Human Decency and Hollywood: The Voice of America
by Chris BurgardI work in Hollywood and many in my industry consider my views to be pretty radical. I blame my father and the values that he instilled in me: Never hit a woman and protect your children.
Over the past few years, throughout this country I have heard the same thing from audiences over and over, “Why doesn’t Hollywood make the kind of movies that we want to see? Why don’t movies represent our values?”
This is an outstanding opportunity for lessons learned. To everyone outside of this community, I implore you to take a long and hard look at the people who are standing up for Roman Polanski. The stars. The studio heads. Many of these people are the powers that be who green-light projects. These are the people that we pitch to. These are the people who decide whether or not our films get distribution. These are the people who decide what product should be available to you and your children.
Hollywood is the voice of popular American culture. Control Hollywood and you can steer the direction of the country.
Roman Polanski is a talented director. He has many friends who do not want to see him go to prison. He has many friends that do not want the eye of judgment to be turned on them.
Let’s put the workplace, friendship, history and the passage of time away for just a moment and look at the facts:
At age 43, Roman Polanski drugged a 13 year old girl. He plied her with alcohol and then he sodomized her. She was 13. She was a child. He was an adult, a powerful Hollywood player. She was in grade school. After confessing his crime, he ran away.
She was 13!
If you cannot look at this and say that this is wrong, if you cannot recognize an act of rape and pedophilia when you see one, then I submit that you have not lost your moral compass, you never had one.
I believe the rule of law needs to apply to all Americans equally. I do not support vigilante activity. But if Mr. Polanski had done that to my daughter, and had I found him first, I do not know that I could have guaranteed his safety. I do not know a father among my friends and family that does not feel the same.
Yes, I am probably shooting my career in the foot, again, by writing this article, but if we say nothing, then we are complicit in the perversion.
Edmund Burke wrote, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
How about it Hollywood? Do we still have a few good men? Are there any other fathers out there? Has this town completely forgotten who we are?
We are Americans? We are supposed to stand for something. We are supposed to lead by example. How can we face the threat of Sharia and say that abusing women, killing gay people and marrying prepubescent girls is wrong, if we do not protect our own children.
Where are we headed as a nation, as a culture, if we do not make a stand?
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85 Comments
Well said, Chris. Thanks for standing up for what is right, even at the risk of your career.
Well said. But probably wasted on those of whom you speak. They'll never "get it." The irony is that there's HUGE money to be made by making good movies. Right now, a really good Amish-themed movie would immediately be number one at the box office. And when "The Shack" is made into a movie, it will be a huge success. It surprises me that their personal repugnant values trump even profitability. What a way to run a business.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Michael Chavez. Michael Chavez said: Human Decency and Hollywood: The Voice of America http://bit.ly/tgJjA [...]
Men like Polanski and women like Debra Winger and Whoopie Goldberg are celebrities, don't you see? They are different than, better than, more evolved than we troglodytes whose kismet is to labor for them, make their lives comfortable and serve them. So if a dirty old man with an itch wants to screw a thirteen year old child, then so what? The child is nothing unless she is a member of the protected class. Notice old Roman didn't prey on Whoopie's or Debra's or any other celebrity's daughter.
Part II
This is the message of Hollywood and those of us who accept this message are as guilty as they. We should cease to reward them with our attention and our money.
Yes, we do need to take a stand! I have already vowed to stop spending money on their movies. It just seems like there is more.
Any ideas?
Hollywood is a lost cause. We can't vote them out and there are enough people that agree with them to keep the business financially afloat. Our last chance is to ignore Hollyweird completely and go outside the silver screen kingdom. There are tons of people who want to write, act, and do movies who don't because no one is there to help them financially or morally. Conservatives would do well if some well-to-do could form an Independent Movie company. There is a huge untapped market that is getting ignored.
Blunt and to the point. Thanks Chris!
It's part of the whole "power corrupts" issue. Not only do people get drunk on their own power, but they fawn over other people with power (substitute fame if you like, in Hollywood it's really the same thing). Therefore, the rules shouldn't apply to them. They're celebrities, for crying out loud! They won an Oscar! They can't just be hauled off to jail like some common criminal! Hollywood, meet reality. Reality, Hollywood.
a couple of things here…
We do agree with your essential take. And we also agree that most of Hollywood isn't actively supporting him.
But we believe as well that he is now completely radioactive and will be tossed overboard by many who might have been sympathetic to his plight. Considering the emotional blowback on this why stick your neck out?
MyWhiteHouse.org is now MyFreePress.net, yes again we changed our name. Hopefully this is the last time, we are having an identity crisis
Same great content and idea. Just a new name and look.
