Actor Johnny Depp apologised for 'poor taste' Trump assassination joke

[rooster59]

Actor Johnny Depp apologised for 'poor taste' Trump assassination joke

By Paul Sandle

 

Actor Johnny Depp poses on a Cadillac before presenting his film The Libertine, at Cinemageddon at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in Britain, June 22, 2017. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

 

GLASTONBURY, England (Reuters) - Johnny Depp on Friday apologised for joking about assassinating U.S. President Donald Trump, saying his remarks were in "poor taste."

 

"The Pirates of the Caribbean" star spoke during an appearance at Britain's Glastonbury music festival on Thursday when he pondered how long it had been since an actor had killed a U.S. president.

 

His remarks drew rebukes from Trump supporters, and the White House described Depp's remarks as "sad."

 

"President Trump has condemned violence in all forms and it's sad that others like Johnny Depp have not followed his lead," the White House said in a statement.

 

"I hope that some of Mr. Depp’s colleagues will speak out against this type of rhetoric as strongly as they would if his comments were directed to a Democratic elected official."

 

Depp on Friday said his remarks were not intended maliciously.

 

“I apologise for the bad joke I attempted last night in poor taste about President Trump,” Depp, 54, said in a statement. “It did not come out as intended, and I intended no malice. I was only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone.”

 

Depp was at a screening of his 2004 film "The Libertine" at the Glastonbury festival when discussion turned to the topic of Trump. Depp said he thought the president "needs help."

 

"Can we bring Trump here?" Depp asked the audience. "... When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?"

 

Actor John Wilkes Booth assassinated U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.

 

"Now I want to clarify, I'm not an actor," Depp continued. "I lie for a living. However, it's been a while, and maybe it's time."

The U.S. Secret Service said it was aware of Depp's comments but had no other comment.

 

Some Republicans criticised Depp's comments as part of a grim trend.

 

"I'm sick of celebrities getting away with such disgusting comments," Ronna Romney McDaniel, the Republican National Committees chairwoman, wrote on Twitter.

 

Depp, whose latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie was panned by critics in May, has had more than a year of bad press following an acrimonious divorce from actress Amber Heard and a lawsuit against his former business managers that has detailed claims of lavish spending by the actor.

 

Earlier in June, Delta Air Lines <DAL.N> and Bank of America <BAC.N> pulled their sponsorship of a New York production of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" because the assassinated Roman ruler was portrayed as a Trump-like businessman.

 

Last month comedian Kathy Griffin posed in photographs holding up a fake bloody, severed head resembling Trump. She also apologised but was fired from hosting CNN's annual New Year's Eve broadcast.

 

Last week, a gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers in who were practising for a charity baseball game.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-24

 

 

[morrobay]

He sounded drunk and drugged. This anarchy movement has become institutionized treason. It's high time these people are rounded/locked up. 

[Credo]

He can probably join Kathy Griffin working at a local McDonald's.   

[iReason]

38 minutes ago, morrobay said:

This anarchy movement has become institutionized treason. It's high time these people are rounded/locked up. 

 

Fascism. Defined.

[ezzra]

I'm still waiting for those actors and other known personalities to get and leave the USA as they promised they would if Trump wins.. what? change of hearts? if your words meant nothing than, why should

anyone pay attention to what you say now?....

[colinneil]

Clowns like Johhny Depp make these statements just for the publicity.

They just want their names highlighted in the media.

Edited June 24, 2017 by colinneil

[Credo]

3 minutes ago, ezzra said:

I'm still waiting for those actors and other known personalities to get and leave the USA as they promised they would if Trump wins.. what? change of hearts? if your words meant nothing than, why should

anyone pay attention to what you say now?....

What are you talking about?   He's in the UK.   

[tomwct]

First of all there needs to be consequences for his actions. Maybe a three year ban from travelling to the US! Thirdly, I

will never pay to go see one of his movies. I'll wait and watch after I can download a free copy on the net! 

[phantomfiddler]

Johnny who ?

[Bung]

What happened to Ted Nugent after he said Obama and Hillary should be hanged? He got invited to the white house to get his picture taken with the president..... 

