Posted on 10/25/2007 2:21:28 PM PDT by blam
Halle Berry apologises for 'Jewish nose' gaffe
By Matthew Moore
Last Updated: 1:40pm BST 25/10/2007
Halle Berry, Hollywood's leading black actress, has been forced to apologise after making a joke about the size of Jewish people's noses on a US television chat show.
The Oscar-winning star remarked that a digitally-altered photo of her face made her look like her "Jewish cousin", during an appearance on Jay Leno's Tonight Show.
As Leno squirmed and the audience sat in embarrassed silence, Berry appeared to appreciate the gravity of her error.
"Oh God, Have I just ruined my career?" she asked.
The word "Jewish" was cut from the dialogue when the show was broadcast on Friday night, but audience members leaked full details of the exchange onto the Internet, prompting Berry, a vociferous critic of Hollywood racism, to issue a full apology.
"I didn't mean to offend anyone. I didn't. I didn't mean any harm … It was just supposed to be a silly segment. I am so sorry, and I apologize," she told The New York Post newspaper.
The actress, 41, went on to claim that her Jewish assistant had actually come up with the nose "joke" backstage, whilst leafing through the distorted photos that were to be used on the show.
"I guess it was fresh in my mind and it just came out of my mouth. But I didn't mean to offend anybody," Berry said.
The photos had been created by Berry herself using computer software which allows people to warp their own images.
Three of her assistants were Jewish, Berry added.
The one-time Bond girl, who was close to tears during her phone call to the Post according to the newspaper, said that she had asked the programme's producers to cut out her remarks after she realised the offence they may cause.
Berry, who is four months pregnant, is currently in London promoting her new film Things We Lost In The Fire.
In 2002 she became the first black woman to win the Best Actress Oscar when she was honoured for her role in Monster's Ball.
She has also appeared in the Bond film Die Another Day, Catwoman and the X-Men series.
Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry appeared on Chris Moyles' Radio One breakfast show Thursday and clashed with her host after he impersonated what he described as a "big, fat, black guy." "Are we having a racist moment here?" Berry, the first black actress to win an Academy Award for a lead role, asked Moyles after she took exception to his impersonation. Moyles, who is white, said he just couldn't do American accents. Moyles made it clear on air that there was nothing racist in what he said, a BBC spokesman said Friday on condition of anonymity, in line with the corporation's policy.
Chris Rock does some hilarious skits about black people.
How Not To Get Your Ass Kicked By The Police (Warning! Some foul language)
Heck, even Jerry Seinfeld has made cracks about being Jewish. And have you have seen Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm? He makes fun of himself being Jewish just as much as he makes fun of Christians. I'm Catholic and I think it's funny stuff.
In the world we live in if you don't have a sense of humor you'll go bonkers.
thanks for a great way to start the day!
Tell me something, is tha heat on? WOO HOO! :]
Thanks! :]
I seem to remember Halle Berry playing the race card a time or two.
You live by the sword, you die by the sword.
Blazing Saddles could never be made today. In fact, I'm surprised that it's still available for sale. Mel Brooks would probably be charged with hate crimes if he were to try to make it today...
Mark
Yes but it’s SO hilarious!!!!!
People are not too sensitive - we are just tired of hearing from racists, like Barry, who claim victimhood but have no problem saying racist comments. The JJ, Sharptons, NAACP, La Raza, etc. of the world are the real racists and we are tired of the holier than thou talk while they go about using the N word, calling whites the devil and claiming that they are always put down by the MAN.
WOW! I have never seen a bad picture of this guy.
Thanks!
During the 1996 baseball season, a company that I owned a 10% interest in provided Ms Berry’s executive protection. She chose to use us because we were a minority owned firm at the time. She was coming to Cincinnati because her then husband, Derek Jeter (?) was playing here, and the games had playoff implications.
She was very nice, but to be blunt a complete and total airhead.
Like almost every actor you will find in Hollywood, that particular art doesn’t require a MENSA level intelligence as she, and others we all know demonstrate on a routine basis.
And as this clearly demonstrates. What is odd to me is nobody in her entourage pointed out the obvious potential for outrage about it BEFORE she went on the show. As the article clearly shows, quite a bit of planning and effort was put into this stunt.
It just goes to show that almost nothing these people say on these “spontaneous” talk shows is actually spontaneous.
Irony: the guy that played Sgt. Schultz was Jewish.
” I don’t get the identification with the black race only.”
Because, in general, people are judged by apperence.
Well right now she's on her Movie and 'I'm Pregant!' tour. There never is any mention of who impregnated her. I wonder why?
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