Johnny Depp calls U.S. a stupid agressive puppy.
 

Johnny, STFU and stay in France.

An exactly where did Johnny Depp get his degree in political science and international relations ?

He has a point with the whole freedom fries thing.

Devry i think

Who CARES ?????

i saw all the ruckus over dixie chicks' comments also.

they're singers/entertainers, and they do NOT have any political power.

Re: Johnny Depp calls U.S. a stupid agressive puppy.
 

Agreed! And I'll add that I hope he chokes and dies the next time he shoves some freedom fries in his pie-hole!

The only thing that pisses me off is if he hated America soooo much then he'd give back all the money he's made off of Americans. Fuck him!! :mad: :mad:

I think it is great when Hollyweird types bite the hand that feeds them.

Oh yeah they are not freedom fries, they are

potatoes du cowards.

Who is more stupid, Johnny Depp for shit-talking the U.S., or Americans for going to see movies that he's in? ;)

Over 10k people died in France from the heat wave.

Thats quite the massive loss of life. If a country can't even protect its citizens from heat...

I'm somewhat at a loss of words over that heat wave ordeal in France. And then having someone, who's made his life in America, complain about the US when the own country he's allying himself with lets 10,000 people die to heat...

Just seems odd to me.

One of the freedoms granted by being American is the right to criticize it.

No ones saying he doesn't have the right. Just that he's a moron, which is also our right to say as Americans. :)

Yeah, but who really cares what an actor has to say? Oh wait, the Republicans do.

/me moves out of California if Schwarzanegger wins

They tried to surrender, but the sun would not accept their terms.

Johnny Depp is cool. Great actor, good movies...and hes got the right idea about America too.

It always amazes me how such a "stupid country" could rise to and maintain it's pre-eminence over the rest of the world for most of the last century, with no sign of flagging. If we are so stupid, where does that leave the rest of the world?

I was not aware that America dominated the rest of the world. Something tells me you haven't asked "the rest of the world" what they think about this. That's just pure American arrogance and ignorance rolled into one statement.

Blowing up one country, with the help of the United Kingdom, is not exactly a sign of superiority.

Re: Re: Johnny Depp calls U.S. a stupid agressive puppy.
 

All i've got to say is . . . AMEN.

I did not say we dominated them.

The US is most certainly the only superpower in the world at the moment. Regardless of whether the rest of the world thinks, that is the case.

If not, then this wouldn't be an issue, would it?

Try to get ahold of and read the september 2003 popular mechanics article American Megapower its a good read, and its the truth.

I thought one of the main reasons most of the world dislikes America is that we do dominate it - not militarily but economically and culturally. Our popular culture, which even here many cannot stand, seeps into other countries and takes hold.

oh and a big lol @ debaser. :)

I hardly think that's fair to say, in fact, distasteful. If you are offended by johnny depp's comments, then stay mad at him. No need to be rude and diss a country for a TRAGEDY that's beyond their control. How would you like it if someone said 'those americans don't even have enough security to prevent a plane from crashing into the WTC.' Both cases include the loss of life, and are sad occurences. So lay off France.

But I am disappointed by Johnny Depp in that i thought he was a respectful actor. If he was to criticize America, he should've at least offered more support and insight than just the fries example[though that was ridiculous].

I'm not personally offended by Depps comments, I couldn't care less what he had to say. However, I cannot help but find his loyalty to France odd when so many people have died there from a heatwave. people are saying that it was a major failing of the French administration to not provide for the care of their people. Perhaps Depp should be speaking instead about the failings of his adopted government, to provide for very basic services for its population.

But I guess he's rich enough that he had air conditioning and could care less about dying Frenchmen.

Uh, people have said this, and they're right. Our intelligence services failed us in 9/11. You can critisize the administration without disrepecting the dead.

I agree with depp though, the political climate here sucks lately.. i mean look at you guys fighting over another persons opinion.

I'm considering leaving the country as he has, as many people have lately.

I figure I got another 5 years left in the usa.. if things are better at that point, I may stay, but right now, he's right, the administration is run by immaturity that cant see the big picture beyond thier own beloved towers or gas prices, and must throw tantrums by renaming french fries to freedom fries... I stopped eating fries after that.

I went to shari's one day and someone had vandalized the menu to read freedom fries...

immaturity is indeed rampant.

Johnny Depp is a great actor.

Agreed. I'm really disappointed in the fact that it was brought up.

