Twitter responds to French author 'incapable' of loving women over 50

“I will tell you the truth,” Yann Moix, 51, told Marie Claire magazine in an interview published Friday. “At 50 years old, I am incapable of loving a woman of 50.”

“I find that too old,” he said. "When I am 60, I will be capable. Fifty will seem young to me.”

It’s not that he finds women over 50 distasteful, he said. They are simply “invisible”.

“I prefer the bodies of young women, that is all. Period. I don’t want to lie to you. The body of a woman of 25, it’s extraordinary. The body of a woman of 50 is not extraordinary at all.”

He hastened to add that he did not share the affliction of those men who can only fall in love with 25-year-olds. “I could [love] a woman of 40,” he said.

French author and journalist Mona Chollet tweeted a screen grab of the original article with the comment, "Yann Moix is a sad man, as confirmed by Marie Claire."

French MP Olivia Gregoire of the ruling La République en Marche party tweeted: “Very classy Yann Moix. Very very classy. But like stupidity and vulgarity, which have no age ... it’s reassuring in his case as I doubt many women want [these qualities] anyway."

Moix went on to be even more specific about his predilections while speaking to Marie Claire.

“I only date Asians. Essentially Koreans, Chinese, Japanese. I’m not bragging. I’m trying to be honest and frank. Many people would be unable to admit this to you because it is racism. It may be sad and reductive for the women I go out with, but the Asian genre is sufficiently rich, broad and infinite so that I do not feel ashamed.”

The backlash to his comments on social media – in France and beyond – was swift and unmerciful.

Both women and men took him to task for his “creepy” and “deranged” statements, ridiculing him as just another older man chasing young women.

"If Yann Moix wants to date any woman, regardless of age, he needs to start by losing the creepy uncle vibe," wrote one Twitter user.

"Hey Yann Moix, can women under 50 also be invisible to you as well please? Signed all women of all ages everywhere," wrote another.

One young Korean said she couldn't wait to be over 50 to escape the attentions of men like Moix.

Others said that Moix was "shallow" for confusing love and lust.

"Never heard of you before, had to look you up. Seems like women over 50 have had a lucky escape."

"Only a year and 14 days left to sleep with Yann Moix," tweeted French actress Marina Foïs, who turns 49 in two weeks.

A Twitter user using the handle "The Prof" asked why so-called famous people feel entitled to make such "utterly deranged comments" publicly, suggesting that a surplus of ego was to blame.

While the French author may find himself "incapable" of pursuing women over 50, women over 50 have made it clear they count themselves lucky.

"Don't worry Jerk -- I'm over 50 and too good for you!" one affirmed.

“Women over 50 who have just learned they will never feel the loving caress of Yann Moix are breathing a collective sigh of relief at the bullet they've dodged,” said “Toscha”.

She added: “This little tweet has probably satisfied more women than Moix."

Several made the point that women over 50 would know better than to get involved with someone like Moix.

"It's not that he doesn't like women who are 50 or over. It's that they wouldn't spit his direction so he has to focus on the younger, less experienced ones."

"I've dated many beautiful women in their fifties and in my opinion, given my experience, you don't know what you're talking about," wrote one man.

Others said the only reason a young woman would choose to be with the over-50 Moix would be financial.

French comedian Jérémie Dethelot also had a few choice words for Moix, as well as a threat.

"Yann Moix says that at age 50 a woman holds no interest ... So listen up, brother. If you speak badly again of my fantasy women [French actress and director] Clémentine Célarié and [American actress] Teri Hatcher, I promise I will meet you in the ring, no holds barred."

As the public response continued to gather steam, Moix tried to redress his remarks in an interview Monday with RTL radio, saying he was merely a slave to his passions.

“We are not responsible for either our tastes or our inclinations,” he said, adding: “I love whom I want and I have no obligation to appear before the tribunal of taste.”

One man observed that Moix’s attitude "isn't healthy” but is nevertheless shared by other men who simply don't admit it in public.

Speaking to RTL, Moix insisted that he was just trying to be honest. There are also women who prefer younger men, he pointed out, noting that “cougers” are even in fashion.

And he said older women would not be interested in him either.

“I’m an adolescent, I’m a child, and women in their 50s are not interested in me either… They have better things to do than be with a neurotic who all day long writes and reads and is interested in things that usually only interest children. It’s not easy to be with me,” he said.

It may be Moix who has the last laugh, however. He is currently promoting his latest book, "Rompre", and the publicity his comments have generated may translate into book sales.

He said as much to RTL: “The system is so perverse that my sales are going to rise like an arrow."

Moix has won a host of literary prizes, including France’s prestigious Prix Goncourt, the Prix François Mauriac and the Renaudot prize. He has also directed films and hosted radio and TV shows in France. He currently hosts his own talk show, Chez Moix.