Elton John says he's too old to adopt child
( 2001-09-19 16:11 ) (7 )

elton john

British pop star Elton John, who is openly gay, said in an interview published Tuesday he was too old to adopt a child at 54, but would have done so 20 years ago.

John told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet he and his partner, David Furnish, had thought a lot about adopting a child.

"But I have come to the conclusion that it is too late for me. Had it been 20 years ago, then I would definitely have done it,'' John told the paper, in what it called an exclusive interview.

John, on a one-day visit to Sweden to appear in a television show, said: "I don't want to be 70 years old when my daughter turns 16."

He also said his fame would cause "extra big" responsibilities because celebrity parents attracted so much media attention.

"David and I are one of the world's most famous gay couples," he said, adding that his own extensive traveling could be difficult to combine with the role of being a parent.

John, who changed his name from Reginald Dwight to Elton John 30 years ago, criticized discrimination against homosexuals in his latest album "Songs From the West Coast," Aftonbladet said.

"I am proud to be gay, but at the same time I don't live for being gay," said the star.