I'm not clear about how his political opinion reflects on his status as a respectful actor. He's an actor. It's not even clear to me why this is news, nor why it is being discussed so vehemently here. Who cares what he has to say? This is a politics board, not People magazine. :P

Maybe he does have more to say, but Reuters chose to report what it did.

You are absolutely right and I admit to being rash while posting earlier, it's always confusing when in people in general say France or America or any other country without specifying the people and its government, it just slips my mind on the specific meaning. As well, it's just difficult for me [personally] to blame disasters on the government until there is clear evidence of negligence; I wouldn't blame 9/11 on the US government, nor the deaths from the heatwave on the French gov.

However by the same token of your post, Johnny Depp may [and probably is] 'criticizing the administration without disrespecting' its citizens. His comments were lacking of intelligence but he certainly does not deserve some of the harsher words from the boards. He has not betrayed the people, but simply demonstrated his frustration towards its government [albeit poorly executed :p].

Interesting that their deaths are the fault of the government when our own government couldn't save the lives of the citizens of its most populous state in a similar heat wave last year.

Part of the reason France had such a problem was because of the , I don't know the word, liberal or socialist(?) work schdule. The hospitals were horribly under staffed to handle a crisis with such a lax work week.

The people that died were vastly senior citizens that were left home alone.

Blaming it on the government of France is insane. There are deaths here in America when there are massive, prolonged heat waves.

Blaming it on socialism is beyond insane.

We have had "Political Correctness" shoved down our throats. You can’t be for the administration and you can’t be against it, either way, you are not a patriot. Depp should be able to say what he wants, if you don’t like it, don’t purchase tickets of videos that he is in. If you agree with him, fine, support him. Either way, you are a patriot.

Personally, I think he is a shit stick, but that is his right.

I am SHOCKED that Johnny Depp has an opinion!

I am SHOCKED that he chose to express those opinions in, of all things, a newspaper!!!!

People always take this so personally. He answered a question and expressed an opinion. We common folk, do the same thing everyday at work, home, school, etc.... His opinion is slathered all over the headlines because of his modicum of fame and the slightly inflammatory remarks. I'm sure all of us, and I could be wrong, has said worse when rehashing political opinion over the water cooler.

You are so right guthmund. I could not have said it any better, even though I tried.

Attention Americans:

The following Hollywood celebrities henceforth have doctorates in political science and foreign policy:

1. Arnold Schwarzenegger
2. James Woods
3. Patricia Heaton
4. Ronald Reagan
5. Clint Eastwood
6. Bruce Willis

All other Hollywood political science degrees have been revoked. Have a nice day.

Registrar, Bush National University

You forgot Rob Lowe!

He played a politician once in a movie, that qualifies his opinion.

To all actors and other "artists":
Only express your optinion if it is appoved by the goverment, otherwise please leave our country since you are "unpatriotic" and "unamerican".

:lol:

the problem is that this statement:
"U.S. government showing themselves as idiots"
fits to a lot of right wingers

People who are so obsessed, so narrow-minded, and so hate-filled that they cannot bear the idea that any opinion that wouldn't cause Karl Rove to break into a happy smile ought to be allowed.

I think it is horrible those of you wishing death upon him for having an opinion. At least he moved away before bashing the US government.

What is wrong with a public figure using their fame to express an opinion. Maybe he felt someone who would be heard needed to say it, rather than everyone either whispering it under their breath or not having enough influence to be heard.

If he voted, he shouldn't be threatened for complaining. I think a lot of people here are just internally bitter that no one cares what they have to say to the extent that Johnny Depp does.

He certainly wasn't criticizing the average american who doesn't really have much say in the action of the government. I think it sweetly ironic that he made all his money here. I bet the whole administration has at least one of his movies and to me that is just hilarious.

Dammit, Vanessa Paradis is great looking.
http://www.archersgreen.freeserve.co.../vanessa20.jpg
http://www.deusasinebriantes.hpg.com...s/vanessa3.jpg
http://www.glacombe.com/images/gvanessa3.jpg
http://perso.club-internet.fr/vatzho...llepont034.jpg

Now repeat after me:
Viva la France


Anyway, conserning the Iraqi war issue. So far the French(or the rest of the world) has been right and the US(or the Bush administration) has been wrong. I guess Depp knows this and that's why he feels this way.

