Sony exec's joke Obama likes 'Django' and Kevin Hart in latest e-mail leak
theGRIO REPORT - In the latest story in a chain of embarrassing emails leaked by hackers targeting Sony, Sony Pictures chair Amy Pascal is in hot water for emails exchanged with Scott Rudin...
In the latest story in a chain of embarrassing emails leaked by hackers targeting Sony, the film studio’s chair Amy Pascal is in hot water for emails exchanged with producer Scott Rudin.
The topic? Movies they assume President Obama would like.
Buzzfeed obtained e-mails where Pascal asked what questions she should ask the president at an upcoming fundraiser. Rudin, a top film producer, had plenty of suggestions.
He replied to Pascal, wondering if the president could “finance some movies.”
“I doubt it,” Pascal replies. “Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?”
Rudin’s response? “12 YEARS.”
The two go back and forth on other suggestions starring or featuring African-American actors and themes like The Butler and Think Like A Man.
At one point, Rudin writes, “Ride-along. I bet he likes Kevin Hart.”
Later that evening, the president talked about what he liked best about Hollywood — not the movies listed by Rudin and Pascal, but the movies that show the world what American diversity can do.
If they’re watching an old movie — Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,The Mary Tyler Moore Show, or Will and Grace and Modern Family — they’ve had a front-row seat to our march towards progress. Even if their own nations haven’t made that progress yet.
Not a good look, Sony. Not a good look.
**UPDATE** (11 a.m. ET)
Thursday morning, Rudin issued an apology for the content of the e-mails via Deadline.com:
Private emails between friends and colleagues written in haste and without much thought or sensitivity, even when the content of them is meant to be in jest, can result in offense where none was intended,” he told Deadline. “I made a series of remarks that were meant only to be funny, but in the cold light of day, they are in fact thoughtless and insensitive — and not funny at all. To anybody I’ve offended, I’m profoundly and deeply sorry, and I regret and apologize for any injury they might have caused.
Pascal has also apologized via The Wrap:
The content of my emails were insensitive and inappropriate but are not an accurate reflection of who I am,” Pascal said in a statement, adding that “although this was a private communication that was stolen, I accept full responsibility for what I wrote and apologize to everyone who was offended.
