John Galliano arrested in Paris after drinking session

He has been suspended from Dior. What a moron.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...drinking-paris


F*ck that. Essence of John Galliano is still a great fragrance.

Dior has suspended him, pending an investigation.

What did he say?

I just lost a lot of respect for Dior, and that was just by looking at that photo! LOL.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_828955.html

but wait, there's a video. but this was back in 2009.

It doesn't really matter what he said. The only thing that matters is that there are so many people who would rather condemn speech than allow the freedom of it, or the freedom of all kinds of things.

*does his marie antionette impression*
nonsense! there is always room for cake!

more here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_828073.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_828583.html <--comments are hillarious

the video of him doing the cussin: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_828955.html

i cant seem to figure out why some people really try so hard at being antiracist that they're just as bad as the racists..

Try here:

http://www.mamamia.com.au/weblog/201...im-sacked.html


Having said that; and having seen the JP Guerlain threads closed (and rightly so); this one probably should be too.

a headmistress in my country said something along those lines to her students:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...117&sec=nation

yet she was just transferred. no suspension, no firing.

and we're a very, very tolerant and harmonious society mind you.

so if my fellow countrymen can deal with it in a not overly dramatic way, i dont really understand the need for all the ruckus, really.

Look at those beautiful gowns! The black one is a bridal gown of all things. I do love his designs...







Let the man drink. Almost all of us make asses of ourselves sometimes. More often than not, famous people get misquoted.
We can not know for certain - that's all.

When most of us "make asses of ourselves" we don't suggest to people that it would be nice if their forefathers and mothers were gassed by Hitler.

Dior made the right call. Apparently they believe the man and the voice on the tape was their former designer. If it wasn't the frauds should go up on charges, but Dior was probably pretty certain if they sacked him.

Stupid fuck. Isn't he aware that Hitler was against gay people as well? Or would this sick mind like to design pink triangles on clothes?

I have never claimed that we should say such things. All I say is that we shouldn't believe evrything we hear or read. JG is a human being, and deserves a trial based on factual evidence before being crucified by the public.
There are always two sides to a story.

I don't know what the "freedom of speech" laws are like in France, but I assume that Dior has "freedom of association" and that they can terminate him for bringing disgrace upon the company.

They have terminated their ties with Galliano. He was sacked today.

He was sacked Tuesday March 1st by Dior.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/goss...4e5f91fdd5970c

Betrand Arnault is Jewish, and the video of him saying those uncouth things is very, very rude indeed.

The things he said were truly horrible, and I don't know how anyone could defend him.

well, I guess we now know the, uh, true essence of John...

does seem that someone wanted him to be fired from Dior, and he was set up but he shouldnt have said those things in the first place, especially in public places.

he still has his own label to fall back on lol. sans jewish customers and probably workers as well. oh well. *shrug*

What Galliano said went beyond anti-Semiticism. The words he uttered went beyond the limits of human decency. He wasn't the only one with those thoughts, I'm sure. But he was unlucky and stupid enough to get caught on tape. Hey someone should probably get him to contact Mel Gibson's lawyer...

Such a pity. Haven't seen the clip, but there were reports that he seemed to be under the influence of something or other.

He's very talented, I will miss his work for Dior.

Oh. So it's all on film. That's evidence enough - and shame on Galliano!

And, Natalie Portman, the 'face of Dior' is Jewish ...

I've already seen some apologists for this guy in the media. "It was a cry for help from a lonely man" etc.

For some reason, some "creative" people live in la la land and don't consider that normal societal rules apply to them. After all, they're "mavericks".

My best friend is of the Jewish faith, and I wish that Galliano had made those comments to him. The odious little weasel would now be eating through a straw.

Nobody got killed. It was a little bitchy though.