I disagree. In America, we were quick to blame deaths from heat waves on our government. Take, for example, the Chicago heat waves in 1995 and 1999. While the government doesn't necessarily deserve all of the blame, some of its actions could have and should have prevented more deaths. In 1995, 885 people died; in 1999, after instituting new guidelines and provisions, only 110 people died. It's still not enough, but it's a start. (Eric Klinenberg, "Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago")

Tangentially, blaming it on the government partly blames socialism. Directly, I'm not sure socialism has anything to do with it. If anything, socialism should have been more accomodating. The problem with heat-related deaths is that in a first world, Western country, it's is entirely preventable. 10,000 in a country as advanced and wealthy as France, with all its geographic advantages, is truly unforgiveable.

The other half of the blame is societal. Chirac recently released a statement saying something to the effect that it was shameful that so many French families, after learning of the death of a relative, did not cut short their beloved vacation to resolve things back in France. It's indicative of a greater problem both in America as well as in France: the idea that we pawn off our elderly to live alone or in understaffed retirement homes, so we can play at vacation and ignore our familial responsibility.

However, were it me, I would have probably not issued that statement while on holiday in Toronto.

Johnny Depp is a great actor, and as an American he's just exercising his right to free speech. Nothing wrong with that. It's the same right I'm going to exercise in a few minutes, when I'm going to completely ignore whatever wisdom he imparted. However, in his adopted home in France, allow me to give him a piece of advice: hold your tongue. In America, if you call Bush a worm, nothing happens. In France, calling Chirac a worm will cost you 30,000 pounds. Just ask the British newspaper The Sun. Be glad America vigorously defends its citizens' right to free speech. Remember that next time you call Bush or Dean "Hitler" or bemoan a slide into a "fascist" or "communist" nation.

-- Alvin

Its funny how a lot of people in this thread proved Johnny Depp right with their stupid agressive puppy reactions to his statement.

Johnny is a top geezer who proves that not all americans are insular fascists.

LMAO, Americans sue people at the drop of a hat. :lol:
I'm sure if the Sun called Bush something libelous around election time he'd be on them like a rash too. :crazy:

I think that the Bush Administration's foreign and domestic policies when taken on a whole, are misguided, contentious, overly assertive, often juvenile and certainly divissive. (i.e. those of a stupid,aggressive puppy) I have expressed this opinion in many ways, many times on this forum, in letters to newspapers and in general conversation. So far, no one has called me traitor or unpatriotic(at least not to my face). I hope this is primarly because anyone who knows me can tell that I love this country, what is stands for and what its potential is. I firmly believe that patriotism means standing up for what you believe in and asking questions and when necessary defying authority(as our founding fathers did and more recently the Civil Rights movement).

Johnny Depp is a good actor, I have no idea if he is an astute thinker. He, just like you and I has every right to say what he wants. What dissapoints me about him is not his opinions or the fact that he is using his celebrity to broadcast them to a large audience. What dissapoints me is that rather than staying and fighting to change what he does not like, he has chosen to leave his country and hide his head in the sand.(Although they do have some really nice sand in the south of France - good food too, and his wife is a babe - but it is still a pretty lame solution to his concerns.)

Johnny Depp is a genius.

seriously.

Thank you Marius. You just saved me some writing, 'cept I would substitute *hottie* for *geezer.* :p

Edit: Thought it over while getting dressed. *Fascist* is a hot-button word. I prefer *autocrat.*

Johnny Depp is a coward who did not have the tires to speak his mind in the 'States.

Had he taken a stand here I could respect him. As it stands, I can't.

You're wrong. It is expressly forbidden under French law to insult the French president. The government went as far as punishing a foreign newspaper; meanwhile, their own presses were busy assailing Bush and Blair.

Bush wouldn't sue because he can't. Insulting the president is protected speech (threatening the president is not, however). I can safely sit here at the computer and say, "President George W. Bush is a slimy, namby-pamby, poncy, WASP monkey" and not worry about any potential repercussions. Many worse insults were hurled at George Bush (and Al Gore and Ralph Nader) but no lawsuits were filed. America is one of the few countries in the world tolerant enough to allow this. That's why I now live here, and not out there.

I take it you've lived most of your life in Wales. You're lucky. Wales is a beautiful place, and the Welsh language is like music.

When I was born, my home country was still a military dictatorship. Trust me when I say America is nowhere near an insular fascism. I wouldn't be here if it was. George W. Bush is not leading the country to fascism. Economic ruin, perhaps. A "fascist" police state, I think not.

