Jesse James on 'Nightline': I'm a Liar, Not a Racist

By PopEater Staff Posted May 24th 2010 11:57PM

More sadness-filled nuggets continue to trickle in from ABC's interview with Jesse James, and the latest has the former reality star recalling the moment he told Sandra Bullock about his cheating ways. "I told her basically everything," he said in a snippet aired on 'Good Morning America.' "I had affairs outside of our marriage."

James said Bullock had suspected he was being unfaithful in the past, but "I lied and lied my way out of it. I lied to everyone about everything, even to myself."

But of all the reasons James sat down with ABC's Vicki Mabrey for the interview -- which airs Tuesday on 'Nightline' -- he revealed his main motivation was to dispel charges he's a racist.

"I think out of anything this is why I'm doing this interview the most," he said. "Because dealing with losing my marriage and my son and embarrassing everyone and decimating my life. But to be called a racist on top of that, it makes me really sad seeing the photo and the way I look.

Jesse James Nazi Photo

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

"I don't even remember taking the photo," he claimed. "But I can tell by the look of my face that it was a joke. That was funny then, for like a minute. Looking at it in the context of my life now, it's not funny."

James said he "knew it was horrible" to cheat on Bullock but continued to do so out of desire to derail his life because things were too good.

"It made me feel horrible," James said of the infidelities. "And I knew I would get caught eventually, and I think I wanted to get caught. I don't think, I know for a fact now what it was. It was me trying to self-sabotage my life."

The 'West Coast Chopper' star became visibly upset when discussing the people he has hurt most in the scandal and the irony of the path he took.

"The last person I would ever want to harm is her or the kids," he said. "I spent my whole life with the kids and her, trying to protect her. But the most hurt she's ever been caused is by the person who wanted to protect her."

He continued: "It's really, it's terrible. And she's going to hurt for a long time. It's hard for me to talk about it a little bit, because I still really love and care about her."

Watch: PopEater's Rob Shuter and 'The Insider' Host Lara Spencer on Jesse's Apology

James covers just about all the bases with 'Nightline' -- his cheating, his divorce from Bullock, his stint in rehab and his role in raising Louis, the baby boy Bullock and James recently adopted.

Asked if he's the "most hated man in America," James answers, grinning, "I think it's the 'most hated man in the world,' now."

Since news of his multiple affairs hit the press, James has kept a low profile, and has only been seen dropping his kids off at school. But while he's generally stayed out of the spotlight, the reality star has issued several statements apologizing for his behavior.

When PEOPLE broke the story of Bullock's adoption last month, Jesse released the following statement to the magazine: "My whole life has been full of hard decisions. The decision to let my wife end our marriage, and continue the adoption of Louis on her own, has been the hardest. The love I have for Louis cannot be put to words. Not having him around to love and to hold has left a huge hole in my heart."

The complete interview will air on May 25 at 11:35 PM ET/PT on ABC, and will be previewed on 'Good Morning America' that day.

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Sandra Bullock Snapshots

©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Jesse James and his daughter Chandler return from a trip to the Southern United States. Was Jesse there to finalize his divorce, or were Jesse and Chandler visiting Sandra Bullock and her adopted baby Louis Bardo? EXCLUSIVE May 13, 2010 Job: 100513NB2 Los Angeles, California www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

CHRIS/bauergriffinonline.com

Sandra Bullock Snapshots

In this publicity image released by ABC, correspondent Vicky Mabrey, left, is shown with Jesse James, husband of actress Sandra Bullock during an interview for "Nightline," on Wednesday May 12, 2010 in Long Beach, Calif. The interview will air on Tuesday, May 25, at 11:35 p.m. EST on ABC. (AP Photo/ABC, Patrick Wymore)

Sandra Bullock Snapshots

Sandra and Jesse Snapshots

Sandra Bullock Snapshots

Tags: jesse james, nightline

Comments

(449)

Monday 24 May

By sleepyhead

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Opposites attract. But before marriage he should've mentioned he liked girls with loads of tattoos, and she should've mentioned that she likes faithful men. He also shoud've mentioned that he wouldn't keep it in his pants. She should've mentioned that she would chop it off if he ever cheated. It's called a Pre-Chop, not Pre-Nup!

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It's called TALK before you get married. Sandra never was a Bobbit, and I don't know if there was a pre-nup, but she should've told him about a Pre-Chop as if he cheated on her she would either karate chop, or chop ya know!

