brownie Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 (edited) From Reuters BRYAN FERRY APOLOGIZES FOR NAZI REMARK British singer Bryan Ferry apologized on Monday for remarks he made in an interview with a German newspaper in which he praised Nazi iconography as "just amazing" and "really beautiful." The 61-year-old lead singer of Roxy Music told Germany's Welt Am Sonntag newspaper last month: "The way that the Nazis staged themselves and presented themselves, my Lord! "I'm talking about the films of Leni Riefenstahl and the buildings of Albert Speer and the mass marches and the flags -- just fantastic. Really beautiful." In a statement, Ferry said he was "deeply upset" about the negative publicity the interview triggered, and added: "I apologize unreservedly for any offence caused by my comments on Nazi iconography, which were solely made from an art history perspective. "I, like every right-minded individual, find the Nazi regime, and all it stood for, evil and abhorrent." Jewish leaders in Britain, some of whom had condemned Ferry's comments and questioned whether he should be dropped by the Marks & Spencer retail chain that employs him as a model, welcomed Ferry's clarification. "We do welcome the fact that he has issued a swift comment that there was no intention to condone the Nazi regime," said Jeremy Newmark, chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council. "Nevertheless, his choice of language was deeply insensitive," he added. Lord Greville Janner, vice-president of the World Jewish Congress, told Reuters: "His apology was total, appropriate and absolutely necessary. I hope that he will never make the same mistake again." Marks & Spencer sought to distance itself from the row. "We do not make comment on the private lives of any individuals that we work with nor does our commercial relationship with them mean we endorse any views they may hold," the group said in a statement. It had no further comment. Riefenstahl was Adolf Hitler's official film maker who was both admired and condemned for her documentaries that pioneered film techniques but glorified Nazism. Speer was an architect who served under Hitler. (With additional reporting by Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin) Looks like he apologized only after he found this was causing unwanted publicity! Edited April 17, 2007 by brownie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Well, jeez, I agree with him. The bastards were absolutely masterful in their presentation and design. The Nazis were absolute masters of PR and marketing. How does saying this in any way equal praising the evil they committed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Well, jeez, I agree with him. The bastards were absolutely masterful in their presentation and design. The Nazis were absolute masters of PR and marketing. How does saying this in any way equal praising the evil they committed? I think his comments may have gone further than simply an assessment of the Nazis' PR and marketing skills -- "beautiful" and "amazing" are not neutral words. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 I don't know. Look at something as simple as the well-known German helmet of the time. Yes, it brings to mind the Nazis and their horror, but if you can divorce it's purpose and history from the object itself, it's a beautiful design. Kind of like the early Ford Mustangs in it's simplicity and appeal. I'll admit that hearing the word "beautiful" applied to icons of Nazi Germany is a bit jarring, but I can see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 I'm getting way past tired of the whole celebrity gaffe/offended segment/public apology news cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 I don't give enough of a crap to google this, but I'm 99% sure Ferry has done something like this before. It was around the same time that David Bowie gave the nazi salute at a gig and Eric Clapton praised some bigot - quite a few years ago. I believe these incidents resulted in the formation of RAR (Rock against Racism) by Tom Robinson. Bertrand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 I agree with Jazzmoose. It's a shame the swastika came to symbolize nazi evil, since it is a fine design element. I like old VWs. Still, Ferry gushed a bit too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 I agree with Jazzmoose. It's a shame the swastika came to symbolize nazi evil, since it is a fine design element. from Tibet & India. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 While I agree the Nazis were masters of propaganda and Speers and Goebbels had a warped brilliance, I always found "that the way the Nazis staged themselves" at times buffoonish, but mostly deeply disturbing, irregardless of the horrors the regime carried out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted April 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 From the Daily Telegraph story on Bryan Ferry today... The 61-year-old also reportedly revealed that he calls his west London studio his Fuhrerbunker, a title associated with Hitler's headquarters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 From the Daily Telegraph story on Bryan Ferry today... The 61-year-old also reportedly revealed that he calls his west London studio his Fuhrerbunker, a title associated with Hitler's headquarters. classy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 From the Daily Telegraph story on Bryan Ferry today... The 61-year-old also reportedly revealed that he calls his west London studio his Fuhrerbunker, a title associated with Hitler's headquarters. classy Has Chuck licensed you to use precisely appropriate laconic remarks? MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 From the Daily Telegraph story on Bryan Ferry today... The 61-year-old also reportedly revealed that he calls his west London studio his Fuhrerbunker, a title associated with Hitler's headquarters. Hmm. Well, so much for my career as a Bryan Ferry defender... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMX Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 I just thank God we live in a time when Oprah can help us heal. Look! Up in the sky - it's the Oprahcopter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 (edited) From the Daily Telegraph story on Bryan Ferry today... The 61-year-old also reportedly revealed that he calls his west London studio his Fuhrerbunker, a title associated with Hitler's headquarters. "To be a zombie all the time / requires such dedication." Guy Edited April 18, 2007 by Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Well, jeez, I agree with him. The bastards were absolutely masterful in their presentation and design. The Nazis were absolute masters of PR and marketing. How does saying this in any way equal praising the evil they committed? I think his comments may have gone further than simply an assessment of the Nazis' PR and marketing skills -- "beautiful" and "amazing" are not neutral words. Guy Wow.....representatives of the requisite jewish groups jumping into action like sparrows mobbing a crow to grind a hapless singer's face into the dirt and -- no doubt -- busily preparing the next fundraising letter to show that they are remaining ever vigilant to protect society from the over effusive ramblings of artsy fartsy British singers. Yawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connoisseur series500 Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Who is Brian Ferry? Brownie, don't you ever read any news that's important? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Got to give him credit.....he was all over the Smithsonian firings!! Whew....and after having seen the lengthy laundry list (think Nile River lengthy!!!!) of Smithsonian expenditures the other nite (functions/caterers, etc) there'll be more to come, Brownie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted April 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Who is Brian Ferry? Brownie, don't you ever read any news that's important? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 artsy fartsy British singers. Yawn. Yeah! Preach! Tell it, babe! I never liked Brian Ferret even more than I never liked Elton John or Rod Stewart. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted April 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 I doubt that Marks & Spencer now will renew their contract with Bryan Ferry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 to make up for his insensitive comments he should finally tour america Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 From the Daily Telegraph story on Bryan Ferry today... The 61-year-old also reportedly revealed that he calls his west London studio his Fuhrerbunker, a title associated with Hitler's headquarters. classy Has Chuck licensed you to use precisely appropriate laconic remarks? MG no, but he's an influence. more posts, less comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMX Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 I should have suspected something when he did that remake of It's My (Nazi) Party on These Foolish Things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 He looks like a cross between Rick Springfield and the Fonz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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