-- Alvin

Yeah, I agree with debaser here (that's twice now) if he had come out and said that in the United States, meh, don't care, he has an opinion and he's got the balls to say it to one of his major fanbases. Same thing with the Dixie Chicks. But no, let's be in a foreign country when we start criticizing American policies or American leaders. That is what I have a problem with, not the fact that he has an opinion, but the fact that he ran all the way to France before he said it. Although, this won't stop me from watching Pirates of the Caribbean, that's too damn good of a movie.

rgr22j, that idiotic law against insulting the French president also applies to other heads of state. <a href="http://vigilant.tv/article/2907">In Kazakhstan, prosecutors defended the country's "insult law" by citing the French model, in a case brought after President Nursultan Nazarbayev was called a "goat." Hassan II, the late king of Morocco, got Le Monde convicted in a Paris court for insulting him in an article about hashish production in the kingdom. The European Court of Human Rights later found France guilty of violating the paper's right to free expression.</a> Ironic that France was smacked down by the kind of "internationalist" court that quite a few of Bush's boys would like to see disappear. So, um, Dubya could try and go after Johnny in a FRENCH court! That's about as likely to happen as Tom DeLay deciding to send the FBI after the Texas Democrats.

In the end, crude character assasination on Fox News is a much less self destructive way of dealing with Hollywood celebrities.

Love ya work Johnny mate!

If he were here everyone would say he should just get out if he doesn't like it. You can't please everyone, especially not a group of people who disagree with you ideologically.

10,000 people. Thats like three World Trade Centers, from heat.

I'm sorry but the government, any government, that would allow that to happen, deserves blame. There is always something more that could have been done.

If Depps home is France, then I would simply think that he should be turning his attention to this specific failing in the country he loves. It would seem more relevent to me, thats all.

Agreed - and shows a deep moral bankruptcy.

Apparently the only actors allowed to opine on politics are Ronald Reagan and Charlton Heston. Maybe Arnie.

lol Nizzle hit it on the head. if he said it here people would be like "if you don't like it, leave"

its the number one thing people fling at me when I say I disagree with the political motives of the USA.

so if I move and then say it.. but people werent around to hear me the 1st time I said it due to lack of fame hah that sfunny

Now I get it, the heat! How could the French government be so callous as to allow the heat to get to intolerable level?! They shoulda flipped the French Gallactic Therometer to 'ON' or sumthin.

hmm, maybe now they'll realize the error of their ways and sign those damn global warming treaties...oh wait, that's us...never mind.

Ignore the idiots who would say such things. Just because they have no brains does not mean that you should have no backbone.

Not to piss anyone off, but when has it become unacceptable for people to express their opinions? Being an actor, of course his self-expression is going to be more far reaching than others, but it is still a valid opinion that he states. People who go about with the "biting the hand that feeds him arguement," are way off, in that such an arguement references an animal or otherwise incontinent that attacks their only means of subsistance, subsistance that is undeserved otherwise. Depp is an actor, a damn good one in my opinion, and by being a good actor is how he earns his keep. Oh yeah, the whole freedom fries debacle was just an embarassment.

Um, he has been a resident of France for what, upwards of a decade now? Doesn't *running off* somewhere, have a statute of limitations?

So Americans can only express their opinions on the Untied States while in the United States? :confused:

Also, with global communications as it is, it's not like we are going to be unaware of his remarks.
We're *discussing* them almost moments after they were made public.

What would we do if he dared to speak his mind here, lynch him?
We're doing a great job of vilifying him right now.

Certainly not. As I said before I would respect his opinion had he made it known here.

After all, he was in the 'States all summer plugging his movie. Why didn't he mention it then?

I also have a problem with the fact that he told his kids to go experience the US, then discard it. Isn't that the same attitude he is bitching about us having?

He is spineless.

Wasn't the freedom fries "debacle" just one city in the south that went overboard - it hardly represents the action of the American public or the federal administration - just the zealotry of one southerner city councilmen.

Thanks for the extra information: it's a dumb law, agreed, the French should be able to insult both Chirac and Bush whenever they please. But it looks like France just ignored the European Court's ruling anyway. I imagine that's exactly what America would do as well.


I'm not sure if you're being facetious, but didn't DeLay send Homeland Security after the Texas Democrats? And as I remember, when the Democrats took off to New Mexico, DeLay tried to yank them back again, but this time the Texas Supreme Court (all Republicans) struck him down.



Temperatures are much hotter in other parts of the globe, but most people handled it pretty well. Especially for a wealthy country like France, dealing with heat should be a relative non-issue. Here is an example of the Chicago plan, from Eric Klinenberg's "Heat Wave":

-- Alvin

Nope.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/...prj.irq.fries/

House cafeterias change names for 'french' fries and 'french' toast
Move reflects anger over France's stance on Iraq

By Sean Loughlin
CNN Washington Bureau
Wednesday, March 12, 2003 Posted: 10:52 AM EST (1552 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The cafeteria menus in the three House office buildings changed the name of "french fries" to "freedom fries," in a culinary rebuke of France stemming from anger over the country's refusal to support the U.S. position on Iraq.

