Of course Jennifer Lawrence is tied to the Hunger Games franchise like a slave! A very rich slave but a slave nonetheless. I laughed when I read American Hustle‘s David O. Russell had made this analogy. She took the money of her own free will, of course, and in so doing agreed to submit to the needs of the franchise until it finishes. To me this is a somewhat amusing, perfectly acceptable way to describe what Lawrence is going through; ditto with the X-Men franchise. But leave it to the politically correct brownshirt morons to complain and make a stink about Russell’s remark, for which he has now “apologized.”

Russell’s statement of contrition: “Clearly, I used a stupid analogy in a poor attempt at humor. I realized it the minute I said it and I am truly sorry.”

If I were Russell I would also agree to be whipped, bareback, in a public place as soon as possible.

I would also add the following to Russell’s apology: “The word ‘slavery’ can never be and should never be used in a non-literal fashion. It can only be used if the speaker is referring to actual slavery as it existed in the United States in the 19th century and in other cultures around the world, going back to the ancient Egyptians enslaving the Hebrews. It can never, EVER be used as a metaphor or a figure of speech. I was very arrogant and insensitive to use this term. The word has has one use and one use only.”

I’m so glad Russell said this before I did. You never know, I might have written something down the road about being a slave to my column. I’ve been writing Hollywood Elsewhere for almost ten years, and for previous incarnations starting in October ’98 — over 15 years a slave. Whoops!

Russell initially told the N.Y. Daily News the following on 1.10: “I personally think they should give [Lawrence] a bit of breathing room over there because they’re printing money. But she’s a very alive person. I’ll tell you what it is about that girl — talk about 12 years of slavery, that’s what the franchise is. And I’m going to get in so much trouble for saying that.”

Russell compared The Hunger Games franchise to a “hamster wheel,” and noted that Lawrence tries to take on more artistic roles as a “vacation” between more commercial films.

“I’m surprised that a director of David Russell’s calibre doesn’t appear to have taken the time to watch 12 Years a Slave or else he wouldn’t have been so glib with his comparisons,” Aidan McQuade, director of Anti-Slavery International told the Daily Mail.

“Indeed if he’s interested I would invite him to join me in visiting India or Nepal to see what real contemporary slavery looks like. Working up to 12 hours a day in a brick kiln for nearly nothing, living in squalid conditions and not being able to leave –- that’s real slavery.”

There are guys dressed in white suits and carrying fish nets who are looking all over London for McQuade as we speak.