Please sign our petition, 460 signatures already
http://myfreepress.net/dont-tread-on-me/
I think we need to make our own films and get our own distribution. I just finished mine and plan on getting my own distribution. People need to be offered more opportunities and not have to sleep with the person up top.
That is a great idea that I've wondered about for years. Especially in TV, with the success of Fox News, I can't understand why some rich conservatives don't step in and buy CBS. The first major network that applies real American values to all of their programming will become the number one network by far, probably with more viewers than the other two combined. Isn't there anyone out there that wants to make a few million dollars?
Good point! Most of the signatories were Euros. A person shouldn't have to publicly declare their disgust.
That's too much like forcing people to fly a flag or they are suspected of being traitors. On the other hand, it is a smear on Hollywood and movie people should expect to be asked whether they support Polanski's arrest or not.
Fair or not, it's wrong to think that silence does not equal sympathy for Polanski. There has been plenty of outrage expressed in the real world outside of Hollywood, so what's wrong with those celebrities who do not speak out against Polanski and his supporters? This is the problem, most everyone you listed is either silent as the grave on this issue or they're sitting on the fence about it. There comes a time when decent people have to take a stand and do the right thing. They cannot make assumptions that their silence doesn't demonstrate anything other than their support. It's their choice and they are crazy to think the rest of us won't hold it against them.
[...] the original: Human Decency and Hollywood: The Voice of America This entry is filed under America – Blogs, Big Hollywood. You can follow any responses to this [...]
Well, look at it this way, they are being hurt as we speak or in this cases as we type. Americans are not buying the product. For the most part its been a bust this year for Hollywood. And the place were they make the money DVD sales are in the tank. In the end its going to be what I always is, money. Money to make movies will only be made available if the movies being made are well making a good profit to warrant the risk. Why is that a novel approach. Why is it that a Movie made in 1939 put on the Big Screen last month for just one showing, was a sell out in advanced ticket sales in less than two days after the word got out and you can buy a ticket. And at 10 + dollars a pop to boot. If I was running a Studio, I would be looking at that little fact big time, I would ask why? Then I would ask with all the stuff we have today to make a movie with and there are good writers and there are good actors around why can't we make the Great movies like they did in the years between 1936 – 1966? It would take people you run the place to want to make good movies that we would want to pay to see, my guess not in my life time.
Hollyweird, a bunch of high school drop-outs, lecturing the rest of humanity on morals and intelligence. There was a song by a young group "Lifestyle of the rich and famous, always complaining…"
Did you watch Beck yesterday? "Free Press" is the best commie paper in the country/world or is that the picture you want to paint?
OK. I may be remembering it *better* but your name immediately reminded me of the commie press – your choice
Point taken, however no one knows a young person just starting out in Hollywood, so what they say really wouldn't have the same impact. Those people listed in your original post are certainly not just starting out and folks like Spielberg, Lucas and Cameron probably don't have to worry about job security. They probably worry more about fitting in with their colleagues and cohorts. If they can't speak out in defense of children, then what would they take a stand for? Their silence speaks volumes.
This goes right to the heart of something I have been worried about for some time. As disgusting and deplorable as Polanski is, he is only a small part of the bigger problem. Our values and even our traditions are being eroded. Like so many who met at the tea parties, those who felt they were the only ones who felt that something was wrong but could not nail it down to just one thing. The reason is that it is not one thing it is millions of little things. Seemingly inocuous little irratants, pushing of the envelope a little here and a little there. If you were Rip Van Winkle today having gone to sleep 20 years ago, you would be aghast at the things they get away with on TV. This drip, drip, drip of moral degradation is killing us. Sure, we see the news de jour on Polanski, and it troubles us, we shake our heads, we grumble amongst friends, but it keeps coming.
Whoopi Goldberg, like Janeane Garofalo and most of the Hollywood elite, is an adherant of Idiocracy, a close relative of Moronism which is a direct decendant of the affliction, Stupidity.
I, for one have decided to do something. 6 years ago I started to interview and record the life stories of our elders. I started with our elder care facilities and trained volunteers to do the same. I felt that if we could capture and archive the everyday thoughts, ideas, wisdom, values and life experiences of these elders, then at least their families would have the benefit of see the country through their parents eyes, long after they were gone. In this way they would still have an unfiltered view of the world the way it was, not by virtue of Oliver Stone and other Hollywoodies re-written version of history.
If you want to help, if you want me to help you do the same for your loved ones please contact me.
Great point. Several years ago I would have bet that Fox would fall flat given their political bent.
However, Cincinnati once had a thriving TV business that offered such projects as the Young Peoples Specials — in addition to all of the live programming provide by AVOCO Broadcasting and Scripps. As AVCO became MULTIMEDIA ENTERTAINMENT, it began to offer such programs as Phil Donahue, Sally Jesse Raphael and then Jerry Springer. It essentially fell into the spell of what National media wanted — debauchery. Moreover, it fell victim to Wall Street like so many other publicly traded companies, i.e., next quarter must bring in more revenue than last quarter.