Ditto for "french toast," which will be known as "freedom toast."

The name changes were spearheaded by two Republican lawmakers who held a news conference Tuesday to make the name changes official on the menus.

Across the country, some private restaurants have done the same.

"This action today is a small, but symbolic effort to show the strong displeasure of many on Capitol Hill with the actions of our so-called ally, France," said Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, the chairman of the Committee on House Administration.

Ney, whose committee has authority over the House cafeterias, directed the change, after colleague Walter Jones, R-North Carolina, circulated a letter suggesting such a move. Jones said he was following the example of a local restaurant owner in his North Carolina district.

"I represent a district with multiple military bases that have deployed thousands of troops," Jones said in a statement. "As I've watched these men and women wave good-bye to their loved ones, I am reminded of the deep love they have for the freedom of this nation and their desire to fight for the freedom of those who are oppressed overseas. Watching France's self -serving politics of passive aggression in this effort has discouraged me more than I can say."

The name change was criticized by one young man in a House cafeteria.

"That's completely ludicrous to me," he said.

France has pressed the United Nations to give weapons inspectors more time in Iraq, saying the U.S. and British-led move to war is premature.

Its stance has angered some U.S. lawmakers.

Rep. Jim Saxton, R-New Jersey, has introduced legislation in the House that would block any French company from receiving U.S. government aid or financing in any reconstruction of Iraq. Another measure discourages American tourists, businesses and the government from participating in the 2003 Paris Air show.

But House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said he didn't think Congress needed to take any formal steps to signal its disapproval of France.

"I don't think we have to retaliate against France," he said. "They have isolated themselves. They have resigned from any responsibility for the war on terror."

Asked why he was focusing on France when other nations, including Germany and Russia, oppose the U.S. position on Iraq, Jones said it was because France had taken the lead in challenging the United States.

Officials with the French Embassy in Washington could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Haha ok, thats pretty sad.

Originally when the story first broke I thought it was some Florida councilmen who went crazy, didn't realize the trend had continued. :(

Yes, I was being facetious.:) It's just how I responded to the idea of law enforcement being used in a political fight.

DeLay tried to get them to track the Democrats' plane. When it was found out, he backpedalled, saying that "I asked a staffer to contact the FAA for publicly available flight information that any member of Congress gets from FAA — or you can get it off the Internet — as to the whereabouts of a certain plane, of a certain tail number."

When DeLay's office contacted Homeland Security about the plane they were led to believe that it was in trouble, missing or had crashed.

DeLay also contacted the FBI and US Marshals for help in finding the Democrats. They declined his request.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/...in555028.shtml

Sorry, don't want to threadjack here.

Am I the only one who wonders:
Fries aren't free, neither is toast. So the name change must have something to do with France... Now let's see: the items remain the same, so nothing has changed. Therefore France/french must equal freedom!

And look and behold: France has an opinion! Sounds like free speech to me!
How nice of the American government to realise that someone might not agree with them, but it's okay because everyone is allowed their opinion. Even better: they change the menus to show appreciation for France! Yeah!


Or am I getting something wrong here?

P.S. I'm not really fond of France myself, but I wish more countries in the world had the guts to say what they think!

Johnny's Opinion of U.S. Made This Summer
 

Here 'ya go:
http://www.canoe.ca/JamMoviesArtistsD/depp_johnny.html

Wednesday, June 25, 2003

By STEVE TILLEY -- Edmonton Sun
Skip down to paragraph nine

LOS ANGELES -- Johnny Depp may have had the "Winona Forever" tattoo on his arm altered to read "Wino Forever," but that doesn't mean the actor's former flame is absent from his thoughts.

Winona Ryder, who dated Depp for three years during the early '90s, was convicted in December of shoplifting designer merchandise from a posh Beverly Hills department store. The frenzy of publicity she endured during the trial, though, was far too strong a punishment for whatever crime she may have committed, says Depp.

"She was unfairly beaten up in the media,"Depp said in an interview at a Los Angeles hotel to promote his upcoming Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, opening in theatres July 9.

"It became like a TV show or a daily serial in the newspaper. It was ludicrous."

