Depp’s ‘assassin’ comments the latest in celebrity vitriol

NEW YORK » Johnny Depp apologized Friday for talking 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 qualify, 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. The Secret Service in a statement that it was “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.”