Gary Oldman Apologizes on Jimmy Kimmel
By Debbie Emery
Gary Oldman gave a public apology for his offensive comments blasting liberal Hollywood, and defending Mel Gibson and Alec Baldwin regarding their controversial remarks about Jews and gays when he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday.
"It was an article I did with Playboy and I said some things that were poorly considered. Once I saw it in print, I saw that it was insensitive, pernicious and ill-informed," the British actor admitted to Kimmel when he was a guest on the show.
"I am a public figure, I should be an example and inspiration and I am an a—hole. I am 56. I should know better. I extend my apology and my love and best wishes to my fan base."
In a lengthy — and extremely candid — interview for the July/August issue of Playboy promoting Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the 56-year-old said he believes “political correctness is crap.” “Take a f—-ing joke. Get over it,” he went on to say. “I don’t know about Mel. He got drunk and said a few things, but we’ve all said those things. We’re all f—-ing hypocrites,” Oldman later went on to claim. “The policeman who arrested him has never used the word n——- or that f—-ing Jew?” he asked.
In Wednesday’s humble response on the show he said: “Words have meaning and they carry weight. And they carry on long after you’ve said them. I don’t condone or excuse the words that I used in any context. I just basically shouldn’t have used them, but I did and I have injured and wounded a great many people,” he went on to reveal.
The Dark Knight Rises actor also thanked Kimmel for inviting him onto the ABC late night show and giving him the opportunity to make amends. “I appreciate you having me here and extending your hospitality and to put me in this seat once again,” he told the host. “And it gives me the opportunity to say to those people that I, from my heart, I am profoundly, profoundly sorry … especially to the fans as they have been so incredible to me and loyal. They call me Team Oldman. I feel like I let them down.”
In his controversial Playboy rant, Oldman had also singled out satirical news programs like The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and Real Time With Bill Maher for getting away with being able to make offensive comments about people and hide “behind comedy and satire.”
His expletive-filled interview sparked a sharp response from Jewish leaders, and Oldman wrote an an open letter to the Anti-Defamation League late on Tuesday, saying: “I am deeply remorseful that comments I recently made in the Playboy interview were offensive to many Jewish people.”
During the Jimmy Kimmel Live! interview, the late night host broke the ice by saying: “I am struck on the fact that they call you ‘Team Oldman.’ I am so happy that someone has to apologize on this show and its not me for once,” he joked, adding: “I think it is important when someone apologizes to accept their apology. You are a great actor so we can’t trust anything you say!”
Oldman explained that “sometimes we are asked to be social and cultural commentators and I am not. I landed both feet in a hornets’ nest. It came over in a certain way and for that I am deeply sorry,” he concluded.
Kimmel then went on to “make the most awkward transition possible” and ask, “Are you excited about Planet of the Apes?”
