Johnny Depp Says U.S. Is Like a 'Dumb Puppy'{Moves to France]

NYT.com ^

[Sub-Driver]

Johnny Depp Says U.S. Is Like a 'Dumb Puppy' By REUTERS

Filed at 7:48 a.m. ET

BERLIN (Reuters) - Hollywood star Johnny Depp said on Wednesday the United States was a stupid, aggressive puppy and he would not live there until the political climate changed.

The 40-year-old actor, who stars in the ``Pirates of the Caribbean,'' told the German news magazine Stern he was happier staying in the south of France with his wife, the French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis, and their two children.

``America is dumb, it's like a dumb puppy that has big teeth that can bite and hurt you, aggressive,'' he said.

``My daughter is four, my boy is one. I'd like them to see America as a toy, a broken toy. Investigate it a little, check it out, get this feeling and then get out,'' said the star of the off-beat films ``Edward Scissorhands'' and ``Dead Man.''

Depp slammed George W. Bush's administration for its criticism of French opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

``I was ecstatic they re-named 'French Fries' as 'Freedom Fries'. Grown men and women in positions of power in the U.S. government showing themselves as idiots,'' he told Stern.

[Timesink]

Yeah, but I mean did he move out of the country? That article just says he spends half the year there- which I probably would too if I owned a villa in Italy. Has Clooney moved out on a permanent basis recently?

You generally can't get a tourist visa for more than six months (maybe a year) in most countries. So what these rich Hollywood types do is just come home for a week or so every six months and then get a new tourist visa for whatever country they've "moved" to.

I'm sure Dipp does the same thing.

[metesky]

The world needs more pretentious high school dropouts.

[weegee]

The article had some members of government encouraging French phrases over English ones.

[weegee]

That was re: the German language nannies.

[Libertina]

My daughter is four, my boy is one. I'd like them to see America as a toy, a broken toy. Investigate it a little, check it out, get this feeling and then get out
Oops, Johhny's been into the French whine wine again. ;)

[Dan from Michigan]

As Skynyrd says

"If they don't like it they can just....GET THE HELL OUT!!!!"

[BushisTheMan]

A friend of mine in Rome Italy is dating a tour guide from Rome. The tour guide boyfriend told her that years ago, Johnnie Depp took an interest in him....and I mean in the same way some some creepy priests have taken an interest in the young at their churches. This event occurred at the time that Depp was in Jump Street. Nevertheless, Depp was later found by the tour guide with a very young boy in a car, doing what freaks like this guy do.

Now--all of a sudden--Depp supposedly has morals and thinks what Bush is doing is wrong? Geez, what a puke!

[Prodigal Son]

You generally can't get a tourist visa for more than six months (maybe a year) in most countries...and then get a new tourist visa for whatever country they've "moved" to.

Aye. I've done a fair amount of that myself. I've been out of the US for over a decade but have only been an official resident anywhere for a comparatively small portion of that time.

But, if he's rich, it would be very easy for him to get residency or even citizenship in just about any country. If you invest a certain amount in Australia for example, you'll easily get residency and eventually citizenship- I think you only have to live there for two years as opposed to the five it takes in the UK. I've been an official resident here in the UK for 4 years now. I suppose technically, this time next year I could apply to become British if I so chose but I don't know if they'd take me or not. Now if I had Clooney's money, it would be a snap ;-)

Depp has been in France for a while now. He ought to just apply for EU citizenship. That's walking the walk. Eventually, he's going to have to get his passport renewed. To do that, he'll have to send it off to the closest consulate who will in turn send it off to Washington DC. I wouldn't feel to easy about things if I had gone public shooting my mouth off about the US and then have to rely on the State Dep't to renew my passport. If they refused, they could basically tell the French gov't to have him deported and he wouldn't have any choice but to return to the US or apply for asylum (which he would probably get).

The State Dep't also ties the IRS into the passport renewal. I'm not sure how routinely the IRS looks at the info for expats but it says right on the renewal application that they send the info to the IRS periodically. It just wouldn't do to p!ss 'em off. Better to keep a low profile. If he's happy to be out of the country, he should just enjoy his life and keep his mouth shut about a place he says he doesn't want to be in anyway.

[miloklancy]

Indeed and as others have said, it would be nice if the unqualified Hollywood pundits would go move to the crap streets of France. Depp is really trying to out do them all. I realize he portrayed Hunter S. Thompson on screen, but he is sounding like even more of a babbling idiot than the burned out Thompson does these days. Also my relatives left France behind almost 400 years ago and I for one don't ever want to visit that stinking hell hole.

[twigs]

I have also refused to see his latest movie, although I hear that I would enjoy it. His comments just went over the top for me. If he hates the US that much, I don't want to contribute a penny to his pocket.

[Prodigal Son]

Also, to clarify, it is possible to be a resident of one country and a citizen of the US. Easy in fact. Depp likely is a legal resident and not just a tourist in France although I wouldn't swear on that. If his wife is a EU citizen he actually has a right to live in France. This is how I got my residency in the UK even though my wife is not British. She's an EU citizen and the British grant residency for spouses...

[Timesink]

Depp and his little bimbo aren't married, though, are they?

[Michael.SF.]

Well, at least he will have some company in france:

Vanessa Paradis

[Prodigal Son]

I think the US Administration has the balls to do it. As well they should.

Well, that might be. But I hate the IRS worse than just about anything else. If they gave me a similar order, I'd go underground. All Depp has done is talk. This isn't a crime. We might not like what he has to say but I wouldn't wish the IRS on him just for that. The IRS hound me enough as it is- it's not funny at all. It's like when you are an American citizen, you become property of the IRS and they hold a title deed on you no matter where you go. They even want to tax my wife's money even though she's not American and has never set foot in the States. They can bugger off.

I disagree with what Depp has said here but I support his right to say it. Jeez, it wasn't like he wished death on anybody. If I had to side with him or the IRS, Depp would get my support just about every time.

[Prodigal Son]

I don't know. In Britain, they recognize your partner the same as a spouse in most cases. I don't know how it is in France. Plus, he is the father of the children. That probably has something to do with it as well.

Is she really a bimbo? I have never heard of her before this.

[BSunday]

I'm still gonna see it. I don't care what the entertainers politics are, just so long as they do their job (ie entertain). Why should I deprive myself of seeing what my daughters tell me is a great flick, just because I disagree with one or more of the actors? It's like punishing yourself for something you didn't do.

[Timesink]

Well, I can't PROVE she's a bimbo, but if she's shacking up with someone of the intellect of Johnny Depp, i'd have to guess she's either a bimbo or a golddigger.

[dirtboy]

Separated at birth:

Dumb puppy / Dumb ass

[BushisTheMan]

Why don't you wait until it comes on TV, meaning no extra dollars in this guys pocket?

[BSunday]

Because I don't mind paying the man for his performance.