Cosmo Landesman

I’m nearly 60. I’m still interested in sex. Is that a problem?

In defence of 'dirty old men'

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issue 15 February 2014

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The other day I casually remarked to my ex-wife that our son’s new teacher is ‘really hot’. She gave me a look of disgust, shook her head and said, ‘You dirty old man!’

It’s not the first time I’ve been called that, and usually I just keep smiling and stay silent. But this time I bridled. Recently, in two separate courtrooms, both Dave Lee Travis and Bill Roache had been denounced as ’dirty old men’. OK, I confess: maybe I did emit a ‘phwhoar!’ or two too many for my ex’s taste — but did I deserve to be branded a dirty old man?

I hope not. When I was a teenager I always swore that I would never grow up to be a dirty old man — like my dad.

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