Condemning and allowing certain forms of speech is not contradictory. In the US you're free to argue for Holocaust denial and other people are free to make you suffer the consequences for it within their purview. However, in France, as in Germany, anti-semitic remarks are considered a punishable offense for understandable historical reasons. I hope he apologizes with sincerity and that it was the booze and the drugs talking. Still, like in the guerlain case, it's disgusting and sad. Of course it doesn't make his designs any less great. Barenboim conducts Wagner, after all, and we all love Coty for what he did for perfumery, even if he was a fierce anti-semite and later a proto-fascist.

Absolutely right, Fountain.

There is an old saying. "The truth comes out in drink". His apologies will be meaningless, as a rational person wouldn't consider, for a moment, making the ridiculous remarks that Galliano made, even if they were drunk.

It is made even worse by his total ignorance of history. He has been recorded as saying "I love Hitler" He is too ill informed to realise that, as a gay man, he would have been on Hitler's hit list too.

A horrible thing to say and IMO he deserved to be fired. As far as being arrested goes, that might be a different matter. If he threatened someone, sure. Otherwise, even speech people find offensive should be allowed (well, but I'm an American-- and as much as I hate the Westboro "Baptist" church, I think they should be allowed their free speech, because I believe in the sanctity of the US Constitution more than anything. However, I also think a lightning bolt should strike them down.) I don't believe in special laws for special groups regardless of what happened in the past.

Unfortunately the sad and inescapable fact of life is that racism/anti-semitism/"islamophobia"/homophobia/take-your-pick-a-phobia will always continue because of two things; 1.) Negative stereotypes and 2.) People who are only too eager to live up to and confirm those negative stereotypes.

Very good point, Desmond! Thank you for mentioning this. Hitler also disliked the Prussians and the aristocrats, among other select groups.

Mr. Galliano should be well warned that everyone has opinions, but some opinions are best kept to oneself. This is not the silly slip-up of an old man from another generation.

I get the sense that Galliano knew *exactly* what he was doing, and the consequences that would follow.
Just a hunch.

That is interesting. Can you elaborate?

The firing was a little extensive. He's hard to replace. The guy is a genius.

what do you mean?

The words spoken were horrendous. I don't condone them in the slightest.

Galliano doesn't strike me as a man who is foolish enough to get "caught out" in very public standoffs with his anti semitic comments on these 2 occasions. People refer to him as a 'genius' and as an 'apostle of modernity'... but no-one refers to him as a man under colossal pressure locked inside a very volatile industry.
Lets just entertain for a moment, the idea that Galliano was locked into a contract with Dior (this is not unreasonable to assume). Galliano was not a partner at Dior... he was a Dior employee. If he ever wanted to leave Dior for reasons best known to himself, it would prove near impossible... at very least until such a contract was up for review and renewal. Ask yourself, short of inflicting physical harm or engaging in fraud, what would one have to do to ensure you are dropped from the payroll like a hot coal ? One instantly assumes because "it's Dior", that Galliano *had* to be happy. We don't know the dynamics of his 15-year working relationship at Dior, nor his goals (both personal or professional) for the future.

I just don't believe an intelligent man in a very high-profile position honestly believes the anti-semitic, racist crap that he was seen to have spoken. Part of me feels it was a theatrical performance from a man who was looking for the escape hatch.

I can't believe that guy would say that.

SorceryofScent,

Sounds like he was drunk as a skunk and probably had not the first idea that this tape would ever be made public. It seems far too random for it to be planned by Galliano. And then there's the question of this prosecution going on in the French courts. If he wanted to get out of the contract, I'm sure he could have marshalled up some attorneys and found a way that would not have damaged his reputation and insulted and pained so many.

As for him believing what he says, drunk and disorderly people say all sorts of bizarre things. They make threats and get into incredible troubles. Sometimes they make suicide attempts. They usually are regretful as hell when they sober up. What sounds sensible drunk, sounds idiotic in the light of day. Probably the case with Galliano. I doubt if he's a raging anti-semite, but he's in need of major help and an "apology tour" as they say.

