Earlier this week, editors at the Daily Mail removed a story from the paper’s website after George Clooney pointed out that the “article” was complete and total fiction. The Britloid issued an apology; and today, Clooney has rejected that apology, in writing.
The original “story” involved the family of Clooney’s fiancée, Amal Alamuddin; the Daily Mail claimed that Amal’s mother is angry that her daughter isn’t marrying a member of the Druze sect. Clooney pointed out that Amal’s mother is not angry — and is not Druze. The Mail apologized and clarified: Managing editor Charles Garside claims that the article was “not a fabrication,” but “based the story on conversations with senior members of the Lebanese community.”
This morning in USA Today, Clooney writes:
The problem is that none of that is true. The original story never cites that source, but instead goes out of its way to insist on four different occasions that “a family friend” spoke directly to the Mail. A ” family friend” was the source. So either they were lying originally or they’re lying now.
Furthermore, they knew ahead of time that they were lying. In an article dated April 28, 2014, reporter Richard Spillett writes in the Mail that “Ramzi, (Amal’s father), married outside the Druze faith,” and a family friend said that “Baria, (Amal’s mom), is not Druze.” The Mail knew the story in question was false and printed it anyway.
What separates this from all of the ridiculous things the Mail makes up is that now, by their own admission, it can be proved to be a lie. In fact, a premeditated lie.
So I thank the Mail for its apology. Not that I would ever accept it, but because in doing so they’ve exposed themselves as the worst kind of tabloid.
Does he take requests? Can he do Star and In Touch next?
Image via Getty.