George Clooney talks sex, politics and fame

Nov. 9, 2011, 6:11 PM UTC / Source: Rolling Stone

George Clooney is the kind of movie star who can seem too perfect to be real, but in the latest issue of Rolling Stone, on stands and available through Rolling Stone All Access on Nov. 11, the actor and director reveals that he's actually a pretty ordinary guy despite his looks, success, charm and fame. Well, sorta.

In an interview with contributing editor Erik Hedegaard, Clooney is candid about sex, his struggle to keep control of his temper and his passion for politics.

"My name is George and the world is in trouble," he says. "I can name you 40 hot spots in the world right now, and not just physically violent hot spots, but financially violent hot spots as well."

Other highlights from the story:

Clooney reveals that that while he lost his virginity at the age of 16 ("young, very young, too young"), he had his first orgasm when he was much younger. "I believe it was while climbing a rope when I was six or seven years old," he says. "I mean, nothing came out, but all the other elements were there. I remember getting to the top of the rope, hanging off the rope, and going, "Oh, my God, this feels great!"
Despite his debonair appearance, Clooney's sense of humor can get a bit sophomoric. For example, the word "Johnson" always makes him laugh. "Always. 'He showed her his Johnson and she left.' You can actually say that in mixed company or on late-night TV." He's also pretty fond of farts, especially when hanging out with his pals. "We think it's one of the funniest things in the history of mankind. Even the idea of a fart makes me laugh. Saying the word 'fart' makes me laugh. I have iFart on my phone. I have remote whoopee cushions. Farts. To me, there's nothing funnier."
He's perfectly fine with his current lady, former pro wrestler Stacy Keibler, tweeting about "smiling all day long." "She can do whatever she wants," he says. "I rarely tell anybody what they should be doing with their life."
He may be one of the biggest celebrities in the world now, but Clooney grew up in the shadow of his father, a local TV newsman in Ohio and Kentucky. "You have to remember that in the microcosm of Cincinnati, Ohio, through northern Kentucky, my father was a big, big star. So that made my sister and me really visible. Everybody knew us, talked about us. If I scored 15 points in a basketball game, the paper would say 'Nick Clooney's son scored 15 points.'" The fame was especially difficult for Clooney as he was struggling with the onset of Bell's palsy, a form of facial paralysis. "It was very awkward, being watched like that, everybody looking at us, and then all of a sudden your face goes flat? My dad would always say, 'It's going to go away, you'll be fine, you can handle it." But it was a tricky thing. So, you develop a better personality and learn how to make jokes about it."