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Gary Oldman in row over 'Hollywood run by Jews' claim

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What a stupid comment to make. He didn't see how saying something like that would bite him in the a**? I used to live and work in Hollywood. I wouldn't say Jewish people run Hollywood, but sure there are a lot of higher ups.

Coincidentally I was just back in Hollywood this year for my friend's (Jewish) wedding. My best friend from college (incidentally also Jewish) let me stay at his place. These people work in the film industry but they aren't big shots by any stretch. People making claims like Oldman make it sound like if you are Jewish you get a free ride in Hollywood, or if you aren't Jewish you can't make it. Obviously neither is true, so what's the point of making comments like that?

By the way, Oldman's apology was absolutely fine. At least it was much better than I would have expected (or maybe I'm just used to Japanese politician apologies). Anyone saying his apology is insufficient or is complaining that Oldman didn't personally call to apologize is just out for blood.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

I too agree that Oldman's apology was spot-on and utterly sufficient. Any attempts to drag this on any further are more an attempt at grandstanding than any genuine effort to right a wrong.

This, of course, doesn't make what Oldman said any more palatable. It was abysmally dumb of him to say or even think something like that. But then again, what is bigotry if not the expression of ignorance?

With Oldman's apology, the Anti-Defamation League and Simon Wiesenthal Center need to move past this to more deserving battles against bigotry and persecution. Otherwise, they risk cheapening and dilluting the overall message.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I'd say his attitude towards Jews is eclipsed by the fact that he's defending Bigot-in Chief Gibson.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Oldman was not being generous in his Playboy interview, and as the ADL accurately pointed out, Oldman's "observations" contained a very-thinly veiled suggestion of something sinister about the heads of many major Hollywood studios being in fact Jewish, as if that singular point had everything to do with why Mel Gibson was rightly and very publicly excoriated for being a bigotted asshat after his little alcohol-fueled anti-Semitic tantrum back in 2006.

Mel Gibson got in trouble, not because he dared anger a cabal of mysterious Jewish Hollywood overlords, but rather because he made a spectacular ass of himself. Gary Oldman came dangerously close to doing the same, but wisely and very eloquently self-corrected.

The suggestion that careers are made or broken by some great Jewish headlock on the industry are absurd in any case. If you piss off Quentin Tarantino or Clint Eastwood and are blackballed from working on their projects, no one runs around bleating that a cabal of Italians or British have a stranglehold on Hollywood. But if you piss off Steven Spielberg and he burns you for it, it's a Jewish conspiracy?

That I even have to explain this makes me feel like I've willfully killed off a few I.Q. points, so I'm just going to stop here. But suffice to say, Oldman wasn't simply observing, "Hey, a lot of Hollywood heads happen to be Jewish. How about that?" Anyone who believes he was is ripe for an amazing beachfront property deal in Nevada that I'd like to interest them in.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I like Gary Oldman a lot, but that was very dumb of him defending that *ss Gibson. I do think the apology is heartfelt and it should be sufficient, but it seems to me that the ADL and the SW center are making a fuss about it because they can't get shake off the feeling of persecution, although it might be huge coincidence that many of higher ups in hollywood happen to be Jewish

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Oh Gary, you are intelligent enough to know better. And as for defending the indefensible Gibson.........

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I don't understand the western worlds obsession with people who are Jewish... I mean seriously, I've never seen a group of people so targeted in the world because of their ethnicity. My only conclusion is something is at work here that is in the realm of the supernatural that would make mankind focus on such a small group of people. The devil's quite literally in the details perhaps?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The Wiesenthal Center, meanwhile, said it had not formally received Oldmans apology. (We’ve not received an apology directly from either him or his representatives. We’ve seen excerpts in the press, but so far not the entire apology,) said spokeswoman Marcial Lavina.

This is taking things way too far. Neither the WC of the ADL is a clearinghouse for all apologies by public figures whose comments have been labeled offensive by them on behalf of the entire Jewish community. Providing a written statement directly to these organizations is not some kind of gold standard surpassing other public statements of apology or mea culpa for insensitive remarks. Clearly the L.A. WC is not satisfied with press coverage of the apology, the apology itself or the fact that they did not receive an apology directly. I don't think dear Simon would approve this lack of civility in connection with his name.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Seeing as I actually agree with everything he said about the utter hypocricy of people clutching their pearls at the particular thing that upsets THEM whilst continuing to remain secretively bigoted about other issues... well? Exactly. But this 'apology' is sort of smart - its fake as you like which I normally despise but the point is - he replaced the supposed 'negative' stereotype of Jews with a positive one of 'Gods chosen ones' He seems to be saying you cant cherry pick your stereotypes - unless you want to be a hypocrite of course...

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Other than what he quipped is true... the point he was making, if you bothered to read the interview in its entirety, was aimed at the hypocrisy so rife in Hollywood. But it's Ok for Mel Brooks to basically say the same thing.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

The problem with Oldman's apology is that it seems to have been constructed by the same people who do the political apologies. The appearance of apologizing while making it seem like the people he's apologizing to are the ones out of the norm:

“I am deeply remorseful that comments I recently made in the Playboy interview were offensive to many Jewish people,”

(Implying that some Jewish people were NOT offended my the comments and the apology only applies to those who raised a ruckus.)

“Upon reading my comments in print, I see how insensitive they may be,

(...to those overly sensitive Jewish people, but not to the rest of us "normal" people),

and how they may indeed contribute to the furtherance of a false stereotype.”

(...but then again, they may NOT contribute.)

(To lawyers): "I can't be sued as long as I keep using 'may be' and 'may' rather than 'were', right?"

It's this wishy-washy type of "apology" that has taken hold of not just America, but the world-over. From the June 20 2014 article in the Washington Post, "If This Article Offends You, I'm Sorry":

Battistella, who teaches writing at Southern Oregon University, is reluctant to outline an ideal apology. “Each situation is unique,” he cautions, and “different transgressions call for different apologies,” but he points to some key elements. For instance, apologizers must name their offense to show that they understand it. They also need to disavow their bad behavior and make their apology unambiguously clear, whether verbally or in writing. And because “it is the recipient of an apology who determines its success,” the response to an apology — whether acceptance, rejection or further discussion — matters as well.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/if-this-article-offends-you-im-sorry/2014/06/20/9d8b459e-f333-11e3-bf76-447a5df6411f_story.html

I think Oldman would have gone a lot farther in having his apology accepted had he used "were" instead of "may" and "may be".

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Oldman told the men’s magazine. “I just think political correctness is crap.”

A lot of other people do too but they are just too scared to say it in public.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Damn... Have loved and respected this actor for quite some time. Out the window it goes, then.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

His original comments were inelegantly phrased perhaps, but not that shocking or appalling. But you must never, ever say that out loud. Unless you are a Jewish comedian. They say it all the time.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If what he said was wrong, then why people get so mad about it? The truth hurts after all. Otherwise this overreaction would be just absurd.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If what he said was wrong, then why people get so mad about it? The truth hurts after all. Otherwise this overreaction would be just absurd.

Incorrect. Imagine if a famous person said "all black people have aids". Many people would get mad about it, and it would cause a huge uproar. And it's most definitely untrue.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Wow. I take back every good thing I ever said about Gary Oldman! Too bad. He's a great actor, but a lousy human being...

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Yeah? There are also a lot of zainichi Koreans in the entertainment world. It's a true statement, just not a very nice things to say. Pretty stupid that we're so sensitive.

He has my support since none of us is perfect.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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