[little mary sunshine]

Another low life, drunk, druggie.  He

should be considered a B list actor at

best...Hollywood Trash?

[iReason]

17 minutes ago, tomwct said:

First of all there needs to be consequences for his actions.

I will never pay to go see one of his movies.

I'll wait and watch after I can download a free copy on the net! 

Firstly, and foremost,

There were no "actions".

There were words.

 

"I will never pay to go see one of his movies. I'll wait and watch after I can download a free copy on the net!"

 

Now, there are consequences for that illegal action. It's called piracy and copyright infringement:

 

"The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended by the Copyright and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Act 2002, currently protects copyrighted materials. People who distribute and download copyrighted recordings without permission face civil actions for potentially thousands of pounds of damages"

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/illegal-downloading-what-happens-if-youre-caught-1736013.html

http://blogs.findlaw.com/blotter/2013/07/illegal-downloads-what-are-the-penalties.html

 

If you get nicked, perhaps as a defense you could claim temporary insanity.

Johnny Depp's words made you do it...

 

[Rob13]

33 minutes ago, tomwct said:

I

will never pay to go see one of his movies.

 

That'll show him.

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"Now I want to clarify, I'm not an actor," Depp continued. "I lie for a living.

That is a true statement, even if you intended it to be amusing. But "not being an actor" is exemplified by your poor attempt at ad-libbing, which now you had to apologize for the very next day. That makes you a self-proclaimed liar without substance.

[johncat1]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Clowns like Johhny Depp make these statements just for the publicity.

They just want their names highlighted in the media.

He may be a bit of a prat at times but he hardly needs the publicity, he is probably more well known than Trump 

[Xaos]

He is an idiot. Made arou d 650mil and being near broke.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[Rigby40]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

I'm still waiting for those actors and other known personalities to get and leave the USA as they promised they would if Trump wins.. what? change of hearts? if your words meant nothing than, why should

anyone pay attention to what you say now?....

It's much easier to virtue signal than it is to move house.

[lostlink]

Johnny Derp is flat broke.

[janclaes47]

3 hours ago, Credo said:

What are you talking about?   He's in the UK.   

He's in the UK temporarily but in fact he, as well as many other actors, is what you accuse Trump of all the the time..................a liar who is backtracking on his promises made during the time of the presidential elections

[Credo]

1 minute ago, janclaes47 said:

He's in the UK temporarily but in fact he, as well as many other actors, is what you accuse Trump of all the the time..................a liar who is backtracking on his promises made during the time of the presidential elections

Yes, but Johnny Depp is not the President.   I don't care if he lies or not.   His lies do not impact my life; Trump's lies do.   

[janclaes47]

10 minutes ago, Credo said:

Yes, but Johnny Depp is not the President.   I don't care if he lies or not.   His lies do not impact my life; Trump's lies do.   

 

How do Trumps lies affects someone who lives in Thailand is a mystery to me.

 

But never mind, it is clear that you are a Hilary boy

[KenKadz]

Dear Hollywood celebrities,

It’s time to wake up now. Get this! The only reason you exist is for my entertainment. Some of you are beautiful. Some of you can deliver a line with such conviction that you bring tears to my eyes. Some of you are so convincing that you scare the crap out of me. And others are so funny you can make me laugh uncontrollably.

But you all have one thing in common. You only exist and have a place in my world to entertain me. That’s it. Nothing else!

You make your living pretending to be someone else. You play dress-up like a 5-year-old. Your world is a make believe world. It is not real. It doesn’t exist. You live for the camera while the rest of us live in the real world. Your entire existence depends on my patronage. I crank the organ grinder, and you dance.

[Jingthing]

12 minutes ago, KenKadz said:

Dear Hollywood celebrities,

It’s time to wake up now. Get this! The only reason you exist is for my entertainment. Some of you are beautiful. Some of you can deliver a line with such conviction that you bring tears to my eyes. Some of you are so convincing that you scare the crap out of me. And others are so funny you can make me laugh uncontrollably.

But you all have one thing in common. You only exist and have a place in my world to entertain me. That’s it. Nothing else!

