George Clooney calls The Daily Mail dangerous and negligent in new op-ed
We all know George Clooney is willing to take a stand against injustices… His statements just rarely come in the form of an op-ed rebuttal to a tabloid story. But, following a The Daily Mail article this week, George was impassioned enough to write an op-ed for USA Today about the larger implications of the story and what he believes is wrong about The Mail in general.
In the original Daily Mail article, a “friend” of fiancée Amal Alamuddin’s family said mom Baria Alamuddin is upset her daughter isn’t marrying within the Druze sect. The Daily Mail continued…
There can be harsh penalties for those Druze who marry outsiders. Several women have been murdered for disobeying the rules. Last year a Sunni Muslim man had his penis severed by the male relatives of a Druze woman who defied her family by marrying him.
The friend added: “There have a been a few jokes in the family about the same thing happening to George!”
In his opinion piece, which was published this morning, George called Daily Mail‘s story “completely fabricated.”
“None of the story is factually true. Amal’s mother is not Druze. She has not been to Beirut since Amal and I have been dating, and she is in no way against the marriage — but none of that is the issue. I’m, of course, used to the Daily Mail making up stories — they do it several times a week — and I don’t care,” said the veteran actor, explaining he’s accustomed to rumors about his relationships and personal life. “But this lie involves larger issues. The irresponsibility, in this day and age, to exploit religious differences where none exist, is at the very least negligent and more appropriately dangerous.”
George added he is the “son of a newsman” and appreciates freedom of speech; however that doesn’t mean publications should show total disregard for facts.
“The Daily Mail, more than any other organization that calls itself news, has proved time and time again that facts make no difference in the articles they make up. And when they put my family and my friends in harm’s way, they cross far beyond just a laughable tabloid and into the arena of inciting violence.”
The Daily Mail retracted the original story shortly after George’s op-ed was published. In a statement, Mail editors said the article was “not a fabrication but supplied in good faith by a reputable and trusted freelance journalist.” Nonetheless, they have “launched a full investigation” and “accept Mr. Clooney’s assurance that the story is inaccurate.”