By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
Halle Berry better watch her mouth.
The Academy Award winning actress nearly dodged a bullet over her "alleged anti-Semitic" remarks during the taping of 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' on Oct. 19.
According to the New York Post, Berry was showing Leno and his audience images of herself on her computer using the Mac program Photo Booth, which distorts images like a carnival fun-house mirror.
"She introduced the first photo by saying, 'Here's where I look like my Jewish cousin!' - it was a picture of her with a huge, distorted nose," an anonymous alleged audience member told the daily tabloid. "No one laughed, and Jay nervously said, 'I'm glad you said that and not me.' When the show aired, they cut out her 'Jewish' comment and added a laugh track to the bit."
Another guest in the audience told the Post, "If you watch the clip, you can see Halle saying the word 'Jewish,' though obviously there is no audio. NBC covered her a - -. Ms. Berry should know how unbelievably inappropriate her comment was . . . She should be ashamed of herself."
Whoa nelly!!!
Berry, a longtime Revlon spokesperson, was promoting her movie 'Things We Lost in the Fire' -- her latest box office clunker -- which only made a dismal $1.6 million during its opening weekend.
Known as a media darling -- who coincidentally always has some harrowing tale to tell every time she has a new movie to promote -- spoke to the tabloid and tried to make amends.
"I so didn't mean to offend anybody - and after the show I realized it could be seen as offensive, so I asked Jay to take it out, and he did," the 'Strictly Business' star said.
"What happened was I was backstage before the show and I have three girls who are Jewish who work for me," she continued. "We were going through pictures to see which ones looked silly, and one of my Jewish friends said [of the big-nose picture], 'That could be your Jewish cousin!' And I guess it was fresh in my mind, and it just came out of my mouth. But I didn't mean to offend anybody. I didn't. I didn't mean any harm."
The Post said that the four and a half month pregnant beauty even offered to call its source and apologize in person, saying, "It was just a lighthearted segment that was meant to make fun of myself. There was a picture where I said I looked like Monica Lewinsky and one where I said I looked like Jay. It was just supposed to be a silly segment. I am so sorry, and I apologize."


Comments: (622)
Add a comment
By: Natalia on 10/23/2007 2:22PM
Ouch Halle.
Visit http://executees.net
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Allen on 10/24/2007 10:38AM
Oh come on everyone needs to lighten up. Humor is supposed to be a little offensive. If you cn live your whole life without someone offending you good luck. I think we should all find a little humor in everyone else and ourselves. I wonder if anyone would have been appalled if she made a black nose joke. I'm sick of people whining about being offended by everything. Lighten up or go hide in the closet. Ut oh better change that wouldn't wanna offend any gays...geesh give me a break!!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: David Sperry on 10/23/2007 2:44PM
Typical pass given to African-Americans by the media. Michael Richards gets his head handed to him for about a month, but Halle Berry gets an "Alleged" quote for a headline from AOL's "Black Voice" apologist. Typical hypocritical nonsense that doesn't fool America anymore.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Charlie Goose on 10/23/2007 11:44PM
Meh, she was just making a harmless joke. Everyone should stop being so damned sensitive.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: susan schein on 10/24/2007 4:55PM
I think people are tooooo worried about dumb things I am Jewish and my nose is big and beautiful. I don't think that she meant anything bad. she is half white and half black she knows about how everybody talks about every things. We should all laugh at our short comings in this case our long comings. Stop making everyone walk on egg shells.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: D on 10/23/2007 6:55PM
I don't think she meant anything offensive by it, and sounds sincere in her apologies.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Alan on 10/23/2007 2:50PM
It was only a joke ,lighten up. The Arabs saying they want all Jews wiped from the planet is far worse and you never see AOL make an issue of that.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Trina Cole on 10/23/2007 2:48PM
That should be back pedaling, not back peddling. It's a bicycle-derived term, y'know.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/back%20pedaling
Your Anal Retentive Grammar Fairy comment for the day. Enjoy!!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Allan Katz on 10/23/2007 2:56PM
As a Jew may I simply say, "Give the girl a break." In context of what went on everything she says sounds believable and understandable. There is so much sensitivity on this issue let's every once in a while try to breathe and give some one a pass.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: karen on 10/23/2007 2:52PM
Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, where are you now? Why aren't you making sure Halle loses her job????? Just as I thought!
Reply to this Comment | Report This