Sydney, Oct 18 : Susan Sarandon has been slammed for calling Pope Benedict XVI a Nazi.

The 65-year-old American actress made the comment about Pope Benedict XVI during an appearance at the Bay Street Theatre in New York while talking about her 1995 film `Dead Man Walking'.

She said that she had sent a copy of the book it was based on to the Pope, but then clarified which one she was talking about.

"The last one, not this Nazi one we have now," she said in an interview

When the interviewer showed his disapproval of her comments Sarandon allegedly then repeated the comment drawing laughter from the crowd.

But Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League said that the comments made by the `Thelma and Louise' star were "obscene".

"Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) was conscripted into the Nazi Youth the way every other 14-year-old German boy was at the time," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Donohue as telling TMZ. com

"Unlike most others, he not only refused to go to the compulsory meetings - he actually deserted the Hitler Youth. Which is precisely why Jews today regard him as a friend, not as an enemy."

"In short, what Sarandon said is positively obscene," he added. (ANI)