"WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ted Turner, the media mogul who has a way of putting his foot in his mouth when he shoots from the hip, is at it again. Turner recently apologized for offending Catholics by referring to them as "just Jesus freaks."

Turner, who founded the Cable News Network, made the "Jesus freak" remark at a retirement party for CNN anchor Bernard Shaw at the network's Washington, D.C. bureau. The party was held on Ash Wednesday, and Turner noticed that some employees had a smudge-from Lenten ashes-on their foreheads.

"I was looking at this woman and I was trying to figure out what was on her forehead," Turner was reported to have said. "At first I thought you were in the [Seattle] earthquake. I realized you're just Jesus freaks." Turner added, "You ought to be working for Fox"-a reference to a more conservative news network which competes with CNN.


It's not Turner's first anti-Christian remark. A decade ago he caused a stir when he dismissed Christianity as a religion "for losers." In 1998 he insulted Pope John Paul II. He later apologized for both remarks. Ironically, just last August Turner criticized Christianity for being "very intolerant" while speaking at the Millennium World Peace Summit at the United Nations.

Turner recently separated from his third wife, Jane Fonda, who embraced Christianity shortly before their breakup."