Posted on 10/25/2007 2:21:28 PM PDT by blam
Halle Berry apologises for 'Jewish nose' gaffe
By Matthew Moore
Last Updated: 1:40pm BST 25/10/2007
Halle Berry, Hollywood's leading black actress, has been forced to apologise after making a joke about the size of Jewish people's noses on a US television chat show.
The Oscar-winning star remarked that a digitally-altered photo of her face made her look like her "Jewish cousin", during an appearance on Jay Leno's Tonight Show.
As Leno squirmed and the audience sat in embarrassed silence, Berry appeared to appreciate the gravity of her error.
"Oh God, Have I just ruined my career?" she asked.
The word "Jewish" was cut from the dialogue when the show was broadcast on Friday night, but audience members leaked full details of the exchange onto the Internet, prompting Berry, a vociferous critic of Hollywood racism, to issue a full apology.
"I didn't mean to offend anyone. I didn't. I didn't mean any harm … It was just supposed to be a silly segment. I am so sorry, and I apologize," she told The New York Post newspaper.
The actress, 41, went on to claim that her Jewish assistant had actually come up with the nose "joke" backstage, whilst leafing through the distorted photos that were to be used on the show.
"I guess it was fresh in my mind and it just came out of my mouth. But I didn't mean to offend anybody," Berry said.
The photos had been created by Berry herself using computer software which allows people to warp their own images.
Three of her assistants were Jewish, Berry added.
The one-time Bond girl, who was close to tears during her phone call to the Post according to the newspaper, said that she had asked the programme's producers to cut out her remarks after she realised the offence they may cause.
Berry, who is four months pregnant, is currently in London promoting her new film Things We Lost In The Fire.
In 2002 she became the first black woman to win the Best Actress Oscar when she was honoured for her role in Monster's Ball.
She has also appeared in the Bond film Die Another Day, Catwoman and the X-Men series.
Agreed. Hopefully she’s never busted anyone else’s chops for similar humor.
This is ridiculous,,,,,grow a spine people and while you’re at it,,,get a freakin’ sense of humor........
Anyway, they'll find a way to blame it all on white males....
That was one of the great moments in television.
I miss Johnny more every day.
Big deal.
Where in the Constitution does it guarantee "Thou shalt never, but never ever, be offended!"
Of course who gets to decide what is offensive - it's like "One man's trash is another man's treasure" -
I had a liberal come up to me and scream that she was offended by the Christmas decorations we put up in the office.
Normally, I wont reply to these morons, I just smile and walk away. But this time, she was SO over the top and demanding they be taken down immediately - that before I knew it = my tongue got ahead of my head and I, smiling, said; "Your face offends me. Now what do we do?"
Halle needs to be viewed with the sound off anyway. I’ve never heard a useful bit of language pass her lips.
Now watching with the sound off, that’s worthwhile.
I think that a lot of Americans still have a sense of humor but if they’re smart they won’t it in public anymore, PC has caused it to go underground.
Not Guilty!
And fittingly, they were Jewish.
I do loves some Stooge. Comedy without pity or profanity.
“Frontier Briss” (Johnny’s comment) was certainly one of the best ad-libs of all time.
Imus called. He wants to know the details.
The bottom one looks like Ted Kennedy.
It’s a good thing she didn’t say “nappy headed Jew”.
Ahh so the woman who moans and cries about the racism she faces shows a bit of her own...
What did her Jewish cousin have to say about this?
No Racism here, eh, well why was the word "Jewish" eliminated from the broadcast?
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