Syndication
Mel Gibson Rep Denies Reports About Polish Priest Biopic
Print this article
Email this article
Other articles by Gabriel Sanders
More in The ShmoozeEarlier this week, the JTA reported that Polish priest Henryk Jankowski, a prominent figure in the Solidarity movement, said in an interview with a right-wing Polish daily that he was in talks with Mel Gibson about a possible film.
For those looking for ammunition against the beleaguered director, the news seemed too good to be true. Jankowski made waves in 1997 when he said that there was no place for Jews in the Polish government. Gibson made waves of his own last year when he — oh, you know why.
Asked by the Forward if there was any truth to the rumors, Gibson flack Alan Nierob offered an emphatic “no.” “Neither my client, Mel Gibson, nor his company Icon Productions is involved in any project relating to this matter,” Nierob wrote in an e-mail to the Forward. “They have no knowledge of this.”
One imagines Jankowski will probably bounce back from the snub. According to recent press reports, the cleric has a number of other irons in the fire, including perfume, wine and clothing lines branded with his image.
Jankowski also made news this week when it was reported that a chain of cafés he was opening would employ only sexy waitresses.
“Ugly women need not apply,” he reportedly said.
Comments
I would like to see a Jewish Newspaper write about the amount of money that Gibson has given and still gives to various Jewish charities and causes instead of them brow-beating his one-snapshot-in-time faux pas that the ADL and those who can't stand The Passion of the Christ constantly emphasise.
Oh, really, Bobby? That's a surprise, since I would have thought you and Mel thought we Jews already had all the money we needed.
Gabriel Sanders and the Forward get excited about some Polish bigot who is of no accounts.
How about some more reporting on antisemitic activity in England by some of The Forwards leftist allies?
Yes, I am talking about the proposed boycott of Israeli academics and of the recent vote by some labor unions there to boycott Israeli products?
When will the Forward join the real world?
Brad R said:
>>Oh, really, Bobby? That's a surprise, since I would have thought you and Mel thought we Jews already had all the money we needed.
Dear Brad R: Who said that I, Mel or anyone else for that matter thinks Jews have all the money you need? Do you perhaps think we Gentiles perceive you all that way? If you do, your mistakened. I'm talking about fair journalism. Read the wonderful sermons by Rabbi Irwin Kula on-line and the real story behind Gibson and The Passion of the Christ. There's a man who should be a journalist. Most Sincerely, Bobby.
As apolish Jew,who was born in POland,in the wake of the latest scandal and complecency of the polish society after publication of the Rydzyk's "lectures",I am giving up polish citizenship,which I had never gave up officially.I no longer can and want to have any affiliation with Poland and polish society,and I do not believe,anything will be ever done ,because I know that unfortunately big part of polish society is antisemitic and intolerant as I remember from years growing up.I was very happy reading about how Wisenthal Center reacted,but this is not enough.I think Poland should be questioned by other members of EU,because I do not believe other governments in EU are as virulent and have more tolerant and open societies.Polish government ignored demands of Israeli government to fire Giertych who's past is highly questionable and his views are causing embarrasement at least.Never finished investigation against Kobylanski who is fighting antisemite and should be brought before court for his denouncement of the whole Jewish family during the war.Kobylanski is funding radio Maryja and polish officials.Nothing is done and the whole country is an embarrasement to the civilized world.I am submitting documents to polish embassy and will no longer be assocaited with that country. Sincerely,
Elizabeth Dorosz,D.D.S
to what Elizabeth Dorosz said no, you are an embarrasement to the to the civilized world - a person who dosn't know who she really is, what are her origins >>I am giving up polish citizenship
if you live in US, than stay in US nobody will be missing you nobody wants you to come back here, to Poland. ever! we do not want such a people like you
normal, regullar people are just people don't judge all the nation by just a few miserable populist polliticians also strange and, unfortunately, popular nowadays, figures on scene everything might change should i consider all US citiziens as dumbs just because, with no doubt, the US president is a jerk and absolutely a dumb person? answer yourself keep living in a dream world believeing that ignorant reporters from US newspappers, magazines, tv station are telling you the only true i see that your horizons are not very wide maybe it is the high time to compare the news you are given with those from other foreign independent representators
i keep contrasting news from poland with those from abroad - us, europe (particularly germany, uk, france, russia), islamic countries, etc.becuase there is always something behind
BTW unluckily priest Henryk Jankowski is really a disgrace to Poland and catholic church. luckily Mel Gibson will not do any biznes with that conceited, vain paranaoic
P.S. don't forget to change your surname Ms. E. Dorosz please!!! it sounds too polish as i am proud to be polish I ask you for that because you bring shame on us
P.P.S. dear readers - forgive me please all my mistakes
Bobby,
In December 1995, during a meeting at his Church, Father Jankowski said, "I have nothing to apologize for my [anti-Jewish] words...Why shouldn't we talk about such things as the murder of Germans by Jews? Why may we not talk about the Jewish-communist administration that governs Poland today? The reason is that they have banks, and everything else in their hands." -From the ADL post linked above.
Bobby, it bothers me that your comment on an article concerning anti-Semitism focuses on the Jews. Are we responsible for the things people say about us? The government of Poland is increasingly xenophobic, the Pope just restored a Mass praying for the conversion of the Jews, and your stance is that it is the Jews who stubbornly refuse to acknowledge all the good things that the Gentiles have done for them. If you refuse to reflect on the effect of your words, regardless of what you take their intent to be, then you cannot be surprised when you are met with hostility by those who have more at stake in the debate than hurt feelings. I admit, I thought your post was in response to my own, in dismissal of it, though I now realize that that was not the case. I am sorry if you felt singled out. However, I stand by the gist of my remarks.
Poland has a notorious history of ingrained anti-semitism. Many Polish Jews who emigrated to the US before World War II will tell you this in almost identical words: "Scratch a Pole and you'll find an anti-semite".
Because of this history, which predates Nazism by many years, Poles need to be extremely sensitive to anti-semites in their midst today, particularly given such historical icons as the Warsaw ghetto. Thus it is not enough to dismiss vocal anti-semites in Poland as "nut cases" or simply distance from them them verbally. If Poland is to change (and many who are obviously Jewish in America and who have had contact with non-Jewish tourists from Poland will tell you such change is needed), it must begin with firm, decisive, and highly public sanctions against such behavior not only by the government and the church, but also by Polish opinion leaders who are highly regarded by the average Pole. Putting it another way, for Poland to live down its history, anti-semites must become pariahs.
Let's remember that denial isn't just a river in Egypt.
unflank calm unenclosed sighlike elongation statistic footmanship amylopectin 16 http://www.freewebs.com/ielohv/10.html 9 http://www.angelfire.com/ahfohm/6.html 15 http://www.angelfire.com/ahfohm/2.html 3 http://www.angelfire.com/ahfohm/4.html 12 http://www.angelfire.com/ahfohm/7.html 17 http://www.freewebs.com/ielohv/14.html 18 http://www.angelfire.com/ahfohm/1.html 11 http://www.angelfire.com/ahfohm/1.html 13 http://www.angelfire.com/ahfohm/7.html 9 http://www.freewebs.com/ielohv/11.html
ADL WELCOMES POLISH CHURCH'S SUSPENSION OF FATHER HENRY JANKOWSKI FOR ANTI-SEMITIC REMARKS New York, NY, November 4, 1997 http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASInt_13/3059-13.asp Found at: http://beatroot.blogspot.com/2007/07/poland-nursing-grudge.html