Gilmore Girls Star Scott Patterson Calls Out Show Creator for 'Disturbing' Experience On Set

Gilmore Girls' own Luke Danes is getting real about his experience filming Amy Sherman-Palladino's beloved series. 

In an episode of his Gilmore Girls rewatch podcast I Am All In, Scott Patterson discusses Season 3 episode "Keg! Max!" and reveals that he was deeply uncomfortable shooting it. The episode, which aired in April 2003, sees Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) have a long discussion about Luke's butt after Sookie's hand accidentally ends up on his rear end. Nearly 20 years later, Patterson recalls how "disgusted" and "embarrassed" he was on the set of the series. 

“I realized it wasn’t OK, and it didn’t make me feel comfortable at all. It made me feel really embarrassed, actually. It’s 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," Patterson says. "When we weren’t filming, we were sitting down - people were still talking about the butt, the butt, the butt. It was the most disturbing time I have ever spent on that set, and I couldn’t wait for that day to be over."

Patterson clarifies that playing Luke "was a great job and means the world to me," but admits that this doesn't erase the damage that was done. "It’s as disgusting for women to objectify men as it is for men to objectify women, and it’s as harmful," he continues. "It’s never OK, and I didn’t feel comfortable doing it, and it pissed me off. And I never said anything, so I was angry at myself for never saying anything. But I had this job, and I didn’t want to make waves and all that."

"Somebody had to pay the price for that, and I’m still paying the price."

People are talking about Gilmore Girls in our forums. Join the conversation.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. She was previously a reporter/producer at Decider and is a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.