So, to recap, Gary Oldman made some comments about the Jews running Hollywood in reference to Mel Gibson – specifically, “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.” This was in the context of a discussion about Hollywood having a hypocritical attitude towards people like Mel who say insensitive things in private. He nonetheless apologized for it this morning, in what seemed like a fairly heartfelt and not canned-sounding response.
Unfortunately, a disingenuous and canned-sounding PR-rep-written response is exactly what people want apparently, because the Anti-Defamation League has refused to accept his apology. Ugh, can someone just tell me whether or not it’s White Boy Day?
The Anti-Defamation League was unimpressed by Oldman’s apology for defending Mel Gibson’s past anti-Semitic comments.
“We have just begun a conversation with his managing producer,” said Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the ADL. “At this point, we are not satisfied with what we have received. His apology is insufficient and not satisfactory.” [Variety]
So you’re “not satisfied,” and his apology was “insuffient” and “not satisfactory?” Hmm, are we sure Abraham Foxman isn’t actually a thesaurus?
On some level, I get why they were initially angry. Because although saying “Jews run Hollywood” is more or less true, being that there are a wildly disproportionate number of Jewish people in positions of authority in entertainment, it’s hard not to hear a statement like that and not immediately see Nazi-propaganda cartoons in your head and go straight to Turner Diaries-reading psychos thinking some shadowy cabal of covetous Jew lizard people is pulling the strings of all world events (Tila Tequila, in other words). Nonetheless, I think it’s possible to suggest that a guy be more careful with word choice and realize that the words he’s using have some historical baggage to them, while also recognizing that he probably didn’t mean it that way. Instead I guess they want him to do some as-yet-to-be-determined flagellation to prove his penitence. I’m guessing they won’t be satisfied until they see their name in the headlines at least three or four more times.
Has there ever been a person who ostentatiously refused to accept an apology that didn’t come off like a giant prick? Also, if the ADL’s plan was to keep from perpetuating stereotypes, it has backfired spectacularly. A persecution complex has always been the lifeblood of Anti-Semitism, so maybe it’d be best not to put yourself in a place where you can be accused of, uh… um… crucifying people. Crap, I think I may need to re-word this.