Update!

Christian Bale Apologizes for "Potty Mouth," "Inexcusable" Rant

Terminator thesp apologizes for on-set outburst on L.A. radio show; says he was "out of order beyond belief"

By Gina Serpe Feb 06, 2009 7:35 PMTags
Christian BaleAP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi

There are at least two men with whom Christian Bale is not professionally done: Los Angeles DJs Kevin and Bean.

After a week of unrelenting press coverage in the wake of his leaked on-set rant, Bale unexpectedly chose to break his silence over the incident on KROQ radio's popular morning show, taking full responsibility for his Terminator: Salvation explosion.

"It's been a miserable week for me," Bale told hosts Kevin Ryder and Gene "Bean" Baxter. "Listen, I know I have a potty mouth; everybody knows this now.

"The thing that I really want to stress is I have no confusion whatsoever. I was out of order beyond belief. I was way out of order. I acted like a punk. I regret that.

"There is nobody that has heard that tape that is hit harder by it than me. I make no excuses for it. It is inexcusable. I hope that that is absolutely clear."

Listen to Bale's apology:

As for what brought on the much-played rant, Bale said the day's shooting was particularly intense: "I put so much into what I do and care so much about it and sometimes the enthusiasm just goes awry.

"I'm embarrassed by it. I ask everybody to sit down and ask themselves, have they ever had a bad day and have they ever lost their temper and really regretted it immensely."

Not that he doesn't understand the public's insatiable desire to hear—and mock and remix—the audio.

"Feel free to make fun of me at my expense; I deserve it completely."

Bale, who could easily have chosen any worldwide media to deliver his mea culpa, said he selected KROQ because had been listening to the morning show's mockery and incessant playing of his rant all week.

"I spoke with you guys a few years back; you seem like good guys and I wanted to talk with you about it," he said, before adding that the DJs' take on his rant made him laugh. "Believe me, this is no punk."

Kevin and Bean, meanwhile, had a slightly more humbling take on why they were chosen.

"You can talk to a guy who tries to high-five a blind dude or you can talk to Kevin and Bean; those are your options in the morning," they said.

(For those doubting the validity of the scoop, Bale's rep Jennifer Allen has confirmed that it was the actor, and not the station's dead-on Bale impersonator, Ralph Garman.)

As for any residual hard feelings between Bale and D.P. Shane Hurlbut, the object of his on-set rant, the actor said it ceased being an issue shortly after the outburst.

"We have resolved this completely...I have no intention of getting anyone fired. There is no problem whatsoever."

(Originally published on Feb. 6, 2009 at 9:36 a.m. PT)