The 40-year-old actor hasn't spoken to Ryder since the actress's legal woes began. She was ultimately convicted of grand theft and vandalism, ordered to perform 480 hours of community service and placed on a three-year probation.

"But knowing her, knowing how sharp she is and smart she is and strong she is, she'll come out of that stuff fine," said Depp, whose much-publicized breakup with Ryder 10 years ago led to him getting his tattoo changed.

(When Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean co-star Orlando Bloom first saw the Wino Forever tattoo, he was genuinely baffled. "I looked at it and I was like, 'What's that? Wino Forever?' I'm not really big on popular culture.")

Having endured a couple of decades in the unrelenting Hollywood spotlight himself, Depp now makes his home in the south of France with singer-actress Vanessa Paradis and their two children.

He says the backlash against France that stemmed from French President Jacques Chirac's hesitance to join the U.S.-led war in Iraq not only had very little effect on the French people themselves, but it painted American politicians as buffoons on the world stage.

"You don't notice it at all in France," Depp said. "They're pretty calm in terms of that kind of thing. I think they really get it about Bush. More than most people.

"Chirac said, 'Listen, hold on, let's not invade Iraq. Let's hang on a minute and let's investigate and see these weapons of mass destruction. Let's see proof.' So my initial reaction was, 'Seems reasonable to me.' "

Depp said the crowning moment came when French products suddenly became taboo in the U. S. of A.

"My favourite thing out of all of it was the brilliant government officials who decided to change the name of french fries and french toast to freedom fries and freedom toast," he said.

"That, to me, was the ultimate revelation. They basically woke up one morning and addressed the globe and said, 'How do you do. We're idiots. We're childish. Just in case you wanted some proof, here it is. We're dumb asses.' "

Raising his children in the more laid-back environs of France is important to Depp. He said he'd advise his kids, including four-year-old daughter Lily-Rose Melody, to think twice about moving to America when they're older.

"America is kind of like Disneyland," Depp said. "It's a nice place to visit, spend some time in. It's a beautiful country. But at the moment I don't think you want to live there. You don't want to live in Disneyland, either."

Reminds me of how France has declared the word E-Mail to be "too American" and its now illegal to use in government documents or something.

Re: Johnny's Opinion of U.S. Made This Summer
 

How true!
From my experience, people from around the world consider American foreign policies stupid. Though they would agree on a lot of points as to the reasoning behind them (terror, economy, etc) most think that the US has stepped over a few boundaries.

Several important global issues are not addressed / ignored / blocked by the suits in Washington.

I really wish that the issue with Iraq and Afghanistan would settle down, allow for a clean and quiet withdrawal of coallition forces, and that people will start to act rational again.
But I'm thinking that my dreams will stay just that for now: dreams

Silvy

Are you comparing the two actions? Because the reasoning (as I understand it) behind the changes are different:

"French" -> "Freedom" was because of disagreement with the official French opinion.

"E-mail" -> some french counterpart was mostly because of the ever morphing language. The french language (as most other languages) has severe influences from the English language. Many words just creep in like :World Wide Web, Byte (which the french call octet for another reason entirely), hosting, you name it.

This is a problem for a lot of people because they love their language and want to keep it 'pure'. Banning the world e-mail from official documents is a case where that overall feeling is visible. But other countries have the same feelings (just not official 'rules' about them).

Note: even though I still assume at least some 'sneer' is directed at the U.S. with this action. But it is not nearly as evident as it was with "freedom"

Btw: I don't think many germans would notice if americans stopped using the word Kindergarten.

I didn't mean to compare them directly, it was as I stated, they simply reminded me of each other. I do assume there was some 'sneer' just as you say, and I understand the reasoning about wanting to keep the language pure.

What? You think the French don't try to make anything that sounds remotely English into a French word? The French have been doing something similar to our Freedom Fries stuff. Believe me, I used to take French (tho I didn't continue my study because of this anti-French stuff, my teachers were idiots, I learned almost nothing, even after four years of French classes) and they frown upon "Franglais" and basically looks at anyone who uses somewhat English words with disdain. So you tell me who has been the sillier people. I'm glad that Depp made his comment in the United States, gives me a little more respect for the man. However, it doesn't excuse him going back to France and continuing that criticism, that's almost as bad as Peter Jennings criticizing the American Government when he wasn't even a United States citizen.

Whats wrong with that?

Re: Johnny's Opinion of U.S. Made This Summer
 

Interesting, thanks for the link. That is a far cry from his statement of a few days ago.

You will also notice that he was not villified, or even lynched, for his comments.

