Di Canio denies 'fascist sympathies'

Strong rebuttal ... Paolo Di Canio during his playing days with Lazio. Source: Paolo Cocco / AAP

Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio strongly rebutted suggestions he is racist after a club executive quit in protest at his appointment.

Former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband quit as Sunderland vice chairman just as Di Canio was hired on Sunday citing "the new manager's past political statements."

Di Canio was fined and condemned by FIFA in 2005 for performing a straight-arm salute, adopted by the Italian Fascist regime in the early 20th century, and saying: "I am a fascist, not a racist."

But amid mounting pressure from anti-racism groups, American-owned Sunderland gave its full backing to Di Canio, dismissing the criticism as "insulting."

"Talk about racism? That is absolutely stupid, stupid and ridiculous," Di Canio said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. "The people who know me can change that idea quickly."

The Italian said the comments that led to Mr Miliband's resignation were from an interview "many years ago" and said his "expression (was taken) in a very, very negative way."

"What I can say is that if someone is hurt, I am sorry," Di Canio said. "But this didn't come from me, it came from a big story that people put out in a different way to what it was.

"I never have a problem in my past. ...I don't have a problem with anyone. I haven't had a problem in the past."

Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne said the club was satisfied with Di Canio's explanation, saying it is "disappointing that some people are trying to turn the appointment of a head coach into a political circus."

"To accuse him now, as some have done, of being a racist or having fascist sympathies, is insulting not only to him but to the integrity of this football club," Ms Byrne said.

"Paolo has spoken emotively and at length in order to clarify some of the misconceptions that surround him and historical comments and actions attributed to him in the past."

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Michelle Shocked denies remarks at concert were anti-gay

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  The American singer Michelle Shocked entertains the audience at the jazz festival of Montreux on July 11, 1995.Reuters

Folk singer Michelle Shocked is saying her recent seemingly anti-gay remarks at a San Francisco concert were misunderstood.

In a statement sent to FOX 411, the singer has responded to the recent publicity she has gotten for her speech during a concert on March 17.

The 51-year-old performer reportedly said: "I live in fear that the world will be destroyed if gays are allowed to marry.”

She added: “You can go on Twitter and say ‘Michelle Shocked says God hates f**s.”

But that’s not what she meant, she is now insisting.

“I do not, nor have I ever, said or believed that God hates homosexuals (or anyone else). I said that some of His followers believe that,” she stated.

And it seems she had an inkling her words may be confusing.

"When I said… ‘Michelle Shocked says God hates f**s,’ I was predicting the absurd way my description of, my apology for, the intolerant would no doubt be misinterpreted,” she said confusingly. 

But that doesn’t mean she isn’t willing to apologize anyway.

“But I am damn sorry,” she said. “If I could repeat the evening, I would make a clearer distinction between a set of beliefs I abhor, and my human sympathy for the folks who hold them.”

After her unexpected speech on stage, it seems many music venues didn’t want to be linked to the singer.

Two of her shows in California have since been cancelled, according to E! News, and her Seattle show has also reportedly been taken off her touring schedule.

ETown, a venue in Boulder, Colo., announced on their Facebook page that their Shocked show was no more.

“In light of recent developments, eTown must cancel the upcoming concert with Michelle Shocked, originally scheduled to take place in May at eTown Hall,” the post read.

SPACE in Evanston, Ill., wrote a similar message, canceling their May 5 concert.

"Many of you have reached out already following an ugly rant given by Michelle Shocked at her show in San Francisco last night,” the venue wrote on Facebook. “After speaking with the promoter of that show about the nature of the remarks, it's clear that this is no longer a show we're willing to put our name on.”

Shock first gained attention in 1986 with the album "Texas Campfire Tapes" and had several charting albums dating into the early 1990s. The singer was continuously questioned about her sexuality over the years, but refused to say whether she was gay or straight. She was married for 12 years and divorced in 2004.

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Miss Delaware Teen USA resigns, denies she is in online sex video

Miss Delaware Teen USA has resigned Tuesday after a video surfaced online that allegedly features the 18-year-old beauty queen engaging in a sexual act.

But the beauty queen also said the woman in the video wasn’t her.

A rep for the pageant confirmed King’s resignation to TMZ, stating: "I would like to confirm the Miss Delaware Teen USA pageant has received a resignation letter from Miss King’s attorney."

King spoke to a Delaware news site and denied that she is the one featured in the sexually explicit video, posted on an adult website.

She told Delaware Online that she was aware that reports were claiming she was the woman in the video.

“There are comments saying this, however, it’s not comments that are true,” she said.

A rep for the pageant said the Miss Delaware Teen USA runner up would take King’s place.

The voice mail message for the Miss Delaware Teen USA office stated the office is currently on winter break. A rep did not immediately return FOX 411's email request for comment. 

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