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Michael Douglas described the golf forfeit as a private running joke with his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones—not a public incident. In a March 2023 interview with The Guardian, he said the trigger was failing to hit the ball past the ladies’ tees, and that he sometimes gave her a “little show” when they were playing alone. He added: “But only when I play with my wife.”
What was the golf forfeit?
Asked by a Guardian reader whether Zeta-Jones still made him take off his trousers as a golf forfeit, Douglas explained the rule this way: “The rules are I have to whip it out if I don’t hit it past the ladies’ tees, which I manage most of the time.” He said there had been occasions when they played alone and he gave her a “little show” because they were competitive.
That account makes “after losing” a shorthand, not a complete description. Douglas identified the specific trigger as not hitting beyond the ladies’ tees; he did not describe it simply as losing a match every time. His answer also framed the forfeit as a private joke between the two of them, rather than a public episode. Read Douglas’s March 2, 2023 Guardian reader interview.
How did Catherine Zeta-Jones tell the story?
A 2023 Fox News recap of Zeta-Jones’s appearance on The Graham Norton Show recounts her joking that the forfeit could apply to any man she played with. Fox quotes her saying: “We have a bet that if he ducks a shot, he has to take his pants off . . . drop them . . . expose himself in some way.” The recap also says she described sending Douglas into the bushes after paparazzi appeared.
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- The Strata 12-Piece Men's is designed to give you maximum performance right out of the box for more confidence from tee-to-green. The lightweight 460cc forged driver, fairway wood, hybrid, irons and putter make up a set that provides a great combination of distance, forgiveness and control, and is very easy to hit.
This is Fox News’s report of her television story, not a transcript of the original broadcast. Her version and Douglas’s later explanation share the idea of a playful golf bet, while Douglas gave a more specific trigger in his 2023 answer. Read Fox News’s recap.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did Douglas repeat the anecdote?
Yes. E! News reported that Douglas retold it during a July 10, 2024 appearance on The View. According to E!, he said “Whip it out,” followed by “She says, ‘You’ve gotta whip it out,’” and elaborated: “Drop the trou and whip it out.” The original broadcast wording is presented here as reported by E! News. Read E! News’s July 11, 2024 report.
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