Gere apologizes for kiss that offended Hindu fans
Richard Gere tried to quell the storm over a public kiss he gave a Bollywood star at an AIDS awareness event, apologizing Friday for any offense.
Gere's embrace and kiss of actress Shilpa Shetty sparked several noisy demonstrations by hard-line Hindu groups and a flurry of legal complaints, which ended with a judge in the northwestern city of Jaipur issuing an arrest warrant for the two stars for violating obscenity laws.
“What is most important to me is that my intentions as an HIV/AIDS advocate be made clear, and that my friends in India understand that it has never been, nor could it ever be, my intention to offend you,” Gere said in statement issued by the Heroes Project, an organization the 57-year-old actor co-founded to combat AIDS in India.
“If that has happened, of course it is easy for me to offer a sincere apology,” he said.
The embrace, in front of about 4,000 truckers, was a failed parody of a move from Gere's film “Shall We Dance,” and “a naive misread of Indian customs,” he said.
Gere had earlier taken a harder tone, hitting back at a small group who had complained.
Former Beatle tops out a new list: The Rich List
Paul McCartney is ranked third in an annual list of Britain's richest musical figures, with a fortune estimated at $1.4 billion.
The Sunday Times' annual Rich List, released Friday, said the former Beatle's fortune was down $200 million from last year, due to the estimated cost of his upcoming divorce from Heather Mills.
Clive Calder, the former Zomba records label boss whose acts included Britney Spears and ‘N Sync, was at the top of the music list, with a fortune estimated at $2.6 billion.
Andrew Lloyd Webber was in second place at $1.5 billion. The composer has had a good year thanks to his role as producer of a West End revival of “The Sound of Music,” whose star was chosen by a reality TV program.
Cross pulls the plug
on marriage vows
Christopher Cross, whose hits include “Sailing,” has filed for divorce after nearly 19 years of marriage.
Cross, 55, and his wife, Jan, separated Feb. 11.
He cited irreconcilable differences in a divorce petition filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The singer is seeking custody of the couple's 17-year-old son, Christopher, and 15-year-old daughter, Madison.
The Grammy winner co-wrote and sang “Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do).”
- From wire reports
Gere's embrace and kiss of actress Shilpa Shetty sparked several noisy demonstrations by hard-line Hindu groups and a flurry of legal complaints, which ended with a judge in the northwestern city of Jaipur issuing an arrest warrant for the two stars for violating obscenity laws.
“What is most important to me is that my intentions as an HIV/AIDS advocate be made clear, and that my friends in India understand that it has never been, nor could it ever be, my intention to offend you,” Gere said in statement issued by the Heroes Project, an organization the 57-year-old actor co-founded to combat AIDS in India.
“If that has happened, of course it is easy for me to offer a sincere apology,” he said.
The embrace, in front of about 4,000 truckers, was a failed parody of a move from Gere's film “Shall We Dance,” and “a naive misread of Indian customs,” he said.
Gere had earlier taken a harder tone, hitting back at a small group who had complained.
Former Beatle tops out a new list: The Rich List
Paul McCartney is ranked third in an annual list of Britain's richest musical figures, with a fortune estimated at $1.4 billion.
The Sunday Times' annual Rich List, released Friday, said the former Beatle's fortune was down $200 million from last year, due to the estimated cost of his upcoming divorce from Heather Mills.
Clive Calder, the former Zomba records label boss whose acts included Britney Spears and ‘N Sync, was at the top of the music list, with a fortune estimated at $2.6 billion.
Andrew Lloyd Webber was in second place at $1.5 billion. The composer has had a good year thanks to his role as producer of a West End revival of “The Sound of Music,” whose star was chosen by a reality TV program.
Cross pulls the plug
on marriage vows
Christopher Cross, whose hits include “Sailing,” has filed for divorce after nearly 19 years of marriage.
Cross, 55, and his wife, Jan, separated Feb. 11.
He cited irreconcilable differences in a divorce petition filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The singer is seeking custody of the couple's 17-year-old son, Christopher, and 15-year-old daughter, Madison.
The Grammy winner co-wrote and sang “Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do).”
- From wire reports
Citizen
Hot Jobs
New! Off the Menu
The Citizens' Say
Post your comment - click hereThere are No comments posted.