Thanks everyone for keeping a good discussion on an even keel :)

On another note, Actor Johnny Depp Disavows Anti-American Quotes

To me this is an issue of Depp/Media assholeness. While Depp may have made it clear to a couple newspapers that he was angered at the US government, he did not proclaim it nearly as loudly. However, after his movie comes out and starts settling down in terms of sales, he says it a little louder.
All the while the media was slightly ignoring said comments, until they saw how large of a story it could be (which is all the media is after) and started blasting it as loud as possible.

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

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 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 (news), is French.
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Stern mag is a very dubious source of information. Someone else can google interviews with other famous people that the mag (rag?) has done a hatchet job on.

Well, if that is the case, allow me to be the first to retract my negative comments about him.

Did you see him on Leno while he was doing promo for Pirates? Jay Leno's interviews are usually bad, but it was one of the most awkward interviews ever. At one point, Johnny Depp asked Jay Leno if "he was one of those people who prefered Freedom Fries to French Fries". He wasn't as blunt about it as he was in the news article, but you could definately tell his opinion of the United States.

I'm sorry, people. I'm sitting here laughing.

My 2 cents:

An actor is a celebrity, meaning not important.
Looks like Malaysia and the US is on the same level when it comes to paying attention to what their actors say.

Seriously.
If this had happened anywhere else, people would have read the newspaper and said either "Cool" or "Dipshit", AND TURNED THE PAGE.

Hating him or loving him, getting any heated feelings over this is like giving every US celebrity an ego-blowjob. For fuck's sake, he is not employed by the government, and is not getting payed with your tax money.

If you really disagree, don't go to see his films. Or do like I do; as long as the Wu-Tang clan has a member named "Ghostface Killer"; I'll download their songs and not give them a cent. It's a nice deal which allows me to enjoy what I like without giving money to people I feel don't deserve it.

Or if you feel that is theft, just live without his films.
I'm sure you can manage.

I've said this on other boards that have this thread, and I'll say it here: Who cares?

The people that freak out about this to the point of wanting to censor moronic celebrities, are the same people that want the government involved in every facet of our lives, but won't admit it.

XH, seretogis, you make very good points.
But I enjoyed this discussion anyway. ;)

debaser: What a gracious statement! :thumbsup:

Thanks all!

--DD

I agree with Seretogis, exept I don't think Depp is moronic. Being different than you does not make him moronic. Having a different viewpoint than others does not make him moronic. Hating someone or calling them retarded for speaking their mind is somewhat moronic, imo.

That his statements were on display for the public to view needs to be taken into consideration when criticising him. If half the statements we ourselves make on a daily basis, as humans, were revealed to the general public, imagine the hatred that would begin spewing in our direction. Of course, said hatred would originate in the minds of individuals who don't take the time to think before they lash out at something different. Individuals who are too blind to see that they, themselves, make controversial comments every single day of their lives, without even realizing it, because it is said amongst freinds, who usually all agree with them.

By being true to ourselves, and taking a moment to think before we act, and respecting others right to be as free as we ourselves are, the hatred over issues like this would never even begin.

No one likes judgemental people, yet we are all so quick to judge. Every last one of us.

That is the problem. Not Jonny Depp.

I'm not saying the French are holy (though they would think so ;) )
I'm saying that the changing of "e-mail" has a at least some 'pure-language' background. In addition: you give the impression that the French have been doing that for a long time. (my knowledge of French is minimal). So there was probably no special occasion that started it. Whereas the 'freedom' issue occured over a single disagreement in foreign policy.
The second 'email' comment made by Jcl, however negates the need for my 'rant' (sorry about that). So I'm leaving the discussion at that.

A side note: In US french classes do you get European-french or Canadian-french? Because the Canadian-french is seriously ancient compared to Eurpopean-french as the french-canadians are language purists like no-one else.
(the reason I'm asking is that "Spanish" classes are often "Mexican" classes. And there are some big differences between Spanish and Mexican too.)

It does not matter to me if he never comes back I don't know of a good movie he has ever been in.

How about Blow, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas, and the up-coming Once Upon a time in Mexico?

A day later and it seems that good ole Johnny is back pedaling a bit.

Johnny's PR people doing damage control here.

Oh, thats cute.

So the magazine *Stern,* is an entirely reputable single source for this discussion?
Depp made his feeling of discouragement/disapointment in re: the U.S. known in the magazine *GQ,* that I bought in July of this year. He said all the same stuff, just different phraseology.

Thanks for the quote. If you read several posts above yours, you'll see that it's yesterday's news as well.

