Jon Bernthal has one of the strangest careers in Hollywood. Years ago, he seemed all set to grow into B-tier leading roles, not quite a movie star but also able to carry a film. But there was some kind of shift and now he’s pretty much a character actor, working consistently in film and television. A decade ago, he could have been the next big thing. But maybe it was his call – maybe he prefers to work consistently on a wide variety of projects. Anyway, Bernthal recently appeared on Howard Stern’s show, all to promote his role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Jon and Howard ended up talking about Jon’s dogs, which are pit bulls. Dozens of countries ban citizens from owning or breeding pits, but here in America, there’s more acceptance of pit bulls, even though it’s a near constant conversation about whether pits are safe or whether they should be banned. Well, when discussing his pits, Jon Bernthal actually used the words “dog racism.”
Jon Bernthal is pushing back against the stigma surrounding pit bulls, arguing that the breed’s reputation is rooted in stereotypes.
During a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, the actor passionately defended pit bulls, calling the widespread fear of the breed “dog racism” and comparing it to judging people based on their race or sexual orientation.
“My dogs are the greatest, and they’re honest,” Bernthal said. “So the myth of the pit bull is a lot of bulls–t. People got to stop that. Pit bulls don’t attack.”
“No, it’s just racism. It’s just dog racism,” he added.
Bernthal further argued that fearing an entire breed is unfair and misguided. “I think to be afraid of a breed of dog is completely ridiculous,” the actor said. “It’s like being afraid of somebody for their race or their sexual orientation. It’s completely ridiculous.”
While acknowledging that any dog is capable of biting someone, Bernthal said he doesn’t believe pit bulls are inherently more aggressive than other breeds. Instead, the Punisher star believes a dog’s behavior is largely influenced by its owner and how it’s raised.
“If a pit bull bites you, it kind of sucks,” he joked. “But they’re no more likely to bite you than a Chihuahua or any other breed of dog… I think that it probably has more to do with who owns them and how they were trained,” he said.
Bernthal also criticized people who choose pit bulls to project a tough image without properly caring for or training them.
“I think that a lot of knuckleheads, unfortunately, are attracted to that breed of dog,” he said. “When I see some wannabe gangster getting pulled down Venice Beach by his pit bull… to me, that’s not manly or strong at all.”
He added that responsible ownership is what ultimately makes the difference.
“I think you got to train your dog,” Bernthal said.
The thing is, I understand what Jon was trying to say with the “dog racism” statement. I wouldn’t call it “racism,” but “prejudice” is probably a better word for it. There’s a prejudice against pits, founded or unfounded. Jon is right that it’s about how you train your dogs and how you raise your dogs. But I’ve also heard some horror stories about pits attacking people out of nowhere, including attacking children. The truth is, even if I see a pit on a leash, I’m on my guard and careful about how I step around the dog. Does that make me prejudiced? Perhaps. Does that make me racist against pit bulls? Hm.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
