[giotto]

I read his comment as meaning that he not only hasn't seen the movie, but he didn't plan to see it, because he's an American. The part about being an ex-slave was possibly to underscore the many generations of his ancestors who have lived in America. In other words, he was saying his roots are in America, and they are deep. The fact that he later disagreed with Strep and also distanced himself from Hollywood, makes me think this interpretation is correct.

[Crimson Elephant]

Good points. This is one interview where one should really be able to see the WAY he said things..it will look a lot different in print.

[Katya]

EX---anything in colloquial "street" language, does not necessarily conotate in the "present".
Although I did not see the piece, I surmise he was speaking in generational terms as well.

[Skywarner]

"I read his comment as meaning that he not only hasn't seen the movie, but he didn't plan to see it, because he's an American. The part about being an ex-slave was possibly to underscore the many generations of his ancestors who have lived in America. In other words, he was saying his roots are in America, and they are deep. The fact that he later disagreed with Strep and also distanced himself from Hollywood, makes me think this interpretation is correct."

Ping!!

That's how I viewed his comments as well. They were a definite (yet somewhat subtle) dig at Moore and all of his crapola about victimization.

While Denzel may not be a FReeper (or is he????), I did not get the impression from the interview or even from past interviews that he is a typical Hollywood lib/socialist/dem. He's always seemed to try to distance himself from that whenever possible within the limits of keeping his job.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

I agree with you and several other posters on this point.

Admittedly, I did not see the interview, so it is hard to make an accurate judgement on those lines alone.

However....since it is all I have to go on, here goes. What is the one line we use when talking about Jesse Jackson, et al? The race whores want to keep the blacks "on the plantation." Only this time the usual suspects (Jesse, Al, the Dems) are the masters now. Which is why conservative blacks are poison to them.

Because it was in the context of being asked if he saw F9/11 and the herd mentality among Hollywood, I interpreted "ex-slave" in terms of race whoring.

I do not know what Denzel's politics are. He has always been gracious and polite in the interviews I have seen. I have never heard him pull out a race card. The comments I have heard him make have never, ever been with a tone of "you owe us, we were slaves."