Liam Neeson REPLACED as guest on US chat show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert amid race row
The Taken star, 66, has pulled out of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
LIAM Neeson has cancelled an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert amid controversy over his “black b*****d” comments.
The Irish actor, 66, was due to appear on the US chat show on Friday, as he promotes his latest film Cold Pursuit.
However, on the listings for upcoming guests on the programme, Neeson has been replaced by The Wife actress Glenn Close.
It is understood the Taken star pulled out after he attracted widespread criticism for comments regarding decades-old thoughts he had about killing a black person.
"BLACK B*****D"
Speaking to The Independent during a discussion about revenge, a theme in Cold Pursuit, he said he roamed the streets looking for a "black b*****d" after someone a “dear friend” was raped.
Fans on Twitter have called for a boycott of his films as a result of the comments, though some, including former footballer John Barnes and author John Banville, have defended him.
The red carpet at the film's New York premiere was abruptly cancelled on Monday due to the controversy.
On Tuesday, Neeson appeared on Good Morning America to address his comments, saying he was not a racist.
Neeson said he was compelled by a "primal urge" and "medieval" desire for revenge when he had violent thoughts.
He said: "I had never felt this feeling before, which was a primal urge to lash out.
CANCELLED
"After that there were some nights I went out deliberately into black areas in the city, looking to be set upon so that I could unleash physical violence.
"I did it four, maybe four or five times, until I caught myself and it really shocked me, this primal urge. It was shocking.
"It shocked me and it hurt me. I did seek help, I went to a priest."
And yesterday it emerged that the star admitted "racial profiling" five years ago.
He was discussing the plot of the film with co-star Julianne Moore and insisted that “we all racial profile”.
He said he was “always pulled over” at airports because he was a “single Irish guy” with long hair.
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Speaking to The Guardian in 2014, he said: “We all racial profile, we all. It’s a horrible thing to admit to do but we all do it. I know I do it.
“I’m used to it because I’m a child of Northern Ireland and 1970 onwards any flight we made over to England, I’d be travelling on my own.
“I had hair down to here, single Irish guy, I was always pulled over.”
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