Johnny Depp explains his comments....

[JDY]

Actor Johnny Depp Disavows Anti-American Quotes

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Denying any anti-American sentiment on his part, actor Johnny Depp (news) said on Thursday that quotes attributed to him as likening the United States to a "dumb puppy" were inaccurate and taken out of context.

"I am an American. I love my country and have great hopes for it," Depp said in a statement released by his Los Angeles-based publicist. "It is for this reason that I speak candidly and sometimes critically about it. I have benefited greatly from the freedom that exists in my country and for this I am eternally grateful."

Depp, currently starring in the swashbuckling film "Pirates of the Caribbean," issued the statement a day after the German news magazine Stern published an interview in which he ridiculed Washington's confrontation with France, where he lives, over the U.S. war in Iraq (news - web sites).

The magazine quoted the actor as saying "America is ... like a dumb puppy that has big teeth that can bite and hurt you, aggressive." He was further quoted as saying he wanted his children to "see America as ... a broken toy" that they should explore, get the feel of, then "get out."

Explaining his comments a day later, Depp he had been using a metaphor that was taken "radically out of context," adding, "There was no anti-American sentiment."

"What I was saying was that, compared to Europe, America is a very young country and we are still growing as a nation," he said. "My deepest apologies to those who were offended, affected, or hurt by this insanely twisted deformation of my words and intent."

 

[Claudia1]

His latest comments were fairly articulate. Maybe he does have some positve sentiments after all.

 

[Planogirl]

And maybe this might remind some people to give even a "lowly" actor the benefit of the doubt sometimes.

Thanks for the post.

 

[figmentvi]

Johnny Depp is a very, very bright young man. The fact that the press twisted his words and grossly mis-quoted him, does not surprise me. We sometimes take what is written in the press as gospel.

I like Johnny Depp and have a great deal of respect for him as an actor and as a bright young mind.

 

[nkjzmom]

When I read the French article after translation, it just didn't make much sense...someone else mentioned that too on another thread. I hope that's all it was....a poor translation/taken out of context.

 

[snoopy]

Johnny Depp would have to be crazy to hate America and Americans - after all, this country has made him a VERY wealthy man.

Glad to hear that something got lost in the translation.

 

[chesirechik]

I never thought the orginal comments made any sense at all. His explaination makes a lot of sense.

 

[WDWHound]

That squishing sound you hear is me wiping egg off my face.

Looks like I was wrong about Mr. Depp. I posted that I thought he was ignorant because his comments seemed one sided and arrogant. It now appears his words were presented out of context. I still disagree with what he has to say on this subject, but it looks like he was trying to present a reasonably thought out point of view.

Several people posted that I should consider the possiblity that his views were distorted by the reporter who wrote the piece and a bad translation. Turns out they were probably right. I will not be as quick to come to conclusions in the future.

 

[HoneyPooh]

Either they were taken out of context or he's doing some major spin control after seeing how ticked people where. Could be either one, I'm hoping its the former since I like him. Maybe he should think harder about what he says in foreign interviews so as to not give them what they are looking for, which is anything they can make fun of the Americans about. Americans who give interviews overseas are just asking to be misquoted.

 

[lisajl]

When my DH read the quotes on CNN, he said, "This does not sound like Johnny Depp." I have watched almost all of J.D.'s movies and he was on The Actors Studio this past weekend.
My DH watched it with me. The interview was 2 years old, but Johnny Depp was quite articulate and soft spoken. Not at all like some of his wild characters he plays, and he most certainly did not sound like the translation of his "words" in the paper.

So, I am glad all of this is straightened out.

Whose up for a movie? POTC anyone?

Lisa

 

[tink29]

Goes to show, you can't believe everything you read/hear!!!

I really like Johnny Depp!!

 

[DawnCt]

It sounds like major "the day after"damage control to me. He didn't retract what he said, he just added to it. I wonder if the pressure came from his own economic sense or Disney's. They both have the same movie to market.

 

[AirForceRocks]

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, because the press isn't known for its accuracy when it comes to things like this.

But I have to admit, my first thought on reading his latest comment was "Spoken like a man who just got off the phone with his agent screaming 'What the hell were you thinking?????' ".

 

[Melrosgirl]

Sounds like someone is trying to save his butt regarding his quotes. Taken out of context or not, this was not the first time Depp has spoken negatively about the USA. Do a "Johnny Depp Anti American" search on google and you'll find dozens of sites quoting his numerous interviews where he made the mistake of opening his mouth.

 

[Lanshark]

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, because the press isn't known for its accuracy when it comes to things like this.

But I have to admit, my first thought on reading his latest comment was "Spoken like a man who just got off the phone with his agent screaming 'What the hell were you thinking?????' ".

ditto

 

[wdwguide]

This was the same magazine that claimed to have found Hitler's diaries some years ago...