You make your living pretending to be someone else. You play dress-up like a 5-year-old. Your world is a make believe world. It is not real. It doesn’t exist. You live for the camera while the rest of us live in the real world. Your entire existence depends on my patronage. I crank the organ grinder, and you dance.

Well, that's over the top, but Hollywood people just like any citizen have every right to express political opinions.

If their celebrity amplifies their opinion for some people, so be it. Obviously not in your case but somehow I suspect if a celebrity expressed YOUR opinion you would be OK with that.

In Depp's case, I think it really was an attempt at humor. 

Some right wing Fox News types are suggesting he should be prosecuted. For what? Making a bad joke? I hope we're not there yet as a nation. 

Edited June 24, 2017 by Jingthing

[Morch]

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

Clowns like Johhny Depp make these statements just for the publicity.

They just want their names highlighted in the media.

 

And this could be applied so aptly for the target of his remark:

 

"Clowns like Donald Trump make these statements just for the publicity.

 They just want their names highlighted in the media."

 

 

 

 

[Morch]

2 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

 

How do Trumps lies affects someone who lives in Thailand is a mystery to me.

 

But never mind, it is clear that you are a Hilary boy

 

POTUS Lies Do Not Effect US Citizens Living Abroad, Says Poster

 

Like it or not, actions and words of President of the United States effect pretty much everyone, one way or another. 

But then, you already knew that.

[colinneil]

11 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

And this could be applied so aptly for the target of his remark:

 

"Clowns like Donald Trump make these statements just for the publicity.

 They just want their names highlighted in the media."

 

 

 

 

 

I take it your not a Trump fan then.

[Minnie the Minx]

This is the same clown who beat up his wife with a mobile phone and was ordered to pay her 7 million USD which she subsequently donated to some charity. ( After she divorced him)

 

No credibility whatsoever. Must have a new movie coming out and needed the publicity stunt with Trump.

[spidermike007]

No doubt that this statement was in poor taste, and was better left unsaid. But, the outcry over this is a bit over the top. Everyone knows Depp did not intend to commit the act, and there are alot of people out there who despise Cheeto, for very, very good reasons. One of them, is his incredibly thin skin. He is a soft man, and if anyone does not love him, or approve of him, they are castigated, and criticized. There is no room for jokes, humor, or criticism with this president, nor with his administration. 

 

One could speculate all day long about why his skin is so thin. He has alot of power, wealth, and most things that would make most people potentially happy and fulfilled in life. Right? So, what is up with Grump? Why so unhappy all the time? Why so angry and malcontent? I am not a shrink, but I would put forth the hypothesis that he has alot of self loathing, and low self esteem, and for very good reasons. 

 

The things that were said about Obama were horrific. I was no supporter of Obama. Neither am I a supporter of Cheeto. But one thing I will say about Obama, is that he reacted to criticism with grace, dignity, and elegance. All qualities Grump has never had, nor will ever possess. It just is not in him. He is a very small man, despite his height and power.

[Minnie the Minx]

I beg to disagree, why make it at all?

 

Makes no difference who you support it's a tad crass. Try making the same 'joke' about other presidents or heads of state and see where that one leads.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Minnie the Minx

[iReason]

2 hours ago, Minnie the Minx said:

I beg to disagree, why make it at all?

Makes no difference who you support it's a tad crass

Try making the same 'joke' about other presidents or heads of state and see where that one leads.

 

Trump supporter who called for Clinton to be 'shot' attends bill signing

 

"A controversial New Hampshire state representative who once said that former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton "should be shot for treason" was among the attendees at a White House bill signing Friday morning."

 

"Al Baldasaro, who served as a delegate for then-candidate Donald Trump at last year's Republican National Convention,

was present as the president signed a bill to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs."

 

“It is, frankly, in my belief, a little troubling, the lack of outrage in some of these instances where people have said what they’ve said with respect to the president and the actions that should be taken," said Spicer."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-supporter-called-clinton-shot-attends-bill-signing/story?id=48242454

 

Hmmm. Lack of outrage... 

 

And dang, welcomed to the White House.

 

 

Edited June 24, 2017 by iReason