Battleship Director Peter Berg to Israeli Interviewer: 'Are You a Draft Dodger?'

Now here's the way to make your run of the mill Battleship junket interview way more interesting: Turn the tables on your talking-head interviewer by grilling him on Israel's nuclear policy and why he didn't serve his compulsory service in the military. Which is what Peter Berg did to one unsuspecting journalist for Israel's Channel 10.

While sitting for an on-camera chat about his summer blockbuster, Berg went off on TV interviewer Jason Danino-Holt about issues that, he admits, are much more important than his movie about aliens adapted from a board game. Instead of talking up his pop starlet cast member or his excitement for the film (okay, he managed to squeeze that in, too -- what a pro!), Berg launched into Israeli arms policy as Danino-Holt sat, seemingly befuddled.

By the time Berg asks, "Are you a draft dodger?" and shouts, "You've gotta join the army, motherfucker!" this has automatically become the stuff of legend.

Berg's big shiny summer blockbuster has a heavy military element -- it's very much pro-servicemen and women, and big on international cooperation between nations that, granted, can unite against a common extraterrestrial enemy without dealing with the tricky human realities of real world politics. Does Battleship give Berg the moral ground to badger a perfect stranger for not joining the army? Well, no. Is this 100 times more interesting than hearing him talk about ships and aliens and Rihanna? Hell yes. Make your weekend movie plans accordingly.

[Pajiba via Complex]