Actress Susan Sarandon is being slammed by critics for calling Pope Benedict XVI a Nazi. Sarandon made the comment at the Hamptons Film Festival over the weekend, while discussing her role in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking.
The 65-year-old actress told the audience that she once gave the book, Dead Man Walking to the Pope, and to clarify which Pope, Sarandon said, "The last one, not this Nazi one we have now."
According to reports, the actress repeated the comment moments later and received a laugh from the audience watching the interview.
The controversial comment was no laughing matter to the president of the Catholic League of America, William Donohue. In a scathing statement Donohue attempted to clarify Sarandon’s perception of Pope Benedict XVI.
"Susan Sarandon’s ignorance is willful: those who have hatred in their veins are not interested in the truth. The fact is that Joseph Ratzinger [the Pope] was conscripted at the age of 14 into the Hitler Youth, along with every other young German boy," says Donohue, in the statement.
"Unlike most of the other teenagers, Ratzinger refused to go to meetings, bringing economic hardship to his family. Moreover, unlike most of the others, he deserted at the first opportunity. Sarandon’s comment is obscene. Sadly, it’s what we’ve come to expect from her," he continued.
Abraham H. Foxman of the Anti Defamation League told The Hollywood Reporter Sarandon should immediately issue an apology to the Catholic Church for her “deeply offensive” comments.
”We hope that Susan Sarandon will have the good sense to apologize to the Catholic community and all those she may have offended with this disturbing, deeply offensive and completely uncalled for attack on the good name of Pope Benedict XVI,” Foxman said. "Ms. Sarandon may have her differences with the Catholic Church, but that is no excuse for throwing around Nazi analogies. Such words are hateful, vindictive and only serve to diminish the true history and meaning of the Holocaust."
Sarandon has yet to address the issue since making the comments.
The 65-year-old actress told the audience that she once gave the book, Dead Man Walking to the Pope, and to clarify which Pope, Sarandon said, "The last one, not this Nazi one we have now."
The controversial comment was no laughing matter to the president of the Catholic League of America, William Donohue. In a scathing statement Donohue attempted to clarify Sarandon’s perception of Pope Benedict XVI.
"Susan Sarandon’s ignorance is willful: those who have hatred in their veins are not interested in the truth. The fact is that Joseph Ratzinger [the Pope] was conscripted at the age of 14 into the Hitler Youth, along with every other young German boy," says Donohue, in the statement.
"Unlike most of the other teenagers, Ratzinger refused to go to meetings, bringing economic hardship to his family. Moreover, unlike most of the others, he deserted at the first opportunity. Sarandon’s comment is obscene. Sadly, it’s what we’ve come to expect from her," he continued.
Abraham H. Foxman of the Anti Defamation League told The Hollywood Reporter Sarandon should immediately issue an apology to the Catholic Church for her “deeply offensive” comments.
”We hope that Susan Sarandon will have the good sense to apologize to the Catholic community and all those she may have offended with this disturbing, deeply offensive and completely uncalled for attack on the good name of Pope Benedict XVI,” Foxman said. "Ms. Sarandon may have her differences with the Catholic Church, but that is no excuse for throwing around Nazi analogies. Such words are hateful, vindictive and only serve to diminish the true history and meaning of the Holocaust."
Sarandon has yet to address the issue since making the comments.