Iggy Pop apologizes for offensive remark

BENICASSIM, Spain, July 20 (UPI) -- Rocker Iggy Pop apologized for a controversial comment made on television during the recent British music festival in Glastonbury.

In an interview with NME.com during the Benicassim International Festival in Spain, the innovative American punk rocker said his use of the term "Paki shop" was "terrible. ... Shame on me."

He said he picked up the phrase while living in Britain.

Pop, real name James Osterberg Jr., also discussed two Iggy and the Stooges biographical movies in production. One is set to cast "Lord of the Rings" actor Elijah Wood as the singer.

"At the moment neither of them have my permission to be made," he told NME, adding he wished the studios would just "leave their biopics."