Brett Favre Apologizes After Unwittingly Recording Anti-Semitic Video for White Supremacists
Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre apologized on Saturday after he was tricked into recording a personalized video for a group of white supremacist YouTubers that used anti-Semitic rhetoric.
In a statement posted to his Facebook page, Favre attempted to explain how he was duped into endorsing veiled anti-Semitic language in a video recording request he received on an app called Cameo.
"On November 22, I received a request to record a shout-out supporting what appeared to be a U.S. veterans organization for Cameo, a company that enables consumers to book personalized video greetings from celebrities," Favre explained. "I had previously fulfilled more than 50 of these requests without incident. Since I match service dogs with military veterans who have PTSD, I assumed that the request stemmed from my interest in veterans affairs and recorded the message."
On Friday, Buzzfeed revealed that the longtime Packers quaterback was one of multiple celebrities who had been tricked into recording a video for the hate groups Handsome Truth and the Goyim Defense League. The groups paid Favre $500 for his personalized recording and provided him with a script that was coded with anti-Semitic rhetoric.
"Brett Favre here with a shoutout to the Handsome Truth and the GDL boys," Favre says in video, according to Buzzfeed. "You guys are patriots in my eyes. So keep waking them up and don't let the small get you down. Keep fighting, too, and don't ever forget the USS Liberty and the men and women who died on that day. God bless and take care."
Favre said in his statement that he was "distressed to learn that the request came from an anti-Semitic group that reposted my video with comments implying that I endorsed their mission."
"Nothing could be further from the truth," Favre added. "I am therefore donating my $500 Cameo fee to Charities supporting their fight against hate and bigotry. Like most Americans, I am sickened by what these groups stand for and concerned about their role in fueling today's negative political climate. The Cameo request from this organization is a prime example of how these groups are misusing social media to promote their agenda. I thought I was creating a message to support the brave men and women of our military forces. Had I understood the source of the request, I never would have fulfilled it. All of us – myself included – need to be vigilant to protect this country from these dangers."
The video has since been removed by Cameo, which also took to Facebook to denounce anti-Semitic content.
"This was a blatant misuse of the Cameo platform and a violation of Cameo’s terms of service," the company said in a statement. "This is the first incident of its kind in more than 93,000 Cameos and a gross misrepresentation of the talent’s political beliefs. Cameo immediately removed the videos from the website, requested YouTube to remove the content and created new filters to prevent this from happening in the future. The user has been banned from purchasing Cameos."
