Bret Easton Ellis talks Bryan Singer scandal on podcast

Bryan Singer, director of the X-Men franchise, was recently accused of sexual abuse. American Psycho writer Bret Easton Ellis has something to say about the claims — and he's not quite making a case for Singer's innocence.

In a podcast with Alan Ball, Ellis brought up the allegations against Singer, saying that it's common to find underage boys at Hollywood parties. "There is the notion that Hollywood, by its very nature, kind of encourages this behavior in a way," Ellis says, before recalling a time he was invited to what he calls one of Singer's "underage parties."

While Ellis doesn't offer much comment on the specific charges being lobbed at Singer, he does keep referring to the scandal as a "murky, tricky thing" — and vaguely veers into some victim-blaming territory. "I have suspicions of this case in terms of why it's being brought up now, with Bryan's movie about to come out," says Ellis. "It just seems very calculated." Singer's latest film, X-Men: Days of Future Past, will be released May 23.

Listen to what else Ellis and Ball had to say below. The comments about Singer begin around minute 59: