Crowe uses Letterman visit to apologize
By DAVID BAUDER
The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A chagrined Russell Crowe apologized Wednesday for throwing a telephone at a hotel concierge this week, saying he reacted poorly to being a lonely family man away from home.
"This is possibly the most shameful situation I've ever gotten myself in in my life, and I've done some pretty dumb things in my life," the Australian actor told David Letterman. "So to actually make a new number one is spectacularly stupid."
Crowe, in New York to promote a new movie, was angered by a malfunctioning phone at the Mercer Hotel at 4 a.m. Monday, so he threw it and struck a concierge in the face. [...]
"Hopefully at some stage, I'll be able to apologize directly to Nestor but at the moment, he's not answering his phone," Crowe said.
Crowe acknowledged what most tabloid readers already know: that he has a temper problem.
"But at the same time, I also have, in the moment, infinite patience, you know?" he said. "We had nine rooms in that hotel over a period of seven days and everybody was having the same problems."
Crowe is married to actress Danielle Spencer and they have a 17-month-old son. With the time difference with Australia, reporting back home can be rough, he said.
"I'm, you know, trying to fill my basic obligations to my wife who needs to know that I'm at home, I'm in bed, I haven't had too much to drink and, primely important, that I'm alone," he said. [...]
In any event, I have to offer one suggestion. Now, I realize I am not a multimillionaire movie actor jet-setter, but there are these nifty gadgets now called "cell phones" that allow you to call just about anywhere. I realize the roaming charge might be a bit high, but have you ever made a long-distance call from a swanky hotel? And since these new cell phones are so tiny and light, they aren't nearly so damaging to others when thrown at their head.
Anyway, just a thought, Russ.
Posted by Terry Oglesby at June 9, 2005 08:06 AMApparently he cried like a girly-man while in the custody of Noo Yawk's Finist.
Gladiator, my gluteus maximus
Posted by: skinnydan at June 9, 2005 11:01 AMWell, let's give him the benefit of the doubt, since being away from home and not seeing your toddler can make a man "upset". I'm sure Nestor will have a nice settlement coming his way.
I have a hunch that RCrowe avoids the cellphone after the Paris Hilton situation. They can be easy to lose and/or be stolen when you're a celebrity. Besides, that's what your agent is for, to hold the phone and give you money when you need it.
Posted by: MarcV at June 9, 2005 11:06 AMI think I would get my agent to throw phones at people. Or at peoples' people. "I'll have my people throw the phone at your people."
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 9, 2005 11:13 AMIt's not as easy to call overseas with a cell phone as you probably think. It can be done, but if you are already in a phon-throwing mood, you may have some difficulty managing it. Also, cell phones from here don't necessarily work in other areas of the world due to the use of different frequencies, standards, etc.
I give Mr. Crowe some credit for owning up to his mistake and not trying to blame it on someone or something else. That's rather refreshing from a celebrity.
Posted by: charles austin at June 9, 2005 04:29 PMWell, I think my ire is misplaced. I did figure you could pretty much call anywhere. Why is it cell phone companies can't get it together and make it easy to use cell phones from anywhere!?
As for owning up, well, I still think he's got a ways to go. As I keep telling my kids, "Do the right thing and you don't ever have to BE sorry."
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 9, 2005 04:42 PMFair enough. I'm focusing on getting my kids to understand that saying "I'm sorry" does not absolve one of the consequences of their actions.
Posted by: charles austin at June 10, 2005 03:36 PM