Dan Aykroyd plans to make a donation to the family of a Philadelphia police officer killed in the line of duty. KYW-TV reported the actor made the announcement Friday while visiting the Philadelphia Flower Show to promote his vodka company. Officer Robert Wilson III was buying a video game for his son while on duty Thursday when police say two brothers entered the store to rob it. Police say Wilson exchanged fire with the suspects and was shot multiple times in the body and head. Police officials say the 8-year veteran saved lives by drawing fire away from other patrons in the store.
Sean Penn opened up about the green card joke he made at the 87th Academy Awards. Speaking on Saturday in Beverly Hills during a promotional tour for his new film The Gunman, Penn said he has “absolutely no apologies” for his comment. The actor-director also offered up choice words for those who didn’t recognize the irony in his remarks. On Feb. 22 at the Academy Awards, Penn, tasked with presenting the best picture award, made waves when he opened the envelope and first asked “Who gave this son of a b**** his green card?” before announcing the winner as Birdman. Directed by the Mexican-born Alejandro Inarritu, many wondered whether the joke was distasteful. The term “green card” refers to a document that confers permanent residency on immigrants in the United States. “I found it hilarious,” Inarritu said after the ceremony. “Sean and I have that kind of brutal [relationship] where only true friendship can survive.” Inarritu directed Penn in the 2003 film 21 Grams and the two remain close to this date. “I make on him a lot of very tough jokes that I will not tell you,” Inarritu added. While Inarritu’s casual dismissal of any perceived offense helped to temper the public response to the comment, Penn has remained largely silent on the topic. “I’m always surprised by flagrant stupidity. I keep having more hope,” said Penn of the widespread reactions to his joke. “The fact is that I understand it. I see it all the time. When somebody sees the opportunity to frame something in the comfort that it will be common — that they can do that and they can get a group to look at them and that they will take on those positions and never really think about what it was,” he added. “I have absolutely no apologies,” Penn said. He also clarified that the order of his comments were intentional. “There’s a little inside humor with he and I where I know, and wanted to know, that he would be the first person in that room to know that his film won,” he said.