Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe is not a fan of circumcision.
"Circumcision is barbaric and stupid. Who are you to correct nature?" Crowe tweeted on Thursday. "Is it real that God requires a donation of foreskin? Babies are perfect."
Crowe went on the tirade after one of his Twitter followers asked whether he should get his son circumcised.
Then, Crowe appealed to his Jewish friends, including the director Eli Roth, to end the traditional practice of circumcising children.
"I love my Jewish friends, I love the apples and the honey and the funny little hats, but stop cutting your babies," he wrote. "I will always stand for the perfection of babies. I will always believe in God, not man's interpretation of what God requires," he added. "Last of it, if you feel it is your right to cut things off your babies please unfollow and f--k off; I'll take attentive parenting over barbarism."
Not surprisingly, the messages have landed Crowe in hot water. His tweets have been deleted, and early Friday morning the actor apologized to anyone he may have offended.
"I have a deep and abiding love for all people of all nationalities. I'm very sorry that I have said things on here that have caused distress. My personal believes aside I realize that some will interpret this debate as me mocking the rituals and traditions of others. I am very sorry."
Roth has been defending Crowe on his Twitter feed since the scandal broke, saying it was just a joke and that Crowe is "NOT antisemitic."
Dave McGinn