So John Kasich walks into a bookstore. And somehow a celebrity beef ensues.

Kasich – the Republican governor of Ohio, former presidential candidate and current Donald Trump detractor – was on a tour of downtown Exeter, New Hampshire, last week with gubernatorial candidate Chris Sununu, the son of former Sen. John Sununu. The political entourage walked into a local bookstore, and Kasich happened upon a copy of a Harry Potter book. This is when things got weird.

Actor Daniel Radcliffe, left photo, has caught the attention of Ohio Gov. John Kasich, right photo, for Radcliffe's espousal of atheism. Associated Press

“You know that Daniel Radcliffe has declared himself an atheist?” Kasich said, apropos of nothing, according to a report in the Concord Monitor. “I’m serious. What a weird thing. Why would a guy who has had all that success just, I mean, what the hell is wrong with him?”

Radcliffe, the successful former child actor, has made no secret of his atheism, telling Esquire Magazine in 2009 that “I’m an atheist, but I’m very relaxed about it. I don’t preach my atheism … .”

Kasich has been going to Bible study every other week for the past two decades. Raised “a card-carrying Catholic,” Kasich lapsed as an adult and recommitted himself to religion after his parents were killed by a drunk driver in 1987. He’s even written two books on the subject of faith. All that might explain why he was so very baffled by the actor’s eschewing of god et al. But with the growing list of A-list atheists – Keira Knightly, Julianne Moore, and Billy Joel to name a few – Kasich might be doing a lot more head-scratching or fist-shaking at the TV.

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