Benito Mussolini’s Granddaughter Calls Jim Carrey ‘a Bastard’ over Painting of Late Dictator

AlessandraMussoliniJim1
AP/Getty Images
Alana Mastrangelo

The granddaughter of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, Alessandra Mussolini, called actor Jim Carrey “a bastard” on Sunday in response to a politically charged painting depicting her grandfather and his mistress Clara Petacci hanging upside down at their execution in 1945.

“You are a bastard,” said Alessandra Mussolini to Jim Carrey in a tweet on Sunday, reacting to what appeared to be another one of the actor’s politically charged paintings, which he posted to Twitter, along with the words, “If you’re wondering what fascism leads to, just ask Benito Mussolini and his mistress Claretta.”

Alessandra Mussolini, who is a former Italian actress, currently serves as a Member of the European Parliament. The dictator’s granddaughter had reportedly left the entertainment industry after a film producer asked her to change her last name.

“I think you’re confusing Jim Carrey with your murderous grandfather,” tweeted one individual in response to Alessandra Mussolini’s reaction to Carrey.

“Or maybe with some of your family …” retorted Alessandra Mussolini.

“Ma’am, your grandpa was a fascist and in league with Hitler. You’re not your grandpa, but when you try defending him… it’s a bad look,” reacted another user on Twitter.

Hours after Alessandra Mussolini’s initial tweet to Carrey, she proceeded to post a series of tweets including images concerning American history — such as a “mushroom cloud” created by an atomic bomb, Native Americans, and the historical unfair treatment of black people — tagging the actor in her tweets and requesting that he “draw that too.”

The dictator’s granddaughter getting caught up in a Twitterstorm over Carrey’s painting seemed to captivate users on social media.

“You know it’s 2019 when Jim Carrey paints a picture of Mussolini being hanged and Mussolini’s granddaughter replies calling Carrey a bastard,” said one Twitter user.

“Twitter is cool it’s a place you can see Benito Mussolini’s granddaughter get really mad at Jim Carrey for smearing her grandfather,” tweeted another.

Alessandra Mussolini, who has been known to defend her grandfather on multiple occasions, issued a “warning” via Twitter last October, stating that she would “monitor” and report to the police anyone who is caught posting “images and/or offensive phrases” involving her grandfather.

“Warning [those navigating social media]” said Mussolini, “[My] lawyers are at work to verify the ‘politically correct’ of [Facebook] and other social media regarding images and/or offensive phrases against Benito Mussolini: monitoring and denunciation [reporting] to the [State Police].”

Mussolini is not alone in her apparent support for advancing online censorship. Last year, the European Union voted in favor of aggressive new online copyright laws that critics say could lead to mass surveillance and strangle alternative media websites, as well as stifle satire and meme culture.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo and on Instagram.

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