[Argus]

Guests at a dinner party by Vanity Fair editor Greydon Carter "loudly hissed" during the tribute, according to the Post

Actually, they were probably hissing Elia Kazan, whose picture appeared right before Riefenstahl's.

But I love it when the Hollywood types have to choke on their own politically correct categories. Leni Riefenstahl - great director, great female director, great Nazi??? female director!

[whereasandsoforth]

John Wayne Gacy's paintings were popular, too. Should the Met put up a placque?

I'm SOOOO glad I don't watch network television.

[AntiGuv]

I almost hissed at the TV in my living room when Riefenstahl was shown..

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

I knew this story wouldn't just go away. First Ben Stein in The American Spectator, now the AP...

To all the Riefenstahl apologists on Free Republic... rejoice. Elton John shares your admiration for the Nazi atiste du jour.

[Uncle Miltie]

So Abe can shift himself for Leni or Mel, but is rarely heard regarding Yasser. Huh.

As I said at Synagogue last Friday, I recommend we pay particular attention to the people who are killing us on a daily basis, and it ain't Christians.

[sergeantdave]

Will Hollywood go on ADL's "hate group" list? Will Hollywood be "watched" for anti-semitic activity? Will the ADL admit that it gives a pass to left wing hate groups?

[Coeur de Lion]

I was surprised that Riefenstahl was honored given the "politically correct" environment so typical of Hollywood. To not honor her though, would've been more than hypocritical. Independent of any connection she may've had with the Nazi's when speaking cinematically her work was revolutionary, using techniques and methods in cinematogrphy and presentation that had no precidence and has been copied by filmmakers. Not honoring Riefenstahl is somewhat akin to not giving Richard Wagner credit for the creation of the leitmotif even though he was a notorious Antisemite, and his work was exploited by the Nazis.

[weegee]

"Yes, Hitler was evil, but I think it was proper to have her name there," Elton John (news) told the paper. "She was a great filmmaker, and as an artist myself, I think she deserved to be there."

Does this mean that Elton John would support a "Lifetime acheivement award" for Fritz Hippler, director of The Eternal Jew (aka Jud Sus 1940 version). After all this is a "significant" film because of the impact that it had on history.

[pikachu]

Hollywood and others have been 'borrowing' from "Triumph of the Will" and "Olympia" since they were released. Condeming their director for what happened later is like blaming Tim Robbins and Susan Surandon for Bill Clinton.

[Doctor Stochastic]

It depends on how useful a former Nazi is (or was). Von Braun was more useful than Riefenstahl.