The Toronto Star reported two weeks ago that Meg Ryan was one of a few stars who “have refused to perform in Israel in recent years as part of an effort to promote the Palestinian cause.” Not true, says the actress’ publicist, Steve Huvane.
But what about the report that she cancelled a 2010 trip to Israel for a film festival? “I am her publicist and I am not aware of her committing to the Jerusalem Film Festival. She may have been invited although I don’t have record of that but we never committed to attending,” Huvane said in true publicist fashion in an email responding to a query from the media watch group CAMERA.
It seems the Star piece was full of inaccuracies. Following communication from CAMERA, the paper has already apologized for including Bruce Willis on the story’s list of celebrities avoiding Israel.
Willis was mistakenly included in the piece because the reporter who had seen his name in other online media and blog reports about the boycott. And while Wonder didn’t refuse to perform in Israel, according to The New York Times and other sources, the singer did back out of a Friends for Israel Defense Forces benefit concert in Los Angeles.
Bad reporting or not, we have a feeling we won’t be seeing these celebs in Israel anytime soon.
Update: On May 24, in response to an appeal from CAMERA, the Toronto Star published an additional correction confirming that neither Meg Ryan nor Stevie Wonder refused to perform in Israel. Wonder had pulled out of a benefit concert in Los Angeles for the Friends of the Israel Defence Forces.
