Jack OffA Celebrity Dad Smackdown!
You may recall that during his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, George Clooney made a crack about disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff:

“Who would name their kid Jack with the last word ‘-off ‘ at the end of your last name?” he asked. “No wonder that guy is screwed up.”

Unfortunately, members of Abramoff’s family, along with 19 million viewers worldwide, were watching the broadcast – including Jack’s 78 year old father, Frank. he had this to say about it:

“Oh, how far Hollywood has fallen,” said his letter to the Desert Sun. “Your glib and ridiculous attack on my son, Jack, coupled with your obscene query as to the choice his mother and I made in naming him brought shame and dishonour on you and your profession.” … Mr Abramoff added that on hearing Clooney’s remarks, his 12-year-old granddaughter – one of his son’s five children – burst into tears. “Are you proud of that?” he asked. “One wonders how your father would respond, were the roles reversed.” … He went on to explain that Jack was his own father’s name, telling Mr Clooney: “You decided to take a gratuitous slap at my son, my family and even my dear departed father. Is this the tradition of Gable, Bogart, Pacino and Burton? Are you the heir to the dignity and greatness of Hollywood’s past, or more likely a portent to a depressing and horrific future?”

Nick Clooney, George Clooney’s dad ressponded as follows (George had no comment):

“I understand what it is like to have one’s son criticised in a very public way,” Mr Clooney Snr, who lives in Kentucky, told a Desert Sun reporter … “It’s very painful and it’s very difficult. The difference here, and it must be said, is Mr Abramoff’s son, instead of pursing some positive efforts to do what he hoped would change the climate of American politics, has confessed and has been convicted by that confession of subverting the political process.”

So ok, it’s never cool to make a 12 year old girl cry, and George Clooney’s joke really sucked. But you know what sucks harder? Being a total douchebag slimeball and an embarassment to all your people and all people that wear Borsallinos. I feel for Abramoff’s father, but clearly he shoulda growed his son a little gooder.

Abramoff has pleaded guilty to charges in a Congressional influence peddling scandal and could face 30 years in prison and $25 million in restitution. He has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and will provide evidence about (mostly Republican) members of Congress.

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About the author

ck

Founder and Publisher of Jewlicious, David Abitbol lives in Jerusalem with his wife, newborn daughter and toddler son. Blogging as "ck" he's been blocked on twitter by the right and the left, so he's doing something right.

12 Comments

  • nice one, and yeh, “growed his son a little gooder” is da point.

    (Makes me wonder if we all might be better off now had they featured ethics during the Golden Globes– now that we know Jack’s dad’s viewing schedule!)

  • What does his father have to do with it? Leave the guy alone. Abramoff, Jr. is old enough to take responsibility for his own actions. While I think the whole thing is retarded, Clooney made a lame and insensitive joke, and I think it’s nice that Abramoff’s dad is publicly defending him despite how mortifying a son he is. As for Jack, ripping off Native Americans is just a notch or two above kicking an orphan or clubbing a baby seal. Shame on him.

  • Did anyone notice that by the same logic as “Jack…off,” his dad is “F…off”? Just something that hit me as I’m sailing through the Caribbean.

  • Clooney is not insulting Jackass, Jerkoff or Jack (Abram) Off …Abramoff is jackoff lobbyist, he jack alot of money from government to bribe his bride politicion you know…

  • Breaking news!! Jack abramoff took the abram word out of his name…Thats unsual thang but…now his name would be… Jack Off!! I repeat it Jack Off!! No no!! i didnt said he jackoff, I said his name is Jack Off…. Thank you and have a great day….

  • I wish Hollywood Loonies would just shut up and act. They are not in a position….uh, so to speak, to be accusing others of whoring for money.

  • This has to be the lamest complaint Muffti has ever heard since Tovya complained about the Christ Killer t-shirt (sorry, Tovya, but it’s true). ‘a twelve year old girl cried because you said something mean about her dad?’ Did he really say that? Muffti can only hope that daughter of Jackoff was crying because hearing what Clooney said made her realize what a Jackoff her father is…

    Mufffti hereby proposes that we rename Jack-offs father (a.k.a. ‘Frank’) ‘Jerk’.

  • The glee that the media mentioned that he is so called Orthodox Jew? bec, the Orthodox are always bragging and condescending to others (the ‘not yet’ frum, etc…)

  • 1. It’s a lame, not-very-funny joke.
    2. It’s kinda picking on (Russian) Jewish last names.
    3. He’s ripping off Jon Stewart’s joke (who did it better)
    4. Why are hollywood types filled with the belief that we care about their political convictions? If I wanted that, I’d go see a Michael Moore flick, not the Golden Globes.

  • Clooney reminds me of Bart’s annonymous calls to Moe. It’s a stupid joke, funny tough, but also a I’m -so-honour-poor-me answer. Silence favours the wise.

  • Aish is for the insane only.

    Their workers are highly paid robot turds.

    Did you see where they posted a malicious article by this sicko Jeff Jacoby in Boston Globe, no less, who claims he is frum, he rubs in the salt in the wound of this Abramahoff.

    Then after some time, they removed it (from Aished s web site, a link and a byline.)

    A pulsa Dinura on AISH in the USA.