Susan Sarandon Calls The Pope A Nazi!

Few things stir up the pot like a celebrity publicly calling a leader a Nazi. Now Susan Sarandon can attest to that first hand, after describing Pope Benedict XVI as a Nazi during a sit-down interview at the Hamptons International Film Festival on Saturday.

During an interview by actor Bob Balaban, Sarandon said she had sent a copy of the book “Dead Man Walking” (the book whose film adaptation earned her an Oscar nomination) to the pope — being careful to say that she was talking about the previous pontiff, John Paul II,  “Not this Nazi one we have now.” After Balaban reacted, Sarandon repeated the remark.

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and the Anti-Defamation League were quick to react. ADL national director Abraham H. Foxman released a statement, asking her to apologize:

“Ms. Sarandon may have her differences with the Catholic Church, but that is no excuse for throwing around Nazi analogies …Such words are hateful, vindictive and only serve to diminish the true history and meaning of the Holocaust.”

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, skipped a plea for an apology, and put on his fighting gloves, telling E! News “it is very hard to find someone dumber” than Sarandon. “…she is ignorant and full of hatred to the Catholic Church.”

According to the LA Times: The pope, born John Ratzinger, did grew up in Nazi Germany, and according to at least one biography was registered against his will in the Hitler Youth by his seminary. After ending his religious studies he had no connection to the group, and according to historical evidence, he shared his family’s anti-Nazi views and never joined the Nazi party.