Sean Penn criticizes ‘comfortable cowards’

Sean Penn is continuing to blast President Bush over the war in Iraq, calling the president a “traitor.” And he’s also taking aim at his fellow actors.

The “Mystic River” star was in South America, promoting the flick, when he was asked about the heat he’s been taking for speaking out against the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq. When Penn was asked if he considered himself to be a patriot, he replied, according to our source and translator, “I am more patriotic than this president we have, who I consider a traitor of human and American principles.”

When asked if he was surprised by the way he was criticized for his trip to Baghdad, Penn blamed his colleagues in Hollywood, says the source, replying, “I’m not surprised with the fact that there are many comfortable cowards in my profession.”

Motherly Love

It’s not clear what Courtney Love needs first: courses in anger management or grammar lessons.

An angry tirade was recently posted on the singer’s Web site — supposedly from Love herself, who has been battling for custody of her daughter.

“NOONE ‘took:’ custody of my child away from me,” begins the rant. “False allegations were made about crazy s—t for reasons so beyond comprehension and over the line if it does turn into a real war ( not her Custody Thats not at stake)  It will be a msassacre of epic proportions- these f-----s were so dumb … they forgot to SHRED THE PAPERS . . .. IT WILL BRING BACK OLD SCHOOL MS MAGAZINE FEMIINISM ON A LEVEL I DONT EVEN WANT TO DEAL WITH- ANDREA DWORKIN MAY BECOME PRESIDENT IT IS SO OFFENSIVE.” The post continued in that tone for a while.

Love’s rep didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Notes from all over

Penelope Cruz, whose acting career hasn’t taken off in the U.S. the way some expected, has a back-up business. The star is opening a clothing boutique shop in Madrid, Spain, according to reports.  . . . Madonna’s handwritten notes for her “Deeper and Deeper” video are being auctioned off. Close scrutiny of them reveals the sentences: “I’m in the middle of all this dancing. Am I lip synching?”  . . .Sharon Osbourne thinks Janet Jackson made a mistake when she bared a breast. “Next time, take out both,” the talk-show host urged. “Not just one — both! Come on!”

Jeannette Walls Delivers The Scoop Mondays through Thursdays on MSNBC.com

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