Yoko Ono discussed her late husband John Lennon's bisexuality during a recent interview, saying he "had a desire" to have sex with men, but was likely "too inhibited" to act on those feelings, or never had the right opportunity.
Ono, 82, made her comments during a lengthy
interview with The Daily Beast, published Tuesday.
In speaking about the Icon award she will receive at the Attitude Awards in the U.K. this month — which recognizes her support of same-sex marriage — the interviewer asked if she ever had any same-sex attraction herself.
"John and I had a big talk about it, saying, basically, all of us must be bisexual," she responded.
"And we were sort of in a situation of thinking that we’re not [bisexual] because of society. So we are hiding the other side of ourselves, which is less acceptable. But I don’t have a strong sexual desire towards another woman … I mean, both John and I thought it was good that people think we were bisexual, or homosexual."
That comment, in turn, brought up the old rumor that Lennon had sex with Beatles manager Brian Epstein — a rumor discussed in the 1991 movie "The Hours and The Times."
"Uh, well, the story I was told was a very explicit story, and from that I think they didn’t have it [sex]," said Ono. "But they went to Spain, and when they came back, tons of reporters were asking, ‘Did you do it, did you do it?’ So he said, ‘I did it.’ Isn’t that amazing? But of course he would say that. I’m sure Brian Epstein made a move, yeah."
Lennon himself said previously that his relationship with Epstein "was almost a love affair, but not quite. It was never consummated. But it was a pretty intense relationship."
Pete Shotton, Lennon's friend, later said that the former Beatle once told him he allowed Epstein to "toss [wank] him off."
"I think he had a desire to [have sex with men], but I think he was too inhibited," Ono continued. "No, not inhibited. He said, ‘I don’t mind if there’s an incredibly attractive guy.’ It’s very difficult: They would have to be not just physically attractive, but mentally very advanced too. And you can’t find people like that."