While I know I shouldn't really care what an out of date actor or his eighth wife really think, I have to admit that I actually jumped out of my seat when I read this article in The Sacramento Bee about Mickey Rooney's response to the fact that Breakfast at Tiffany's got replaced with Ratatouille at Sacramento's Screen on the Green free movie series:
One of the most beloved and enduring movie actors in American history, Rooney was shocked to hear that his comic role as Mr. Yunioshi, Audrey Hepburn's cantankerous upstairs neighbor in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," had been branded racist by several Asian American activists in Sacramento.But here's what really gets me and actually made me jump out of my seat:
"Don't break me up – I wouldn't offend any person, be they black, Asian or whatever," said the veteran of 360 films. Rooney still performs worldwide with his eighth wife, Jan Chamberlain [...]
Rooney's wife, Jan, who said they love Chinese art, food, culture and medicine, explained the film role was meant to be fun. "It's terribly sad, and I feel bad for the people taking offense," she said.
"Those that didn't like it, I forgive them and God bless America," he said.Seriously?
That's some fucked up old white man shit and there's not much else to say about it.
