Seth Rogen has followed Michael Moore’s lead in backtracking comments on American Sniper .
The Interview writer-director-star took to Twitter over the weekend to say the film reminded him of Nazi propaganda. This caused hundreds of commenters to inundate Rogen’s Twitter feed with angry rants against him.
On Monday evening, Seth attempted to dial back those criticisms and blame the media for blowing his comments up out of proportion.
I just said something “kinda reminded” me of something else. I actually liked American Sniper. It just reminded me of the Tarantino scene.
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) January 19, 2015
I wasn’t comparing the two. Big difference between comparing and reminding. Apples remind me of oranges. Can’t compare them, though. — Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) January 19, 2015
But if you were having a slow news day, you’re welcome for me giving you the opportunity to blow something completely out of proportion.
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) January 19, 2015
Many on Twitter weren’t fooled by the “clarification” with one follower saying to “Shut the f**k up and own it dude.” Many others weighed in. A small sampling follows.
@Sethrogen I’m sure when you compared it to a propaganda piece by Goebbels you meant it in the nicest way, sweetie. #AmericanSniper — Rob Jones (@robjones3030) January 19, 2015
. @Sethrogen Annnd there’s the walk back.
— Azina (@azina) January 19, 2015
@Sethrogen Now you’re just being disingenuous. Keep digging. Better yet, just STFU. — Annette Walker (@thelmatodd) January 19, 2015
@Sethrogen Oh, sure. It just reminded you of Nazi propaganda. That’s all. No disrespect, right?
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) January 19, 2015
But let’s go back to the original comments made by Seth Rogen about the Clint Eastwood film, which is based on the life of the Navy SEALs’ most prolific sniper, Chris Kyle, who was killed by a veteran with PTSD after returning home from many successful military missions.
The tweet that set everyone off said this.
“American Sniper kind of reminds me of the movie that’s showing in the third act of Inglorious Basterds.”
QT’s WWII thriller is a piece of revisionist history in which a special forces group infiltrate enemy lines on a mission to kill Hitler. The “film” within the film that Rogen is referring to was, in the movie, directed by Joseph Goebbels, a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda.
So to recap, American Sniper reminds Seth Rogen of that film, hence where people are getting the “Nazi propaganda” tie-in.
What do you think about the comments backtracking what the comedian said — is Seth Rogen being disingenuous or is he right to say his comments were blown out of proportion?