Will Smith -- Hitler, Schmitler; He Wasn't That Bad

UPDATE: Will Smith's rep sent TMZ the following statement from him, which reads: "It is an awful and disgusting lie. It speaks to the dangerous power of an ignorant person with a pen. I am incensed and infuriated to have to respond to such ludicrous misinterpretation. Adolph Hitler was a vile, heinous, vicious killer responsible for one of the greatest acts of evil committed on this planet."

On the day before Christmas, a leading Jewish group is kvetching loudly about Will Smith's recent suggestion that Adolf Hitler wasn't all bad, calling it "ignorant, detestable, and offensive." Oy.

The Jewish Defense League is calling on Barack Obama to repudiate Smith's comments, and wants theaters to pull Smith's new flick "I Am Legend" from their screens. Smith told a Scottish paper that Hitler "didn't wake up going, 'Let me do the most evil thing I can do today.' ... I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was 'good.'" What kind of meshuggeneh talk is that?!

Smith's words, say the JDL, "spit on the memory of every person murdered by the Nazis. His disgusting words stick a knife in the backs of every veteran who fought (and sometimes died) to save the world from the intentions of Adolf Hitler."



Tags: Will Smith, WillSmith

Reader Comments

(Page 76 of 76) Previous 15 Comments

1126. i dont think what he said was offensive. he just said that hitler himself thought he was doing a good thing, which is true. he didnt say anything at all about himself liking hitler, and im totally unoffended

Posted at 3:44AM on Jan 4th 2008 by swinglifeawaychika

1127. Do you honestly think that Hitler (or any other evil dictator throughout human history) actually woke up everyday saying to himself, "What hell can I deliver upon the peoples of the world/country today?" Probably not. Hitler--and the German people at the time--most likely thought that they were doing good things for their own personal benefit, and for the benefit of Germany. Just as other monsters think that from distruction goodness will arise. So for you to lambast Will Smith for making that comment is a bit naive and dishonest. And I see nothing in Mr. Smith's comment that says he in any way supports what Adolph did, or anything speaking ill of Jews.

In a human history full of monsters, Hitler is king among them. That being said, Hitler probably helped an old lady cross the street at one time. So, no one is all bad (except for GWB).

Happy New Year

Posted at 5:10PM on Jan 8th 2008 by skepticlove

1128. Well, ask Will Smith if the Ku Klux Klan were essentially good people who didn’t wake up one morning and say “Let’s see if we can do the most evil thing today”. Were the KKK working for a common good? It is obvious to me how ignorant and insensitive Will Smith really is. Is he not aware of his own history and about “the strange fruit that hangs from the trees in the South”? Furthermore, it is apparent what is really in his heart about Jews, and that his fame and fortune have gone to his head. Does he really think he can say whatever he wants because He's squeaky clean Will Smith? No amount of apology could make up for this ignorant comment, yet he refuses to take it back? I am thoroughly disgusted and livid beyond description. I will never watch another Fresh Prince episode or see another one of his movies again. And to think that he portrayed Mohamid Ali. I could through up!

Posted at 5:17AM on Jun 30th 2009 by L. Nash

1129. Just for the record

The World Entertainment News Network issued a formal apology to Smith, saying that the "erroneous and dangerous statement attributed to Will Smith about Adolph HItler being a 'good person' ... was false and misleading." WENN says it takes "full responsibility for the dissemination" of the story and offers Will "a sincere apology" and deeply regrets "the personal stress" caused.

Posted at 12:40AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Sue

1130. extremely misinterpreted...grow up people.

Posted at 5:20PM on Jan 19th 2008 by hey-lee

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