Gee wiz, to sabotage your marriage purposely and then cry about it and all, sheesh, it's not like you're a "bad little boy who got your hand caught in the cookie jar"! Get it straight Jesse, YOU didn't want to get caught, your friends on that cruise ship SAW U and caught YOU with tattooed bitty! It's called, too bad, too many friends, small world, so sad, don't let the door hit you on the way out, go hide in the woods in your coffin and go Hi Jesse yourself.

By jackie2850

He had a hard 'decision' in letting her end the marriage? I don't think he had a 'decision' in letting her end the marriage! He had a hard time in 'deciding' to let her continue the adoption? I don't think he had a 'decision' in that, either!

By KAREN

YOU THINK HE IS GOING WITHOUT? HELL NO... HE HAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF SKANK HO'S IN THE WINGS WAITING. JUST LIKE BEFORE THIS BROKE. I DON'T FEEL ANYTHING BUT DISGUST FOR THIS PIG. PERIOD. HE SHOULD TAKE A LONG RIDE UP 101 AND PURPOUSLY MISS A CURVE. LOOSER.

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He purposely sabotaged his marriage? He didn't want to get caught. His friends saw him on that cruise ship with miss boobshell! Then she got scorned 'cause he found another lover, and SHE blabbed. She tried to say she didn't know he was married, probably a lie. If you don't live under a rock, you knew Sandra and Jesse were married.

That's it, after the DWTS results I am watching this show just to see what the heck he says, or dvr it and puke on another day.

By Kay

What does he mean he "let his wife end their marriage"? Let her? He decided and ended that when he cheated. She doeesnt need to live with that betrayal.

By Titangirl

I think he just doesn't want to raise a black kid... that is why he purposely cheated on Sandra.

By gregg

good god- who is this guy and WHO CARES?

By JLD

Jessie bucking for an Acadimey Award???? What a loser.

Wednesday 26 May

By Peggy

I love it when people get caught doing something awful, they always have some psychological reason as to why...the why is: they did it because they wanted to and they could...after doing it a few times and he didn't get caught, it probably got to be more of a challenge....and thus more exciting...we make choices and we have to live with those choices. I have had some real hard things to deal with in my life and when it came to making a choice...I chose the wiser option...did I always want to??? no....but I considered the consequences and the affect it would have on others... tried to put selfishness aside and not live for the moment...enough with the excuses...grow up and take responsibility...the only thing most people regret is that they got caught....

By dlb

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It's unnatural to expect someone to not have sex with someone else just because your married...it doesn't mean that he doesn't love her. Love is love,sex is sex (totally overrated by the way)

By me

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

marriage is the stupidest thing in the world!!!!!!!!!

By sethjj1975

Boo Frickin' Hoo. This tool deserves every bit of pain that he brought upon himself, and any extra that Sandra can heap upon him. This man-child deserves nobody's sympathy.

By Wendy

He's going to "let" Sandra Bullock divorce him and adopt a baby on her own. What an ego that piece of crap has.

He's probably prejudice ( gee ya think ) and somebody said it that he didn't/doesn't want to raise a cute little black baby. I don't care what color the kid is, if it needs a home it needs t.l.c, not a nazi raising it!

By Rudyblue

I'm forever heart broken for Sandra. I felt like I had just heard that Princess Di had died again and the pain was that bad. My daughter looks so much like Sandra that she has to cut her hair and color it to keep from getting hit on because she is happily married to a great guy who has never let her down. So, yes, it's closer to home to me for that reason. Sandy, I'm so sorry for what happen to you.You didn't deserve it. We men ,apparently, are not experiencing our finest hour. However, you're always will be in your finest hour because of how honorably you live your life. So happy for Lou that he'll now experience a life he could't have dreamed of.

By sam

That is the biggest load of bull I've ever heard.He's sorry about nothing,only sorry he got caught.Life was too good so he wanted to sabatoge it? He loves his kids and Sandra and is sad that he's not with them and the baby now? Well,he did it to himself.There were many other ways to "sabatoge" his life,if you actually want to believe this pathetic excuse.Make a bad deal,bounce a check,cheat on your taxes.DON"T cheat on your wife and hurt your kids,just because you want your life messed up.He's a total azz and got what he deserved.

Friday 16 July

By Gus Terranova

Somewhere deep down inside this punks head he knew Sandra was too good for him and it was a severe mismatch (we all knew this when they started this relationship). So he decided to make it fail. He won't change until he moves out of his arrested adolescence. Time to grow up Mr. James.

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