Crowe angers anti-smokers

He did not throw a telephone or even a punch, but Hollywood hardman Russell Crowe still manages to hit the headlines for the wrong reasons.

New Zealand-born Crowe has irked anti-smoking groups in the Kiwi country by puffing away during a concert in Auckland in apparent disregard of tough anti-smoking laws, according to TMCnet.com.

The Oscar winner reportedly smoked cigarettes after each song with his band the Ordinary Fear of God at SkyCity and sometimes during songs in breach of New Zealand's Smokefree Environment Act, which bans smoking in bars, restaurants and casinos.

A 'shocked' Becky Freeman, director of the Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) organization, was quoted by the Herald as saying, "So he's above the law because he's a celebrity or something? Just because you're Russell Crowe doesn't mean you can do whatever you like."

The paper said it was the responsibility of the management at the SkyCity venue to have stopped him smoking during Friday night's concert.

Freeman said it was disappointing that a public figure like Crowe had such contempt for the law.

"He's a guest in one of our clubs," she said, "and he has an obligation to follow our rules."

In a touch of irony, Crowe starred in the anti-tobacco movie, "The Insider," which gained him an Academy Award nomination for his role as tobacco company whistle blower Jeffrey Wigand.