`Super Size Me' filmmaker apologizes for speech at Pennsylvania high school

HORSHAM, Pa. (AP) _ The filmmaker who ate nothing but McDonald's meals for his Oscar-nominated film, ``Super Size Me,'' apologized for a profanity-laced, politically incorrect speech at a suburban

Tuesday, March 28th 2006, 10:17 am

By: News On 6

HORSHAM, Pa. (AP) _ The filmmaker who ate nothing but McDonald's meals for his Oscar-nominated film, ``Super Size Me,'' apologized for a profanity-laced, politically incorrect speech at a suburban Philadelphia high school.

Among other things, Morgan Spurlock joked about the intelligence of McDonald's employees and teachers smoking pot while speaking at Hatboro-Horsham High School last week.

``It is never my intent to insult or demean anyone - and I understand how some of my remarks may have offended some in attendance and if you feel they did, then I am deeply sorry,'' Spurlock wrote in ``A Letter of Explanation'' posted Sunday on his blog.

The filmmaker spoke for about an hour Friday to 700 students in conjunction with a health and wellness fair before principal Dennis Williams Jr. cut the presentation short. The Hatboro-Horsham Education Foundation canceled another talk that was scheduled for the community later that night.

Spurlock, 35, told The Philadelphia Inquirer in a telephone interview that he ``didn't think of the audience'' and could have chosen his words better.

Although some in attendance believe Spurlock commented on ``retarded kids in the back wearing helmets,'' the filmmaker said in his blog that he only referred to himself as retarded.

He said the comment about helmets, which prompted teachers to lead special education students out of the room, was meant as a ``slacker reference'' to a character in the upcoming film ``Benchwarmers.''

``Having done work with special needs children in the past, something this hurtful would never come from my lips,'' he wrote.

Spurlock said his reference to teachers smoking pot was a joke meant to amuse students. He did not address allegations that he had insulted certain racial or ethnic groups