I think growth in this area is very possible (seeHGTV in Knoxville) — but it cannot be a public company. Internal and external pressure will make management create programs for the lowest common denominator. (I fully expect HGTV to eventually offer an R Rated version, i.e.,Extreme Naked Home Make Over if the stock slips 4 quarters in a row.)
I worked at Multimedia Entertainment, I saw it happen first hand with Jerry Springer.
Good for you! Take matters into your own hands.
[...] from Chris Burgard over at Big Hollywood. By the way, if you have not seen his movie “Border”, you need to correct that error [...]
Yes I watched Beck yesterday, and did you hear him say we might be the ones responsible for reporting the news due to organizations like FreePress?
My site is dedicated to publishing and distributing the people views of the news, exactly what Free Press is supposed to be.
If you read my Remember Why, and Home pages, you can get a better idea of what we do.
http://www.myfreepress.net
http://www.myfreepress.net/remember-why/
Yes I watched Beck yesterday, and did you hear him say we might be the ones responsible for reporting the news due to organizations like FreePress?
My site is dedicated to publishing and distributing the peoples views of the news, exactly what Free Press is supposed to be.
If you read my Remember Why, and Home pages, you can get a better idea of what we do.
http://www.myfreepress.net
http://www.myfreepress.net/remember-why/
Thanks for your brave stand. I understand that to get along in H'wood, you have to go along to a degree. It is shameful this is so, but unless you are already powerful there, they will just drop you. Boycots rarely get any results, but if people decide on their own that they arent going to pay for the trash coming out of H'wood, then it eventually will make a difference. Look at Ricky Gervais' new movie. It is a flop.
The Hollywierd crowd could care less what us little people think. Even if we stopped going/buying to movies for a year they would still churn out the same progressive crap they have been shoveling for years because they have backers and "OLD MONEY" too keep it up for quite a while. What would probably happen if us little people started to vote with our wallets is that the reduced budgets would get us more Mikey Mooron docucrap instead of an occasional movie worth seeing. Remember the progressives think everyone is entitled to an opinion, as long as it matches theirs! If not you are a hater/birther/G.W. Bush fan/RACIST! So either drink the cool-aid or stand up and be heard America.
When I had heard about how others were defending the man, and how what had been done was being questioned as "rape rape", I found myself crying. I imagine my little children growing up in a society where innocence can be taken and the blame placed on them.
This has happened, I am sure, since the beginning of time. To a parent, it is a sickening thought, as I can't protect my children from everything or everyone.
Others are painting what had been done in a more "accepting" set of colors. Mr Burgard does a great job of simply stating what had happened. And what was done was wrong. Wrong then, and wrong now.
I am interested in what you do. We may be able to help one another. Are you the producer of the videos that Blendtec does or are you Blendtec? please contact me at dennis@storykeeper.org
Nice , Chris.
I couldn't have said it better.
I can help with your distribution. the internet will soon be replacing thetraditional brick and mortars. I have a site that allows videos to be posted and shared much like you tube. If the kind of films you produce reflect your comments here, you will find a welcoming audience at the treasury of family heritage.
Mary P,
You're right that celebrities should speak out against Polanski's evil and to heck with the consequences.
Chris Rock is a great example of how to do this:
http://www.examiner.com/x-16851-SNL-Examiner~y200...
Thank you, Chris, for saying that out loud.
Kirstie Alley also so more cajones than the male pro-Polanski crowd with this verbal beatdown:
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b146725_kirstie_a...
And BH contributor Adam Baldwin proves why he is the man:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/abaldwin/2009/1...
So, Hollywood has no excuse for its silence.
She was 13, she was 13, and…she was 13.
I keep hearing about these Hollywood types who are sympathizing with Polanski but I only ever hear a few names such as Goldberg, Weinstein, Allen and Lynch. What about major players like the Coen brothers, Steven Speilberg, Tom Hanks, Oliver Stone, Brad Pitt, Tarantino, Tim Burton, Clint Eastwood etc. etc. You guys are just blowing this out of proportions so you can say all of Hollywood is a pit of twisted morals. Give it a rest. Polanski's a piece of sh*t who's going to have to come back to the U.S. and face the music no matter what has-beens like Debra Winger say. If he manages to weasel out of it and stay in France then squack, until then forget about it.
Fantastic post Chris!! I would like to make an appeal to every consumer citizen. Money talks folks and when you support movies that don't speak to our values, when you support folks who stand up for molesters, when you spend big bucks on Hollywood; you are saying, "I agree with you; I agree with you sooo much that I would like to contribute to your cause and buy a ticket or a DVD." WAKE UP!!!
