criticism, a spokesperson for Anderson released a statement, saying his 2003 comments were "intended as comedy."
“This interview was clearly intended as comedy. He regrets if the humor was in poor taste and maintains the utmost respect for Lindsay,” the spokesperson said, per Entertainment Weekly. “Any implication to the contrary is both inaccurate and potentially defamatory.”
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