“Less Than Perfect” star Eric Roberts’ behavior was less than perfect when he spewed anti-gay slurs at a member of his Hollywood gym.
Waiter Marlowe Smith told The ENQUIRER that Julia Roberts’ hotheaded brother “worked out his mouth more than his body at the gym.
“He berated me like some schoolyard bully. It was shocking and hurtful.
“It started when Eric and I both went to work out on the biceps machine. I was about to use it but Eric had the pin that’s used to adjust the weight.
“He glared at me and said, ‘If you had been paying attention you would have seen that I had the pin, fag boy.’
“It was completely out of nowhere — he just went off on me. Then he kept saying it over and over — he must have called me ‘fag boy’ at least 12 times.
“Then he added fuel to the fire by calling me ‘fat boy’ because he’s in really good physical shape.
“I’ve heard about his bad temper from other people in the gym so I just moved on to doing my chest presses.
“When Eric was done working on his biceps he walked past me and said, ‘It’s all yours, fag boy.’
“He just wouldn’t let it go, so I said something to the girl at the front desk. She told me it wasn’t the first time she’s heard about Eric’s foul mood.
“I’m gay, and I’m not ashamed of it.
“But I was embarrassed and belittled. Roberts had no right to go off on me like that!”
Smith said the incident occurred at the popular Hollywood Gym, which is also frequented by Denzel Washington, Harry Connick Jr., Farrah Fawcett, Tyra Banks, Shawn Wayans and other celebrities.
Eric’s bad-boy reputation is well earned. In 1987 he was arrested in New York for attempted assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and possession of cocaine and marijuana. In 1995 he was busted for assaulting his wife Eliza.
Ironically, the volatile star played Gregory Harrison’s gay lover in the 1996 film “It’s My Party.”
“I recognized Eric from his role in ‘It’s My Party’ and actually respected him as an actor,” Smith added.
“But after his brutal tongue-lashing I’ll never go see another movie he’s in!”
