Susan Sarandon has called Pope Benedict XVI a ‘Nazi’ as she delivered a speech about Catholic teaching on the death penalty.

The actress made her incendiary remark while talking at the Hamptons Film Festival over the weekend. She revealed how she had sent a copy of the book ‘Dead Man Walking’ to the late Pope John Paul II, stating she had sent the book to “[...] the last [pope]. Not this Nazi one we have now.”

This was a reference to Pope Benedict XVI’s membership of the Hitler Youth as a 14-year-old. However, it is questioned by some historians how supportive the Pope or his family of the time were toward Nazism.

In 2009, National Catholic Reporter journalist John Allen Jr. argued that the Pope, then Joseph Ratzinger, was always an unwilling participant in Nazi life:

“The historical evidence is overwhelming that Joseph Ratzinger’s family was ferociously anti-Nazi, and that the future pope was appalled by the arrogance and destructiveness of National Socialism. He was never a Nazi party member, entered an auxiliary unit of the German army only when forced to do so, and deserted before war’s end. He was an American prisoner of war in a camp near Ulm, Germany, before being released and returning to his seminary studies.”

Bill Donohue of the Catholic League accused Sarandon of displaying “willful ignorance,” labeling her comments “obscene.” It wasn’t only theist organisations who were critical: the Anti-Defamation League called the remarks “disturbing, deeply offensive and completely uncalled for.”

What do you make of Sarandon’s remarks?

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Susan Sarandon has raised hackles after remarks she made at a Hamptons event this weekend during which she called the current Pope a “Nazi.”

Sarandon has been criticized strongly by the Catholic League for the remarks, and the group says that the remarks are unfair but par for the course for Sarandon in their estimation. The comments came in response to a question about her statement that she’d sent the Pope a copy of the anti-death penalty film Dead Man Walking, in which Sarandon plays a nun. When asked which Pope had received the package, Sarandon specified the previous one and added “not this Nazi one we have now.” The interviewer attempted to move on, but the actress reiterated the comment.

The Hollywood Reporter carried part of a statement from the Catholic League’s William Donohue addressing Sarandon’s remarks. He said:

“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…

“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.”

It wasn’t just Catholics that found Sarandon’s remarks offensive- Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League commented:

“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. 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.”

Neither Sarandon nor her reps have commented on the remarks since the event.

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Susan Sarandon, star of Dead Man Walking and, uh, Wall Street, has made an appearance at the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protests in New York.

The Oscar-winning actress, also renowned as a keen activist for progressive and left-leaning causes, joined the 11-day-old protest against corporate greed. She left for a flight to Italy in the afternoon, but promised to return next week.

While at the protest site, MSNBC grabbed Sarandon for a chat, in which she admitted she had come along to get schooled:

“I came down here to educate myself. It’s been really informative and I’ll be back [following a trip to Italy]. There’s a huge void between the rich and the poor in this country.”

The actress also talked about the slightly fuzzy aims of the protest, emphasizing the need for clear goals:

“Just to be against Wall Street, there’s too much going on. If you can figure out something that has a positive end to it, that’s a constructive criticism. Maybe finance reform. Something that can actually be followed through. [...] We have to start making human decisions and put people at the top of the line.”

While she avoided blaming Wall Street for all of the world’s economic woes (“Greed is widespread all over the world”), Sarandon added she knows nobody who doesn’t think Wall Street deserves to be protested against.

Protestors at Zuccotti Park are promising to continue their disruption of daily Wall Street life, even after police yesterday maced apparently peaceful protestors and made 80 arrests.

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Susan Sarandon may soon be working together. According to THR Sarandon is currently in negotiations to join the former WWE star on the set of Snitch an action thriller written and directed by Ric Roman Waugh.

Here’s a quick synopsis from The Hollywood Reporter:

The script centers on a suburban father who is hit hard when his teenage son is sentenced to 30 years under mandatory minimum drug laws. In order to reduce his son’s sentence, the father goes undercover to serve up a senior drug dealer. The story is based on a Frontline documentary.

The role Sarandon will play was originally written for a male character and then reworked for Sarandon to play a U.S. attorney who believes a big drug bust will push her political career in the right direction.

The movie is being produced by Nigel Sinclair, Guy East and Alex Brunner, David Fanning, Dany Garcia and Dwayne Johnson.

Susan Sarandon has been busy lately with several movies in post-production including Robot and Frank, Arbitrage, I Hate You Dad and The Wedding. Sarandon is currently filming The Company You Keep and Cloud Atlas. Currently in pre-production is her next project Hemlock Drive.

Summit Entertainment will release Snitch in the U.S.

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Thelma & Louise stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis reunited this Monday to celebrate the landmark film’s 20th anniversary.

The TIFF Bell Lightbox, home of the Toronto International Film Festival, honored the iconic film’s anniversary by hosting a special screening set up to raise money for the Women’s College Hospital Foundation

In Thelma & Louise, which was directed and co-produced by Ridley Scott, Sarandon and Davis play the roles of two working-class friends who become accidental outlaws after heading out for a weekend getaway.

It was a groundbreaking movie in it’s day being one of the first to cover the issue of rape. The film, originally released in June of 91′, has become a symbol of women’s rights mainly in part due to its feminist overtones and original plot.

Thelma & Louise was nominated for six Academy Awards in 1992 and ended up winning an Oscar for best screenplay. Both Sarandon and Davis were nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role awards.

Geena and Susan are scheduled to further discuss the film’s influence tonight at 7:30pm in the Roy Thomson Hall.

Check out the iconic ending scene-which prompted a multitude of mixed reactions- of the movie below.

Chime in, is Thelma & Louise the ultimate ‘Chick Flick’?

Thelma & Louise by Ange-diable

via Examiner

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Long term celebrity couple Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon have split, Sarandon’s publicist has confirmed.

Sarandon, 61, and Robbins, 53, met on the set of Bull Durham in 1988 and had been domestic partners for 23 years prior to the split. The couple, both known for their outspoken opinions and political activism, famously never married. Sarandon said of the decision:

“I won’t marry because I am too afraid of taking him for granted or him taking me for granted – maybe it will be a good excuse for a party when I am 80,” Sarandon has said in the past.

The couple didn’t share details of the split, confirming only that it occurred during the summer. A rep for Sarandon released a statement to People:

“Actress Susan Sarandon and her partner of 23 years, actor Tim Robbins have announced that they separated over the summer,” her rep Teal Cannaday tells PEOPLE in a statement. “No further comments will be made.”

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Word has it that the Obama campaign has asked select high-profile supporters to avoid Obama’s rally held tonight in Chicago’s Grant Park.

According to The Sun-Times, Jay-Z, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Susan Sarandon, Ben Affleck, Tim Robbins, and Mary J. Blige were among the stars asked to avoid tonight’s event and instead come to Obama’s January inauguration, if it happens.

An insider supposedly revealed that “There really only needs to be one star in Grant Park, and that’s Barack. There will be plenty of time for a new President Obama to be surrounded by famous fans, all hopeful about a new administration.”

Oprah does get to come to the rally, and will probably get to spend time with the Obama family and their “inner circle” at the Hyatt Regency. No fair, right? Well, as the Sun-Times said, “No one says no to Oprah!” So true.

Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Diddy & More Asked to Skip Obama Rally is a post from: The Inquisitr