This reads like French farce. Gary Oldman gave an interview to Playboy in which he said that Mel Gibson was the victim of political correctness, because Jews “run” Hollywood– that story was reported yesterday– and as day follows night, today the British actor has reportedly offered an apology to the Anti Defamation League that praises Jews as the “chosen people,” who are persecuted throughout the ages, who are first to hear the word of god, and…
First, the Telegraph reports on the Playboy interview:
Oldman said: “Mel Gibson is in a town that’s run by Jews and he said the wrong thing because he’s actually bitten the hand that I guess has fed him – and doesn’t need to feed him anymore because he’s got enough dough.
“He’s like an outcast, a leper, you know?
”But some Jewish guy in his office somewhere hasn’t turned and said, “That f***ing kraut” or “F*** those Germans,” whatever it is? We all hide and try to be so politically correct. That’s what gets me.’
Here is Oldman’s reported letter to the ADL:
Dear Gentlemen of the ADL:
I am deeply remorseful that comments I recently made in the Playboy Interview were offensive to many Jewish people. Upon reading my comments in print—I see how insensitive they may be, and how they may indeed contribute to the furtherance of a false stereotype. Anything that contributes to this stereotype is unacceptable, including my own words on the matter. If, during the interview, I had been asked to elaborate on this point I would have pointed out that I had just finished reading Neal Gabler’s superb book about the Jews and Hollywood, An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews invented Hollywood. The fact is that our business, and my own career specifically, owes an enormous debt to that contribution.
I hope you will know that this apology is heartfelt, genuine, and that I have an enormous personal affinity for the Jewish people in general, and those specifically in my life. The Jewish People, persecuted thorough the ages, are the first to hear God’s voice, and surely are the chosen people.
I would like to sign off with “Shalom Aleichem”—but under the circumstances, perhaps today I lose the right to use that phrase, so I will wish you all peace–Gary Oldman.
I was about to quote Gabler myself. Jews did invent Hollywood, and if Jews don’t dominate the power structure of Hollywood, I don’t know who does. And yes, many of them are pro-Israel. Look at all the pro-Palestinian features that the major studios have done. Look what happened to Vanessa Redgrave.
Soraya Nadia McDonald at the Washington Post is appropriately arch. “Surprise Surprise, Gary Oldman apologizes”:
But for some reason, he did not apologize to other groups and people he insulted, including gays, African Americans and Nancy Pelosi.
He cites a Neal Gabler’s book about the Jews and Hollywood, ‘An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews invented Hollywood.’ He’s Laughing at the ADL with snark.
The Freaking ADL………selective anti- defamation at work.
“The Jewish People, persecuted thorough the ages, are the first to hear God’s voice, and surely are the chosen people.”
Who wrote that??? Utter nonsense.
“Dear Gentlemen of the ADL:”
Men only?
Looks like a ‘non apology apology’ to me. It’s just SO over the top – ‘chosen people’, ‘Dear Gentlemen of the ADL’, LOL!
Seems to me like Oldman is covering himself – he can turn around and say ”Look I DID apologise’ but the ‘apology’ is so dripping with sarcasm that you’d have to wonder how sincere it is.
”’But for some reason, he did not apologize to other groups and people he insulted, including gays, African Americans and Nancy Pelosi.”
Which of course, supports Oldman’s original point.
“Who wrote that??? Utter nonsense.”just
Why , the Gentlemen of the ADL.
Oldman , probably just signed it.
““Dear Gentlemen of the ADL:” just
You should be glad that no “Ladies” are involved in such skullduggery and deception.
But I do get your point.Looks as if Oldman is also a chauvinist , even though he has no test-tikels.
LMAO. This is great. The first half of the letter says, “Sorry if you’re offended, but yes, Hollywood is run by Jews. Always has been. In fact, Neal wrote a book about it.”
As for the second half, oh, I so hope that it is intended as the kind of mockery that it comes off as. It’s just so over the top and nonsensical to be, but yet not so far that the dolts at the ADL would catch on that they’re the targets.
“first to hear God’s voice, and surely are the chosen people”!!! LOL. It’ll probably never occur to the ADLers, as they’re pumping out their chest and strutting like cocks on the walk, that Gary Oldman is an atheist and, as such, the line can’t really be read seriously or any way other than dripping with wry contempt. But with plausible deniability, which it the brilliant part.