Mad, bad and dangerous to know

[Marko Amnell]

I just watched the infamous Galliano anti-semitic rant

Thanks for the links. I had seen mentions of the incident in the news, but
wasn't sufficiently interested to check it out. But it seems there's some
confusion as to what happened last week that he was being sacked over - it
is not the incident on the video. WFIW, I don't see the video as anything
bad at all - he's clearly not being serious, just pretending and
playacting for shock value, to shoo the unwanted accosters away. After
all, he was sitting minding his business, wearing his kalpak, when (two?)
chickens accost him with inane questions. How would *you* answer a
question "Are you blonde?". In addition, there is nothing anti-semitic in
what he says; read the transcript below. What I understand is that the
anti-semitic rant last week was in another altercation, that even went
physical, and it appears that Galliano was attacked and provoked in
that one too. And he's suing his attacker, as I understand.

My posting was tongue in cheek, and I threw in an ironic
allusion to Lord Byron, another British "star" artist with
bad manners, of whom Lady Caroline Lamb said he was
"mad, bad and dangerous to know." I like Byron. I read
his long poem "Don Juan", some other poetry, his letters
and journals (the parts about his exploits in Venice are
priceless) and a good biography by Frederic Raphael.
I visited the palazzo in Venice where Byron once lived
(now companies can book rooms in it). Byron's room:
http://www.art-prints-on-demand.com/a/englishschool19thcentury/byronsroominpalazzomoceni.html

But I digress. I am aware that Galliano was already in
trouble before the video. He had to visit a police station
in Paris due to the earlier incident you mention, which
also took place at La Perle bar in the Marais. He was
accused of making anti-semitic statements. Other people
have also come forward and claimed he has made anti-
semitic statements to them at other times in La Perle.
I don't know what really happened, of course, so he may
have been "set up" in the video, and provoked earlier.
LVMH may also have been compelled to act because
Natalie Portman (freshly crowned best actress at the
Oscars for her starring role in "Black Swan") said she
was shocked and disgusted by the video and would
refuse to work with Galliano (although she had recently
signed a deal to promote some LVMH products).
Portman is Israeli and her real name is Natalie Hershlag
(oops, I pulled a Charlie Sheen).

Frankly, I was interested in the story mainly for its
entertainment value. I guess this has something to do
with the fact that I know people in the Paris fashion
industry and know how corrupt and crazy it is. Galliano
was probably both drunk and high in the video. But
lots of people in the fashion industry have that kind
of lifestyle. It is sad, of course, that his career may
have been ruined over this.

Girl: "Are you blonde?"
Galliano: "No, but I love Hitler. People like you would be
dead today. You're mothers, your forefathers would be f**king
gassed, and f**king dead."
Girl: "Do you have a problem?"
Galliano: "With you? You're ugly." *snarl*
Girl: "With all people. You don't like peace. You don't want
peace in the world.?
Galliano: "Not with ugly people."
Girl: "Where are you from?"
Galliano: "Your asshole."
http://starcasm.net/archives/88106

[Marko Amnell]

Post by Marko Amnell

I just watched the infamous Galliano anti-semitic rant
http://youtu.be/PhbwiKsXl_k

Thanks for the links. I had seen mentions of the incident in the news,
but wasn't sufficiently interested to check it out. But it seems there's
some confusion as to what happened last week that he was being sacked
over - it is not the incident on the video. WFIW, I don't see the video
as anything bad at all - he's clearly not being serious, just pretending
and playacting for shock value, to shoo the unwanted accosters away.
After all, he was sitting minding his business, wearing his kalpak, when
(two?) chickens accost him with inane questions. How would *you* answer a
question "Are you blonde?". In addition, there is nothing anti-semitic in
what he says; read the transcript below. What I understand is that the
anti-semitic rant last week was in another altercation, that even went
physical, and it appears that Galliano was attacked and provoked in
that one too. And he's suing his attacker, as I understand.

My posting was tongue in cheek, and I threw in an ironic
allusion to Lord Byron, another British "star" artist with
bad manners, of whom Lady Caroline Lamb said he was
"mad, bad and dangerous to know." I like Byron. I read
his long poem "Don Juan", some other poetry, his letters
and journals (the parts about his exploits in Venice are
priceless) and a good biography by Frederic Raphael.
I visited the palazzo in Venice where Byron once lived
http://www.art-prints-on-demand.com/a/englishschool19thcentury/byronsroominpalazzomoceni.html
But I digress. I am aware that Galliano was already in
trouble before the video. He had to visit a police station
in Paris due to the earlier incident you mention, which
also took place at La Perle bar in the Marais. He was
accused of making anti-semitic statements.

This is what he said:

"According to witnesses, a drunken Mr. Galliano exploded
at a woman seated near him in a Paris bar. "Dirty Jewish face,
you should be dead," he is said to have told her. "Your boots
are of the lowest quality, your thighs are of the lowest quality.
You are so ugly I don't want to see you. I am John Galliano!"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/07/opinion/07Garelick.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

There was a sketch on Saturday Night Live last weekend
of a talk show called "Winning! Duh" hosted by Charlie Sheen,
with music by Christine Aguilera, and guests John Galliano,
Muammar Qaddafi and Lindsay Lohan . . .