Joke or Not, Jesse James Hitler Photo Raises Red Flag

By Sarah Crow Posted Apr 1st 2010 05:00PM

Jesse James is having a rough month -- but we can't say we feel entirely sorry for the guy. The West Coast Choppers owner has not only been accused of cheating on his Oscar-winning wife, Sandra Bullock, with a host of unsavory women, but he's recently become embroiled in a photo scandal that could cost him his career.

The photo in question shows James sporting a Nazi hat and giving a Nazi salute. (Us Weekly had the photos.) Compounding the bad press surrounding the seemingly anti-Semitic shot is James' alleged relationship with stripper Michelle "Bombshell" McGee, who has been photographed wearing similar Nazi gear and reportedly sports a swastika tattoo.

So, is James really a racist or just the victim of his own poor decisions? In a statement made to CNN, James' lawyer claims that he harbors no anti-Semitic tendencies. Joe Yanny, James' legal council, says that his client was given the Nazi gear by his Jewish godfather as a gag gift.

Yanny further supports his claim that James can't possibly be an anti-Semite because he once spent a month on an Israeli Kibbutz, but that argument raises flags. If John Mayer had tried to excuse his use of the N-word by saying, "But I have a black friend," he would likely have suffered an even greater backlash.

The Anti-Defamation League has already voiced their displeasure with James, but tells UsMagazine.com that the photo "doesn't make him an anti-Semite."

Regardless of the source of the hat or the intention behind the photo, one fact remains: For millions of people around the world, symbols of the Nazi party are a hurtful reminder of a past that many people came to this country to escape.

What will this all mean for James' career? Despite his success on reality shows like 'Monster Garage' and 'Celebrity Apprentice,' much of James' celebrity came as a result of his high-profile marriage to Bullock. Even if he were to lose future fame because of this scandal, he could easily go back to a low-profile life making custom motorcycles. He'd become little more than a distant memory once the next tabloid drama hits.

Taking his cue from Hollywood heavy-hitters -- like Mel Gibson, who famously blamed Jews for "all the wars in the world" -- James has checked himself into rehab in what his spokesperson calls an attempt to "help himself, help his family and help save his marriage." However, unlike Mel, Miley and Mayer, all of whom have faced accusations of racism, James has yet to issue an apology for the photo, despite a number of apologetic statements to the press regarding his infidelity.

When the allegations of his extramarital affairs broke, James told PEOPLE, "It's because of my poor judgment that I deserve everything bad that is coming my way. This has caused my wife and kids pain and embarrassment beyond comprehension and I am extremely saddened to have brought this on them. I am truly very sorry for the grief I have caused them. I hope one day they can find it in their hearts to forgive me."

Whether or not James extends the same courtesy to those offended by the photo may mean the difference between a comeback and a catastrophe.

One thing is for certain -- whether James is truly apologetic for his actions or not, now is the time to start groveling to anyone who will listen. Hollywood loves a good redemption story and now is the time for James to start writing his.

Watch the Girls on Pop Talk Sandra and Jesse

Tags: jesse james

Comments

(77)

Thursday 01 April

By Andy

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Maybe it was a costume party, eh?

Friday 02 April

By LA LA

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Anyone who thinks doing this is funny or ironic is not very evolved, and no, I'm not Jewish.

Saturday 03 April

By duffhessian1776

it wasn't funny when the English Prince did this. it is not funny when a moron does it, either. there is no excuse for this behavior at all. as for the reference that his little trollop (troll - op) has a swastika tatoo: that is irrelevant. i would suspect she has it as an anti-establishment / renegade symbol. just shows she is an idiot, independently of jesse.
but let us remember a few basics of history and symbology: swastikas are not bad. they are good luck symbols found for thousands of years in greek, arabic, east asian and indian cultures. millennia before the psycho hitler came on the scene. he took a good symbol and made it bad. hmmm, almost like christians took a bad symbol (the cross) and made it a good one.
the symbol is not inherently evil, evil is the intenet behind its use. in jesse's case, it is not so much evil as it is stupidiity. and there is no cure for that.

By Lee Allen

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I don't like him, his tattoos, his attitude, or this photo. I don't think Sandra would have hooked up with a racist however.

By Linda

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thursday
you dont have to like him he is not your problem and it is a private matter between him and sandra
dont judge people i am sure you are no saint.
the picture is a joke just his way of being funny .LIGHTEN UP

By themeeker

All I can say is...what a f*cking a&&hole.

By daspeoples

Linda, if your children - or someonme in your family - were tortured and murdered, and the perpetrator did something jokingly to remind you of the pain, would you then say
"LIGHTEN UP"?

By yeahright

who's tombstone do you wish to place that on. There are at least 3 Million to chose from or would you just like to say "there is no excuse" and bye Jesse.

By leolux10

Linda. Sandra would marry a racist......if she was unaware of it. I don't think he mentioned that little tid-bit at the altar.

He's a wrecklessly sexual deviant racist prick. Sandra should be heading for the exit, right about now. However, she doesn't strike me as the strong type. She'll most likely stay, like Elin, and seek "counseling".

Good luck to her, either way. She'll definitely need it.

By cerebralmamma

Why do nice women almost always fall for the bad guys? His previous relationships were with hookers and porn stars. Did she really think she could make a silk purse out of a sow's rear end?

By B.P. Dumas

Oh could we all not get out panties in a twist over this obviously in jest picture, lots of bikers use the maltese cross as a symbol,so did the knights templar, who became the knights of malta and in portugal,the knights of christ.
Lots of people have a souvenier german visor cap, doesn't make you a hardcore nazi,there was a entirely ideology and even a pagan religion working there. the picture at worst was tasteless but does it prove Jesse James is a nazi. of course not.

By Derf

Give me a break you bozo journalist, from the WW I vintage aircraft in the background Jesse is in some sort of museum and just clowning around as I might. Get a life.

By ameralaw

It's a joke. Enough already! Why are people so vicious and shortsighted to keep kicking Jesse James while he is down? It's a joke. Have you never made a joke? On second thought...you probably haven't...

By Joan

Do you seriously believe his Jewish godfather gave him that as a joke??? I cannot believe any person of the Jewish faith and the surviors of the Holocaust and their families could make a joke about Nazi Germany!

By Ricky

Anti-semitism is propogated by governments. if anything hes a racist, bigot or all those tatoos are blocking the flow of blood to his brain. By the way, why is a cutie like Sandra Bullock attracted to him in the first place?

By Sidney

Good eyes by Derf about being in a WWI museum. The guy is goofing, and not trying to be a bigot. With his education, an immaturity, he probably does not even know what happened in WWII, anyway. Does he look like he is trying to be serious? No. Sandra B. married him for his Crank, not his brain. What a hard life the writer must have if this is her idea of a crisis. Maybe she needs some "Jesse Time" to lighten up? Sorry to criticise you, Sarah, but you need to realize that not everyone is as intense as you are.

By Duscysc

Sid, You mention his "education" and I'm guessing that you may be alluding to a lack of... Did you know that Jesse went to college and even played football until a knee injury ended that.

By mintrubble71

The problem isn't whether he's a Nazi or not (I highly doubt it), the problem is he's an idiot with awful taste. How Sandra Bullock ever hooked up with a dirt bag like him is beyond my reckoning. I guess it just goes to prove that some women really are dumb enough to think they can change a guy.

By Tilly

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He's just clowning around...Leave him be!

By Kimberly

Are we suprised....no.

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