There are no winners here. Dior lost a huge talent. Galliano made a messy mistake that offended many and cost him dearly. I cannot fathom how this was a plan.

A "calculated plan", this may not have been... but I see a man whose tongue was loosened by alcohol, and a man not really giving a damn about the potential consequences of his actions. And for the second time, publicly, since last December.
I would ask why does he not give a damn? And why for the second time in the span of a few months?

Surely, having worked with Dior for 15 years, he might have been familiar with their well-known doctrine that renounces all antisemitic or racist behaviour. A person in such a high-profile position (I imagine) would be wary, no matter how much Bolly he'd been ploughed with.

I cannot be wholly convinced that he didn't have an idea as to where this might all lead.

That was excactly what crossed my mind in the very begin of this scandal. No matter how horrendous and unpropriate spoken comments might have been, you have to bear in mind that Galliano isn't a new cat in alley. 15 years at helm of one of the top haute couture fashion houses you learn a trick or two from your PR -manager of what to say and what left to be said. Nevertheless a presence of narcotics cannot be outruled of this case, in which case one might say anything between heaven and earth. Nor cannot be outruled the other events that lead to Galliano's outburst. Because if you read carefully the news, and not just give a lynching condemns (as it seems 99% commenters have done), you might also notice that before the outburst there was a verbal harassment towards JG. Perhaps seemingly and conveniently by the same so thoughtful couple that had ''strength and obligation'' to videotape Galliano's response? Excerpt from the newspapers ''The designer said a number of witnesses at the bar told police "he was subjected to verbal harassment and an unprovoked assault when an individual tried to hit me with a chair having taken violent exception to my look and my clothing." This is an action that I have seen even myself few times, if you see a celebrity try your best to get on their nerves, no matter what cause, then tape it and sell it to trash media in try to cash in. Of course Galliano's crude words cannot be taken back or accepted in any form, but before opening your mouth with all sorts of ''he's a scum, lynch him'' -posts try to have a decency of at least gathering some background information regarding the issue (not referring at you SorceryofaScent).

Also considering the sum of late unfortunate events in JG's life (google if you are not familiar) added with the colossal pressure coming from Dior's couture and rtw seasonal collections, this could be a man's last try to jump off the sinking ship and save himself. Was it Michael Kors that commented one time ''not wanting to be in Marc Jacobs pants for any sum of money'' when asking for his opinions regarding then so talked Jacob's multimillion Louis Vuitton ''dream deal''.

Here's a nice example of public's ''tried only to make a innocent conversation and the celebrity just jump on me''. I have nothing but utter disgust towards the action of public in this type of cases. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8yGLXmBEm8

much as i like your comments, Sorcery, this one i find utterly outrageous for:

a) truly intelligent people do not need escape hatches.
b) it sounds almost like saying that the girl abused by polanski inspired him to do it.

respect.

a) intelligence has nothing to do with unmanageable emotional distress. Psychology 101.
b) apples and oranges, surely and an unfair insinuation as well.

As SOS says, there could well be other reasons for Galliano's behaviour, but I think we could be making a mistake here in assuming that creative "genius" automatically equates to a corresponding degree of intellectual intelligence. It doesn't. Being able to design nice clothes doesn't necessarily mean that you are the sharpest tool in the box. Given Galliano's apparently scant knowledge of Hitler's targets.........

You also have the problem whereby, like pampered pop stars, designers are often surrounded by people who won't, or daren't, use the word "no" to them. This creates a world in which they feel that they can say, and do, what they like because they are a "genius". La la land, if you will.

I say we take him out back and kick the shit out of him!

SOS:
I admit that I, too, have been thinking along those lines.
What is even more bizarre, is that JG would do something like this mere days from Fashion Week.
Your scenario isn't unlikely, what with the high levels of alcohol and perhaps illegal drugs. I remember thinking "he looks stoned", when watching that blasted video.
And how come someone just "happened" to tape it?
There are simply too many questions.

