It all started when, in front of thousands of onlookers at an AIDS function in New Delhi, India, Richard Gere grabbed Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty and took her for a lip-lock and extreme dance dip.
The public reaction to Gere’s behavior was that of outrage.
The actor didn’t respond in the normal Hollywood fashion by issuing an apology, appearing with Dr. Phil and racing to rehab.
He did, however, after the public burning of effigies of him and issuance of an arrest warrant, decide that it was a good time for him to say he was sorry.
Gere issued a statement of “sincere apology” addressed to his “dear Indian friends.” But he also held out one of his film roles as an excuse.
He said that the way he kissed Shetty was influenced by his movie “Shall We Dance.”
“My clumsy attempt at a ‘Shall We Dance’ move was a naive misread of Indian customs and I assure you nothing more.”
I believe that instead of “Shall We Dance” Gere meant to say “American Gigolo.”
