Stone calls "China Karma Quake" comments an "accident" and "a product of news sensationalism"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Actress says she misspoke on China



http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/31/sharon.stone/index.html

(CNN) -- Actress Sharon Stone said in a statement Saturday that she "could not be more regretful" of her comments this month regarding the earthquake in China, in which she suggested that the quake was an act of "karma."

"Yes, I misspoke," said the statement released by Stone's publicist and entitled "In my own words by Sharon Stone."

"I could not be more regretful of that mistake. It was unintentional. I apologize. Those words were never meant to be hurtful to anyone," Stone said. "They were an accident of my distraction and a product of news sensationalism."

Stone said Saturday that she was issuing the statement to set the record straight about the comments she made to a reporter at the Cannes Film Festival.

The statement drew fire from citizens and government officials.

"There have been numerous reports about what I said in Cannes. I would like to set the record straight about what I feel in my heart and end all of the understandings," she said.

"They're not being nice to the Dalai Lama, who is a friend of mine," Stone said on camera at the time, discussing the Chinese. "And then all of this earthquake and all this happened and I thought, is that karma? When you're not nice, that bad things happen to you?"

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Here's the thing: The Dalai Lama exercises discretion with his expressions

about China. Stone is a loose cannon. And she's done this before with her MENSA statement and "I have cancer" statement. She knows the media is watching and recording, and assumedly as a "professional" who has an agent, she understands her words need to be measured.

She just thought she could get some good press with a cheap shot that was politically correct in Cannes, but didn't consider the commercial ramifications with Christian Dior.

She may be correct with her outrage against China, but she can't have it both ways as a celebrity whose platform is elevated and a citizen of the world like the rest of us.

[frogcycle]

3. inaccurate handle there, no_hypocrisy

people say stupid, thoughtless things sometimes. Nobody can be on guard every minute of every day (OK, maybe the Dalai Lama is). But this incessant haranguing of people over every single utterance is hypocrisy. There are plenty of people uttering intentionally vile, hateful crap all the time. People have become a bunch of jackals.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Generally, I am in agreement with you. However, I'm focusing on "public figures".

Whether it's a celebrity, a politician, a newsmaker, a spouse of the prior three, etc., he/she understands in the world as it exists, the media is everpresent. Often the with the cameras rolling, the microphones thrust forward, it can't be ignored. And with precedent of other public figures being challenged for their opinions, I can't help but wonder why Sharon Stone thought that she would be an exception. And further, if she had such strong conviction for her sentiments about criticizing China and an appeal to the people of Tibet, she wouldn't have apologized; if anything, she would have remained defiant.

It seems to be me that celebrities especially get hit in the media for being political: Jane Fonda, Tom Selleck, Rosie O'Donnell, Bruce Willis, Charlton Heston, etc. And they take a hit in popularity to some degree. You can't change the media; you have to be aware of it, and work under the way it operates unless you're ready to keep going with your statements to attack it, and as a celebrity, that's biting the hand that feeds you.

[Berry Cool]

5. Exactly. If she wants the right to say stupid, insensitive things without anyone paying attention

she can go back to obscurity.

Until then, she's going to get slammed every time she makes a statement like this, and for good reason. For crying out loud, there sure are a lot of people out there who derive a lot of comfort from the idea that bad things only happen to those who deserve them, aren't there? Then all of a sudden it's THEM the bad thing happens to, and their reaction is sobbing and crying and WHY ME??????

Pathetic.

[rpannier]

2. a product of news sensationalism

Yeah right.

She said it.
It was stupid.
She should own up to it and not blame others