Raquel Welch Said Sex Was ‘Overrated’: ‘It’s Not the Whole Enchilada’
Raquel Welch was known not only for her acting talent but also for being a sex symbol. Although the entertainment industry emphasized Welch’s image, she once said she thought sex was “overrated.”
Raquel Welch became a sex symbol after appearing in ‘One Million Years B.C.’
Welch gained attention after her appearance in the 1966 film One Million Years B.C. She says people began to recognize her after photos from the movie were distributed. She recalls arriving at the airport after filming the movie and hearing photographers shout her name.
“I was happy,” Welch tells Access. “I thought, ‘Wow, really? They all know who I am? All because I came here and did this crazy dinosaur movie? And it was the costume. It was ‘Wham, bam, and whoa. It was unforgettable.”
Raquel Welch said sex was ‘overrated’
Although Welch was associated with being sexy, she thought sex was “overrated.” In her book, Beyond the Cleavage, she said there was more to a relationship than sex.
“Sex, in my opinion, is overrated and constantly hyped far beyond what it can deliver,” wrote Welch in her book. “Good sex is really the byproduct of how the rapport in your relationship is going otherwise. If you’re lucky, it occurs with some regularity and becomes an expression of your continuing love for each other. But it’s not the whole enchilada.”
Welch said there was no room for another man in her life. After her fourth marriage, she chose not to remarry. According to her, having a man in her life wasn’t necessary. She learned to be happy on her own.
Raquel Welch initially ‘fought against’ her sex symbol title
During a 1968 interview with the late talk show host Johnny Carson, Welch said the sex-symbol label used to bother her. However, she became used to it as time went on.
“I used to get a little perturbed because there seemed to be a stereotyped idea of what a sex symbol was,” Welch told Carson. “Sort of vapid and not too bright and not much ability. It makes you feel that you’re limited in some way, and so you kind of fight against it. But I don’t think you can really fight against an image. It’s something you can’t control.”
Welch avoided posing for Playboy because she didn’t want to be associated with being a sex symbol. She told Carson she wasn’t interested and there were plenty of women they could choose from.
“I think they have enough candidates to fill the book each month, and I don’t see why I have to join the ranks,” said Welch. “I don’t think that it’s sort of a necessary thing. If I’m already accepted as a glamorous type or sex symbol, or that is the image that has grown around me, it seems like almost gilding a lily.”
Welch changed her mind and posed for Playboy in 1979. In 1998, Playboy named Welch one of the sexiest female stars of the 20th century. She came in third place after Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield.
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