Will Smith -- Reporters Just Don't Understand

31. Will is learning like Eddie Murphy -- don't put it in the written press. Make your interviews on tape or video. I think it's TMZ and the gossip sites that misinterpreted what he said, not the Scottish reporter. Basically what he stated is simply that Hitler was "born" inherently good, like we all are. Somewhere along the way his beliefs and environment dictated what he became later in life.
What's so bad and misunderstood about that?
But message to Will: Next time get it on tape or video.

Posted at 12:06PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Sally

32. The quote was preceded by the writer's observation: "Remarkably, Will believes everyone is basically good." to which he stated, "Even 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."'

Why must some self-serving people systematically pick pieces of an atricle/piece that can, and they know will, be taken out of context, causing an uproar? Purposely skewing his original message/thoughts into something grotesque and abhorrant. All of these vile comments being made should be aimed at those who have done this for gossip and publicities sake.

Because of your crassness, uncouth, and unprofessional (wait scratch that one this is a celebrity 'gossip' site. You enjoy cutting down individuals and trying to destroy careers. Especially of those who are having difficulty in their profession and personal lives!) He was forced, yes forced, to make a statement, as his reputation and honor were impugned upon. Can we say libel......

"It is an awful and disgusting lie," Smith said in a statement Monday provided by his publicist. "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."

"Adolf Hitler was a vile, heinous vicious killer responsible for one of the greatest acts of evil committed on this planet," read the statement.

All of you loons can flame me all you want. Seems many of you get off on degrading and villifying others. Something must be missing or wrong in your lives, to garner so much glee from the difficulties of others, be they true or not!!!!!

Posted at 12:10PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Nawlins

33. "Will you you messed up man offended a whole lot of people. This wound is gonna take along time to recover. I just hope this isn't what people will remember most about your career."

He didn't mess up. Anytime you use the word "Hitler" in a sentence and/or Jews, that's the hot spot. You never mention Hitler and Jews in a statement. But he didn't mess up. His movies still make money, and the majority of people don't give 2c about what he said. only the gossips and TMZ, and oh yeh, the JDL -- very sensitive people!

Posted at 12:43PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Sally

34. Interesting how the media will play this up.

The actual quote clearly taken out of context yet we'll see how it's played up in the media for sensationalism and ratings...
I wish Will the best...

Posted at 12:45PM on Dec 26th 2007 by TheTruthBeToldAnOnLineNameAintWorthFightingOver

35. I agree with whomever said he should never had brought up the name Hitler to begin with; however misquoted, this kind of thing leaves him open for misintrepetation and criticism. He needs to start doing what Oprah and others are doing; whenever he is interviewed, he should bring his own crew to tape and record sound so there's no question as to what was actually said.

Posted at 1:00PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Jennie

36. He is not backtracking because that is not what he said. I understand it is a slow news day, but TMZ is being irresponsible, and I hope Will Smith sues TMZ for perpetuating this blatantly false story. Stop trying to portray him as an Anti-Semite because what you do is cause people to be unsympathetic when real cases of hatred and bigotry occur. And to all of the people who are somehow blaming him, not because of what he actually said, but because of his friendship with Tom Cruise; you are hypocrites. You are trying to condemn him for what you felt was a slight against a religious ethnic minority while making comments about someone else's religion. We live in a free society where people choose how they worship. Intolerance is the same whether it is directed at Jewish people or Scientologists.

Posted at 1:44PM on Dec 26th 2007 by h

37. OK, just what is so bad about Scientology?

Please, someone, just outline an answer for me straight forward.

Posted at 2:40PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Lilarose

38. Lilarose- "What is so bad about Scientology?" Well, somewhere along the line, they reject Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Messiah. That, alone could put you in hell one day.

Posted at 5:21PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Will Smith should SUE Harvey Levin and TMZ

39. Actually, Will Smith's statement said the BLOGS (i.e. TMZ, etc) misinterpreted and recast what he said. I read the newspaper article and it was clear what Smith was saying ... but when the Blogs got a hold of it they sensationalized it and made it seem like Will said Hitler was good, when what he said was that hitler in his twisted mind that he was good. Big difference.

Posted at 12:12AM on Dec 27th 2007 by TMZ You should be ashamed

40. Mr Will Smith I love you and I hope and pray that you will not get down on your knees apologizing or asking for forgiveness. You said and did NOTHING wrong. And don't start visiting jewish organizations and museums, you don't owe them a thing. They tried to destroy you just like they say the nazis tried to destroy them.

Posted at 5:58PM on Dec 26th 2007 by LIBERTAD

41. Damn...TMZ had to find the worst possible picture of Will Smith.

Posted at 3:04AM on Dec 29th 2007 by Young One

42. Will, don't you dare make a public apology. TMZ is totally out of line!!! The media does anything it can to bring you down especially when you've become a big star. Just makes no sense at all.

Posted at 7:47PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Kay

43. I love will smith ..and Jada is sexy as hell..

Posted at 1:31PM on Dec 29th 2007 by coldfeet

44. For those of you who don't watch the news or read the paper, Will Smith DID NOT make the comment about Hitler being a "good person". It was a MISQUOTE by the person interviewing Will Smith. The paper has made a FORMAL APOLOGY regarding this matter. Smith will not be affected by this at all. He issed a FORMAL STATEMENT stating that the quote was in correct and a vicious lie. AGAIN this was confirmed by the SCOTTISH paper who did the interview. WILL SMITH AND MEL GIBSON are NOT the same. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 11:34PM on Jan 4th 2008 by amanda

45. You haven't quite got your facts straight either Amanda. As others have said, the Daily Record and Siobhan Synnot didn't misquote him. Read the article; it's nothing but nice about him and it's quite clear what he meant.
However he demanded, and got an apology, from the news agency that took his remarks totally out of context and twisted them into the "vicious lie" that "Hitler was essentially good" and which was picked up by blogs like these.

Posted at 5:23AM on Jan 6th 2008 by Kevin McCarron