Joe Pesci mentioned he would ‘smack’ Sinéad O’Connor for ripping pope’s picture on ‘SNL’

Sinéad O’Connor’s premature dying on the age of 56 final week has spurred recollections of each her eclectic profession in addition to her most controversial moments.

One contentious occasion infamously occurred in 1992 when the “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer appeared on “Saturday Evening Reside” and proceeded to rip up a photo of Pope John Paul II in protest of kid intercourse abuse rampant within the Catholic Church.

Quick ahead to the following week when actor Joe Pesci criticized the Irish songstress throughout his personal look.

A video clip of the “Goodfellas” star’s “SNL” 1992 monologue has now resurfaced following her passing.

“Earlier than we begin the present, there’s a bit matter I wanna clear up. There was an incident on the present final week,” the Oscar winner, 80, mentioned as he held up the {photograph} to the viewers. 

He continued: “Sinead O’Connor tore up an image of the Pope, and I assumed that was incorrect, so I requested somebody to stick it again collectively.”

“I imply why ought to I let it trouble me, proper? It wasn’t my present,” he went on. “However I’ll let you know one factor, she was very fortunate it wasn’t my present, as a result of if it was my present, I might have gave her such a smack.”

He then proceeded to say that he would have “grabbed her by her eyebrows.”

Pesci’s previous response has garnered backlash from social media customers, who got here to O’Connor’s protection.

“She was extra courageous, and extra proper, than she ever received credit score for,” somebody penned on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Now could be time for Joe Pesci and SNL to difficulty an apology for that monologue the place they joked about beating her up,” an individual tweeted.

One other consumer chimed in: “Glad i’m not the one one who remembers the AWFUL set Joe Pesci did on SNL threatening to harm Sinead O’Connor over the picture rip. reveals how excessive the hate Sinead received from all media regardless of her being proper. At the same time as a child i puzzled why the group was cheering SNL for this crap.”

O’Connor’s efficiency on the NBC sketch present precipitated her to be banned from the collection and led different celebrities to name her out on her stance.

In keeping with the New York Times, Madonna blasted O’Connor in an interview.

“I believe there’s a greater solution to current her concepts reasonably than ripping up a picture which means quite a bit to different individuals. If she’s in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church and he or she has an issue with them I believe she ought to speak about it,” the “Materials Lady” singer mentioned.

“I believe you need to do greater than denigrate a logo.”