Depp denies anti-American sentiment

Reuters | 9/05/03

[kattracks]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Denying any anti-American sentiment on his part, actor Johnny Depp says that quotes attributed to him as likening the United States to a "dumb puppy" are 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.

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 said 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."

His spokeswoman added that the Kentucky-born Depp, 40, lives in the south of France with his family because his wife, actress-singer Vanessa Paradis, is French.

[wizardoz]

Already posted yesterday.

[sarasota]

I'd like to see his *exact* words and the *exact* German translation.

[N. Theknow]

Please don't take this out of context Depp-$hit.....FU!

[rightazrain]

Translation:

"Please don't boycott my movies."

Sorry, Dip, you speak, you pay. We have freedom to speak also.

[joesnuffy]

Stay in France...with your own kind
Traitor

[STFrancis]

"Stern" the mag that "quoted" him has been known to twist words. It's not the most reputable mag over there.

Now, if "Spiegel" or "Die Welt" had said it... Different Story...

Just my 2 cents...

[bushfamfan]

A typical cowardly Frenchmen.

[Prodigal Son]

Yep. Just reading the original Stern mag version wouldn't be enough because it would've already been translated once from English to German (unless Depp can speak German like Leo DiCaprio). You'd have to know exactly how Depp said it before it was translated.

[Oatka]

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."

I'm cutting him some slack. Remember Maureen Dowd's elipses of Bush's speech?

[12B]

Here is a translation of what he said

Stern: You've lived for four years in France. Is America no longer of interest to you?

Depp:I still have a house in LA and can imagine spending some time there with my family but not fo9r very long. Myhter is four,, my son one year old. I want them to see America as a toy. You play with it a bit, look at it some, and then leave it.They will notice for themselves that the toy is broken.

Stern:The relationship between France and America is not the best?

Depp: America is like a dumb puppy. With big teeth. It can bite and injure you. An aggressive country. The American Gov't and media have insulted the French and said President Chirac is an animal. I was happy when I heard they changed French Fries to Freedom Fries. Grown men and women in powerful positions, people in our Gov't outted themselves as idiots. I thought, "finally you've showed the world what chumps you are". You only have to look at our President, unbelievable. For him Iraq was only about business. About contriol. About Money. He's the worst liar I've ever seen.

[bruin66]

He's the worst liar I've ever seen.

Hmmm. I think that means he's not very good at lying. Is this bad? His predecessor was described as being a remarkably good liar.

[Sofa King]

"The American Gov't and media have insulted the French and said President Chirac is an animal."

And the French did NOTHING of the same...