BREAKING NEWS from People mag:
The father of disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff did not find George Clooney very funny on Monday’s Golden Globes show, when the Syriana supporting actor winner quipped during his acceptance speech: “Who would name their kid Jack with the last words ‘off’ at the end of your last name? No wonder that guy is screwed up.”
In an open letter to Clooney published Thursday in the Desert Sun newspaper out of Palm Springs, Calif., Frank Abramoff, 78, writes, in part: “Your glib and ridiculous attack on my son, Jack, coupled with your obscene query as to the choice his mother and I made in naming him, brought shame and dishonor on you and your profession.”
The father goes on to ask Clooney: “What drove you to this lapse in lucidity, I can never know, but you need to know that your words were deeply hurtful to many innocent and decent people who love my son and who cherish our family.” […]
Jack Abramoff, who could face 30 years in prison and $25 million in restitution payments, has pleaded guilty to the charges of federal conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion. …
In an interview with the Desert Sun, Frank Abramoff calls Clooney “an idiot” whose speech was “pure, unadulterated stupidity.”
Says Frank Abramoff: “You want to make fun. You can do that, but you don’t make fun of someone else’s hardships and misery. We’ve gone through quite a bit, our family. But the political end of it and the media end of it and all the other areas are one thing. When you see something like that on a show for 500 million people, it was not only a slap in my son’s face but in my father’s.”
USA Today weighs in as well.
Thanks for the picture of George right here on my screen in the middle of a Friday afternoon. Finally going to see Syriana on Sunday. Can’t wait.
Tell us all about it! We didn’t get to see it because it only showed on the ancient downtown theater screen, which is like looking a large postage stamp on a wall.
Indeed, a yummy picture.
…but you need to know that your words were deeply hurtful to many innocent and decent people who love my son …
Yeah, all 2 of them.
“…brought shame and dishonor on you and your profession.”
Hello? Your son Jack is the convicted felon here…or is that considered an honor in your family, Mr. Abramoff?
puh-leeze.
Geeezzzzz, is the guy being just a bit over the top defensive for a really minor remark.
Surely Jack’s family and friends knew this was coming thier way. I do not say Geroge’s saying it was right, but then again, they knew it was coming. I do not bleieve in hurting anyone, but look at what Jack did to many! If they need any probing into what he has done and as a family member then I sugest they look no further than the newspapers and teevees they have within reach. Jack did a hell of a lot worse than GC did, if you ask me. Then again, I am very critical….
Ah, they can dish it out, but they sure can’t take it.
<laughs>
“the political end of it and the media end of it and all the other areas are one thing…”
(Things that negatively affected the democratic ideals for nearly 3 billion US citizens.)
[but]”…something like that on a show for 500 million people”
(it was actually just under 19 million according to this
http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_2245.asp )
I do feel for Frank Abramoff, and if Jack was named after Frank’s father I imagine that really is personally painful. But what happened to patterning your conduct in such a way as not to bring shame on your family name? And the “short version” of ethical decision making – “Would you want this on the front page of the paper?”
That is the kind of remark people make at “Hollywood Roasts,” not the kind of thing that would be “deeply hurtful” to anybody.
It seems beyond strange to me that any family member of Jack Abramoff or anybody else would actually write a letter about such a thing.
Maybe it is a “conspiracy”: Dad Frank is living with some emotional problems, and lawyers advised him to write the letter, planning a defense of a hereditary mental condition for Jack.
how many times did a substitute teacher read Jack Abramoff’s name on the roster and suspect a hoax?
named Abram 😀
Which is in worse taste? Making an off-the-cuff snide remark on a TV show, or defrauding thousands upon thousands of people, breaking multiple laws, being (possibly) involved in a murder, et cetera and so forth?
Perhaps Daddy A. should have had a talk with sonny some time ago and extolled the virtues of life on the straight and narrow. On the other hand, given that he’s living in Palm Springs, Republican central, he’s probably enjoyed the benefits of having a powerful and well-connected son, if only vicariously.
As if his son’s felonious behavior isn’t a slap in the face to both their family and to 300 million Americans, most of whom do not have the resources to purchase a politician.
Give me a break! He must be a republican because all he can do is blame someone else for the shame Jackie boy has brought on his family. What a bunch of crap! Oh and thanks for that great shot of George. MMMMMMMMM…eye candy in the middle of the day. Delicious!
ummm… nevermind, too easy.
BIN LADEN AND BUSH WOULD MAKE A LOVELY COUPLE.
CHRIS MATHEWS IS A GOOD CATHOLIC BOY.
Who helped you write that letter, Barbara Bush?
I say slap away, it’s partially his fault for raising a craven thug for a son.
WTF are they complaining about, they named him!!!
Heh. Just wait until Jay Leno gets a hold of this…
Frank Abramoff just took #2 in the “Worst Person in the World” lineup tonight…
Well when Frank was a kid, people kept calling him “Fuck Off”, so he is a little sensitive about these sorts of things.
asdf