Have you heard that BrigitteBardot was convicted this week in France for "inciting racial hatred?" Here'swhat the 73-year-old former sex goddess wrote about the Muslim population inFrance that landed her in hot water:
"I am fed up with being under thethumb of this population which is destroying us, destroying our country, andimposing its acts."
Oy. In part she was protesting the ritual slaughtering of sheep byMuslims (without stunning them first) as part of the festival of Eid al-Adha.This was Bardot's fifth conviction for racial issues and she was fined 15,000Euros.
Do any young people today evenknow who Brigitte Bardot is? She was an international sensation in the 1950sand 60s, and almost single-handedly responsible for a resurgence of interest inFrench films in art houses all over this country, even if the films were oftenpitched as saucy "adults only" presentations. Bardot's first huge hit in thiscountry was "And God Created Woman" directed by her husband Roger Vadim, theman who would later marry Jane Fonda. Bardot started her relationship withVadim when she was 15 years old and married him at 18. But that didn't stop herfrom having an affair with her costar in "And God Created Woman," Jean-LouisTrintignant, a dalliance that Vadim knew about and supported. Oh, those crazyfrogs! When the film was released in December 1957, the Los Angeles Timescalled it "the most fabulous frolic of the year, starring the most fabulouswench of the decade."
For someone who never really madeit in American films, Bardot was a massive star on these shores, and reportersfollowed her every shocking move including several nervous breakdowns andsuicide attempts.
My first exposure to Bardot was avery odd Jimmy Stewart film from 1965 called "Dear Brigitte." I haven't seenthis film since I was a little kid but it made a huge impression on me. Stewartplays a professor who has a genius son named Erasmus played by Billy Mumy whowould soon take on the iconic role of Will Robinson on the TV show " Lost inSpace." In "Dear Brigitte," young Erasmus has an over-the-top crush on BrigitteBardot and writes her endless love letters. Because of his letters, the youngboy is eventually invited by Bardot to France (along with his dad) where they meetthe screen vixen. Was this film responsible for me becoming a major Francophile(I never thought about that until just now but I honestly think it may havebeen!) as well as my penchant for writing fan letters to celebrities at a veryearly age?
This was one of the only Bardotfilms I was allowed to see as a child but I was as transfixed by her beauty andsex appeal as the rest of the planet. Bardot retired from films just before sheturned 40 and turned her attentions to animal rights activism. She brought alot of awareness to the horrible way baby seals were being clubbed to death anddid a lot of good work in that arena, even though with every passing year sheseemed to be getting more conservative. It didn't helpmatters that following two other marriages, including one to actor JacquesCharrier that produced a son named Nicholas, she ended up married to Bernardd'Ornale, a right-wing former advisor to the National Front party which wasfounded by vile anti-Semitic politician Jean-Marie Le Pen. Oh-la-la, Brigitte,qu'est-ce que tu fais, ma chérie?
After being accused of homophobiafollowing some derogatory comments she made about gays in a book, Bardot wrotea letter to a gay magazine in France to defend herself:
Apart from my husband--who maybewill cross over one day as well--I am entirely surrounded by homos. For years,they have been my support, my friends, my adopted children, my confidants.
Interesting comment about herhusband, no? Bardot is currently estranged from her son Nicholas and did not spendmuch time with him when he was growing up. When Nicholas was 13, she told areporter that when she's with her son, "we play poker and he tries on mythings, to see if there is anything he likes. Thank God he is being raised byhis father. A woman would make a homosexual out of him."
In another frank interview fromthe early 70s, Bardot was asked if she'd like to have more children.
I think I'm not made to be amother. I don't know why this is because I adore animals and I adore children,too, but I'm not adult enough--and I know it's horrible to have to admit that at37 I'm not adult enough to take care of a child. I need somebody to take careof me! It's such a big responsibility to have a baby. Life is so hard now, wedon't know what is going to happen to the world tomorrow or even in the nexthour. I'm very sad to have had that baby--well, he is not a baby now. I don'twant him to be confused by seeing me too often...I don't want him to have worrieslike: Where is my family? Where is my home?
Yikes. It's hard to imagine anyAmerican superstar being so truthful in an interview. When asked how Bardotwould describe her own soul, she answered: "Like a labyrinth. Dark--no lightenough for me to find the door to escape, to freedom."
The former movie queen is hard tofigure out. Her foundation continues to do good work, and all would be peachyif Bardot would just keep her big mouth shut. Her 2004 conviction for incitingracial hatred came after she wrote about "the underground and dangerousinfiltration of Islam" in France. She also condemned the "mixing of genes" andcompared her beliefs with previous generations who had "given their lives topush out invaders."
Dear God. Does the troubled Brigitte Bardotsound like a misguided jackass? ABSOLUTELY. Should she be tried by a court of law for herviews? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I'm grateful that for the most part we are still free toexpress our opinions in this country, no matter how idiotic they may be, withoutfearing prosecution. Or am I kidding myself?