That and, you know, the Congress cafeteria, with your reps lining up for photo ops.

Sounds to me more like a clarification rather than back pedaling.
I agree with you calling him "good ole Johnny"...he seems to have a good grasp on your national situation.

bah, people get so mad at a person for speaking their opinions, especially if he/she is famous. if he meant it, so what? if he was mis-quoted? that's fine too, who cares? most famous people are idiots, we all know that... no surprise... but when they voice their opinion about something it is because they are using their popularity to an advantage.

any mega star you see that actually wants to make an anti-bush or anti-government message, and actually does so, is taking the chance of losing their jobs. it is more logical for Depp to have been the victim of miscommunication than for him to want to throw his entire career down the proverbial toilet.

Do we?

What, because they're successfull? How are most famous people idiots? Just because you hear a lot of things they say in the press? Let's see everything the average person says printed in the daily paper and see how much "smarter" we all are.

For the most part, all I have seen in this thread is exactly what Mr. Depp was talking about in his statement. Where do most of you get your news?....Fox?

For the record, I'd like to say that I love my country. I like being an American. There is a huge difference between loving your country and loving your government. My love for my country stops with my government. It didn't take long working for them to find out the hard way about how bad our government really is.

I happen to agree with Johnny Depp in his opinion. Most Americans are childish slobs who whine about everything and do nothing to help the situation - then the majority points a finger of blame at another country or individual when all they have to blame is themselves.

In fact, our President made it quite clear from the beginning of his "great crusade" that either you are with us or you are against us. If we truely want to promote democracy throughout the world, we should learn to practice it ourselves by letting other nations make their own decisions without fear of retaliation, verbal or otherwise. The second we, as a people, start criticizing others for what we deem as their stupidity, we abandon all that democracy stands for. Everyone has a right to their opinion, no matter how "right" or "wrong" they may be.

I agree with every thing you say, more or less, with the exception of this:
Moral relativism is one of the major problems with this country today. There are some opinions that should not be tolerated, and certainly not given equal billing. Believe it or not there is still right and wrong in the world.

That may sound like a morally relativistic statement but it could also be taken to mean that, while there is a right and a wrong, we recognize that no one particular world view knows where the line is.

As a liberal democracy built on reason we are supposed to value the ability to discuss opinions and actions and weigh the benefits against the costs without fear of retaliation. Then the population can decide in an informed manner about where the center of the ideas are.

True, but my point is that one nut-job does not a minority make.

NAMBLA, militant religious groups, doomsday cults. Do these peoples opinions really merit parity?

EDIT: We may not know where the line is, but we surely know on which side of it some things lie.

Only when it suits someones agenda...

Fair enough. I don't think we she tolerate your opinion, because it chills the notion of free thought. I think it's wrong.

<b>Top 10 reasons to support celebrities in opposition to war.</b>

10. Two weeks of basic training before filming "Saving Private Ryan" is more military experience than Condoleeza Rice, Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Cheney (5 deferments), Tom Delay & Dennis Hastert combined.

9. Don Rumsfeld went to Iraq while Hussein used our chemical weapons on Iranian soldiers (and civilians along the border) and secured the additional shipments to the Iraqi dictator. Sean Penn visited Iraq, but has only used chemicals on himself.

8. Martin Sheen has been arrested 70 times in his pursuit of peace and social justice. George W. Bush's three documented arrests: drunk driving, theft of a Christmas wreath & football hooliganism.

7. MSNBC (General Electric & Microsoft) canceled Donahue, it's highest-rated show, because it offered alternative views.

6. The Pope, a man of some celebrity and moral authority (and an actor in his youth) is against the war.

5. Brit Hume, Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh are celebrities, not elected officials or diplomats (incidentally, all avoided service in Vietnam) who make their livelihood shilling for war. Garofalo, Damon et al. risk their livelihoods by opposing it.

4. There is no such thing as apolitical art.

3. "Apocalypse Now!" took 5 years to complete and Martin Sheen saw it all the way through, disease, monsoons and all. George W. Bush skipped the last 17 months of his National Guard service in Texas.

2. Are award shows asking pro-war celebrities to keep their remarks "neutral?"

1. It's their First Amendment right!

Thanks, Bill O' Rights.
This was an entertaining way to get a valid point across.

Let's all remember that Depp is an acter. That means he is used to having his thoughts and comments scripted for him. He is now residing in a stinky weeny of a country, and is spouting their mantra...no surprise! Thanks for the pics of his chick, she is one hot piece of ass