Things were pretty mixed up in the first half of the 20th Century. War, famine (maybe), drought (possibly), pestilence (probably) and mass bankruptcy. People were going crazy, getting up to all kinds of mischief, like joining the Hitler Youth. Not forever though, just for a bit to see what it was like. Maybe play a few games of Panzerball, share a can of sugarbraü, spit on a picture of Mendelssohn, you know the usual stuff. Come on, it was the fashion of the time. Like skinny jeans and being a twat are now.

Skip to 70 years in the future and Susan Sarandon - actress, mother and sensuous lover - has called the Pope out on his time with the 'Youth. She reckons it means he's a Nazi. Come on Suze: condoms, AIDS, Africa, that's all water under the bridge now. You can't just go accusing Popes of xenophobia. Popes are people too.

Anyway, the mildly controversial comment popped out to the assembled crowds as she spoke at the Hamptons Film Festival, during an explanation of how the last Pope received a copy of the book Dead Man Walking from her:

"[I had sent the book to] the last one. Not this Nazi one we have now,"

Not much, is it? And yet, this single comment has set the Catholic world alight. Historically speaking, a fairly dangerous group to anger. Hasn't anyone read Dan Brown? THEY'RE ALL ASSASSINS. Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League (Strength, Power, and Courage) had this to say in reply: (Via TMZ)

"Susan Sarandon's quip about Pope Benedict XVI being a 'Nazi' bespeaks unparalleled ignorance."

"Joseph Ratzinger (the pope) was conscripted into the Nazi Youth the way every other 14-year-old German boy was at the time. Unlike most others, he not only refused to go to the compulsory meetings -- he actually deserted the Hitler Youth! Which is precisely why Jews today regard him as a friend, not as an enemy."

"In short, what Sarandon said is positively obscene."

It was a bit like that in cubs and scouts, except with less (but still not no) anti-gypsy propaganda. We only went because our parents forced us to. What about beavers? Did anyone go to beavers? Can anyone answer that question without making a joke?