Yes. That's just it; it just seems too stupid. Any moron knows that these are not socially - or professionally - acceptable things to say publicly, any celeb, no matter how badly marooned they are in la la land, should know what the consequences of something like this entail. There are precedences. He must have known, and either not cared, not realized (drugs are a distinct possibility) or decided that it was worth it, for whatever reason.

People tape just about everything these days, they have those fancy cell phones and know how to use them. No surprise when a celeb behaves outrageously that the devices get used, or a politician or someone who it would be amusing to embarass for that matter. The prevalence of the technology increases the likelihood of these things happening.
Some people call it "citizen journalism" and it is very common. These days we should expect that anybody could video our public behavior.

This thread has reminded me. I must watch Zoolander again.

I also think Sorcery might be on to something. When this whole thing broke, I immediately thought something was fishy. I'm sorry, but I have very a hard time believing that a gay fashion designer hates Jews and loves Nazis. I know...straight from his mouth into the camera...and it's certainly terrible that he said those things. But I do feel that he was trying to make a spectacle, and executed it poorly, since he was drunk.

Was it get out of Dior? Was there even a purpose? I don't know, and I don't think anyone does.

He does deserve the flogging he's received. Those are things you just don't say. It's just weird, that's all.

I'd simply assume that he got annoyed and wanted to insult them by being mean and offensive (which he managed). To assume that he really loves Hitler seems a bit silly to me, to be honest. It's obviously not a wise choice on his part to upset a whole lot of other people at the same time. The outrage would probably be not as great if he just had said that they're *non racial insult* and wants them do die in a fire. I wonder if they would have fired him if he had knuckled some woman in the head, which I'd say would have been worse than the nasty things he said.

It's a bad incident on all counts for everyone involved.
And what a terrible thing to say, drunk or not, pressured or not.

He was breath tested and his alcohol level wasn't all that high, according to reports. But if you add a milligram of Kolonopin/Vicodin into the mix, you sometimes get behavior like Galliano's. To believe that he really loves Hitler is a stretch, he was obviously saying these horrible things to be provocative. I hope he gets his life together and doesn't end up like Alexander McQueen.
As far as LVMH goes, it has been rumored that Stefano Pilati, from YSL, has been lined up to replace Galliano, well before this latest incident occured. We'll see, won't we?
Christian Dior ready-to-wear supposedly never sold well under Galliano's direction.

I agree with everything you've said here. I will only add this....

Watching the video (which is clearly missing the total context), I am reminded of a more controlled version of the Michael Richards rant. When people are prodded into a fury - especially when they're not in the best mental state - they reach for the nearest broken bottle, which is frequently the race card and the like. Comedians invite hecklers, but private citizens don't. I have no trouble at all believing that what smacks of antisemitism from one point of view, conveniently photographed by one party, will look a lot more like homophobic ridicule and taunting from a different viewpoint when all the facts are in. You can see the beginning of the gathering of the truth in this article.

This also reminds me of the Shirley Sherrod incident, where her frank and powerful admission of how she overcame her own racial defensiveness and animosity, was intentionally edited down to make her look like a proud and unrepentant racist. There, the truth was saved by a full video already in existence, though not before she lost her job. Alas, I will bet that any video which would help to exonerate Galliano went under the "Delete" button very soon after the fact.

Sound bytes. Never the best way to arrive at the truth.

There is that old Roman adage: "In vino veritas." Wine loosens the tongue--and the truth will come out.

I wonder what is in Mr. Galliano's head. Certainly he must look inward, as he was certainly out of control.

Absolutely, Primrose. In vino veritas, indeed.

I just don't get the conspiracy theories here. If he wanted out of Dior he'd hardly have committed career suicide in order to get out. Merely consulting his lawyers would have been the sensible option.

Truth is, none of us know the reason behind his rant. It could have been planned, alternatively it could have been the actions of a vacuous individual from Zoolander world. My money is on the latter.