Depp apologizes for ‘assassin’ joke

Actor’s comments latest in celebrity anger

NEW YORK, June 24, (Agencies): Johnny Depp apologized Friday for joking about assassinating Donald Trump during an appearance at a large festival in Britain, the latest example of artists using violent imagery when dealing with the president.

“When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?” Depp asked the crowd at Glastonbury Festival, in reference to the death of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth in 1865.

The 54-year-old “Pirates of the Caribbean” star then added: “I want to clarify, I am not an actor. I lie for a living. However, it has been awhile and maybe it is time.”

Depp said in a statement Friday that he did not intend any malice and was trying to be amusing.

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

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Friday “the lack of outrage” over Depp’s comments was “a little troubling.”

“The president has made it clear that we should denounce violence in all of its forms. And if we are going to hold to that standard than we should agree that that standard be universally called out,” he said.

That message was undercut when an adviser to Trump’s campaign who called for Hillary Clinton to be shot visited the White House just hours before Spicer spoke to the media.

Al Baldasaro, who advised Trump on veterans issues, said last summer that he believed Clinton “committed treason” for putting American lives at risk while secretary of state. He then said “anyone that commits treason should be shot.”

On the Depp comments, the Secret Service in a statement that it was

office. (AP)

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“aware of the comments in question. For security reasons, we cannot discuss specifically nor in general terms the means and methods of how we perform our protective responsibilities.”

Depp was at the festival Thursday to introduce a screening of his 2004 film, “The Libertine.”

He seemed to know his comments were going to get him into trouble, prefacing his remarks with, “By the way, this is going to be in the press. It will be horrible.” Depp’s remarks came eight days after a gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers as they practiced for a charity baseball game.

Violence

Depp’s remarks come weeks after The Public Theater in New York was criticized for its production of “Julius Caesar” that portrayed a Trump-like dictator in a business suit with a long tie who gets knifed to death onstage. The theater said it never advocates violence as a solution to political problems.

The show followed condemnation for comedian Kathy Griffin, who lost her job co-hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve special and had all her upcoming comedy shows canceled after posing for a photograph in which she gripped a likeness of the president’s severed, bloody head. Pop star Madonna also was criticized for saying at a rally that she had thought “an awful lot about blowing up the White House.”

Musicians have also gone after the president, with a Snoop Dogg’s video of him shooting a Trump-lookalike clown and Moby putting out a video in which Trump resembles a Nazi-like Iron Man who takes over the world with a missile-firing machine shaped like a swastika and dollar symbol.

Trump’s election has not quieted many in the arts community who assailed the candidate, with Robert De Niro saying he’d “like to punch” Trump “in the face,” Carly Simon repurposing

Miles” by Daphne Matziaraki from UC Berkeley won the special jury prize Thursday from British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles Student her song “You’re So Vain” into an anti-Trump anthem and singer-rapper Will.i.am’s damning video “GRAB’m by the .... ”

Other presidents have found themselves the target of celebrity ire, including George W. Bush, who was attacked by the Dixie Chicks and by Kanye West, who famously said Bush “doesn’t care about black people.”

“President Trump has condemned violence in all forms and it’s sad that others like Johnny Depp have not followed his lead,” said Trump’s spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

“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 Democrat elected official.”

Depp is the latest of a string of entertainment industry figures to make controversial statements about Trump.

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During an interview at the Variety Studio in Cannes Lions, the actor Ian McKellen had harsh words for President Donald Trump if he fails to follow through — as seems to be the case — on a campaign promise to protect the rights of the LGBT community.

Asked about the administration’s attempts to roll back gay and transgender protections, McKellen said, “If what you’re saying is true, it’s appalling and quite unnecessary and very un-American. The gay rights movement began in America. It began in San Francisco, it began in Stonewall, the city where Donald Trump was born and thrived.”

The White House has refused to acknowledge June as Pride Month. In March, Trump quietly rolled back an Obama-era rule, Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order. Many argue that the move leaves female and LGBT employees of federal contractors venerable to discrimination.

Film Awards in a gala ceremony at the Theatre at Ace Hotel. The docu short was nominated for an Oscar earlier this year.

BAFTA Los Angeles’ first-ever student film award for animation presented by Laika generated a tie between Alicja Jasina of USC for “Once Upon a Line” and Kal Athannassov, John McDonald, and Echo Wu from Ringling College of Art & Design for “The Wishgranter.” The prize for live action was awarded to Jimmy Keyrouz from Columbia for “Nocturne in Black.” Matziaraki was also presented with the doc student film award for “4.1 Miles.” (RTRS)

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Jennifer Lopez will star in and produce the romantic comedy “Second Act” for STXfilms as part of the company’s efforts to focus on femaledriven movies.

STXfilms touted the movie as being in the vein of “Working Girl” and “Maid in Manhattan.” Lopez will portray a big box store employee who reinvents her life and her lifestyle, which gets her the chance to prove to Madison Avenue that street smarts are as valuable as a college degree.

“There are so many things I love about this project and script,” said Lopez. “People try to put women to sleep at a certain age. ‘Second Act’ is a story that empowers the every woman to do more, to be more, and not limit their dreams. I am thrilled to partner with STX as they continue to create and empower the female audience.” (RTRS)