Russell Crowe takes anti-semitic tone during Twitter circumcision rant

Russell Crowe has always been a little out there, but it’s actually a trait that has kind of endeared me to the Australian actor. He’s known to speak his mind and has he ever done that in a recent Twitter-war with just about everyone in regards to the tradition of circumcision.

This all started when a female follower asked Crowe if she should have the procedure done for her expected baby-boy. His answer was like a cannon-shot from his popular film Master and Commander:

Circumcision is barbaric and stupid. Who are you to correct nature? Is it real that GOD requires a donation of foreskin? Babies are perfect.

Russell opened a big ol’ can of religious worms with that and the comments came pouring in from followers of his via the social network. As he’s known to do, at first Crowe didn’t retreat from his position or attempt any kind of mea culpa. He added after someone suggested the practice was hygenic, “Hygenic? Why don’t you sew up your a$$ then?”

I didn’t have any problems with Crowe’s position up until the following plea. It’s refreshing that a famous actor actually communicates and interacts with people on Twitter but this probably went a little too far:

“…many jewish friends, I love my Jewish friends, I love the apples and the honey and the funny little hats but stop cutting yr babies @eliroth”

Not only did he take an anti-semitic tone but he singled out Roth, a Jewish director whose films include Hostel and Cabin Fever.

UPDATE: Eli Roth has come to the defense of Crowe via TMZ. The two often exchange barbs via Twitter and Roth stated that, “No one contacted either of us.  It’s terrible.  Russell is a great person and respectful of all religions.” Roth went on to add that, “The press is trying to terrify celebrities into not using Twitter.  They want to show they can still ruin you.  It’s sickening.”

I understand Roth’s position but Crowe wrote what he wrote and it’s understandable without any context as to how what was written could be viewed as offensive especially considering that it came within a series of aggressive tweets about the topic of circumcision.

Russell went on to sum up his feeling on the subject this way:

“I will always stand for the perfection of babies, I will always believe in God, not man’s interpretation of what God requires. Last of it, if u feel it is yr right 2 cut things off yr babies please unfollow and f**k off, I’ll take attentive parenting over barbarism.”

Dude must have been having a bad day that translated right down to his twittering fingers. I’m guessing some buds or more likely some studio reps got a hold of Crowe and asked him to make nice to try to save some face. He’s deleted the most inflammatory tweets, and has since been apologizing for any offense his followers may have taken from his comments:

This episode has me torn because I strongly encourage folks of all kinds, including “celebrities” to be involved and interactive via Twitter etc. but in this particular case it looks like our man Crowe took that openness a little too far.

PHOTO: Andres Otero/ WENN.com