Thank you Chris (and all others) for taking a public stand!!!
My guess would be this: sensibilities are different now.
There doesn't seem to be much interest (from the studios) in film noir: "We don't want to make anything dark, it'll depress people."
They must pander to the right demographic: "We have to have at least one naked scene to bring in the teenagers."
And PC runs rampant: "We can't have ANY characters or dialogue that might offend someone!" And so on.
Just a thought.
That's awesome! My film is a feature film. I am working toward a theatrical, if possible. I could use the internet at a way to promote.
One other thing – if you want to get along, you must also NOT be conservative.
"I keep hearing about these Hollywood types who are sympathizing with Polanski but I only ever hear a few names such as Goldberg, Weinstein, Allen and Lynch. What about major players like the Coen brothers, Steven Speilberg, Tom Hanks, Oliver Stone, Brad Pitt, Tarantino, Tim Burton, Clint Eastwood etc."
The mindset is irretrievably far left in Hollywood, whether some are keeping their head down or not. I've worked there 20 years and the industry comments are spot on.
"I fully expect HGTV to eventually offer an R Rated version, i.e.,Extreme Naked Home Make Over if the…"
Hey, how did you find out I'm going to be in the pilot for that?
Have news, ideas, experiences you think should be reported on the news but isn't?
You can now use our Quick Report, option and have your news included in our daily news letter to subscribers. No need to register, just fill out the simple form and choose if you want to remain anonymous or not and that is it, we do the rest for you!
http://myfreepress.net/our-news/quick-report/
Chris, bless you for putting your conscience ahead of your career.
As for me, I am putting my conscience ahead of my cash. There is NO way that I will spend a dime on any movie that contains ANY of those foul loathesome individuals who are supporting a child rapist. Period. End of story.
Can I just comment on the fact that for each entry about Polanski on Big Hollywood, I don't see too many liberals coming on to defend him or rant against the blogger who posted. Is it because some of our regular liberals actually agree with us, or do they know we would skewer them if they even tried to stand up for that POS.
SonjaP – that was probably the most succint, most moving post ever.
She was 13.
My God, what is this world coming to?
voof!
I'll pass!
lol
the producers said they wanted to go for the horror genre.
The thing is, look at the way big name celebrities went en masse onto Twitter to rage against Kanye West for what he did to Taylor Swift at some recent awards' show. There were hundreds of celebrities who were outraged by his behavior and quickly, and very publicly, denounced him.
I only know of a small handful of those same well-known celebrities who have spoken out against Polanki. I can count them on two hands.
So my question is, when did refusing to let a teenage girl give an acceptance speech for some silly award become worse in Hollywood than raping a teenage girl and skipping out on punishment?
Is if far left enough that they all want to have sex with 13 year olds? I doubt it. This is all about Hollywood tending to vote for the democrats and so the far right villianizes them all. that's what it's all about.
I guess I'm one of those liberals. See my comments above.
I'm not the slightest bit surprised that all these elites have more of a problem with the police than with the rapist. After all, these are same phonies who saw no problem with Hussein's rape rooms and yet criticized the U.S. military and Bush every chance they could get. The party enforcing the law is the bad guy in these perverts minds. The sad thing is that some of my favorite directors are on that list (Lynch, Aranofsky, Korine etc..)
RE: Average Joe- One of the Cohen bros did sign it. And just out of curiosity–are you seriously arguing that Hollywood is NOT a pit of twisted morals? This is the town where being opposed to gay marriage makes you un-American and opposing the arrest of a rapist makes you a philistine. I would challenge anyone to cite a more clear-cut example of a moral ineptitude.
I completely understand your point, and I do agree to an extent. But when they open the door themselves and start speaking out against what they see as wrong, their silence on issues like this one is deafening. By continuously spouting off their opinions on every topic under the sun, they created the expectation that they speak out about this topic, so when they don't, the assumption is that they see nothing wrong with it. They did it to themselves, so if they're frustrated and resentful now, it's their own fault.
You are very brave my friend. We all at one time or the other in this industry have felt the pressure on following the banana bunch. I always went with my gut and said nothing at all as if I was dumb. I always wondered why these talented people always followed in line " to hate" the same country that provided them with such success? It never made any sense to me.
But what kind of place is Hollywood if you risk your career by speaking out against a child rapist? It just shows that the entire industry is corrupt.
How about an R rated Food show on Food network.
—-"Baking in the Buff"
I think you nailed it down quite well there, Dago. Cheers!!!
MR. BURGARD, THANK YOU FOR THIS POST, AND ALL THE OTHERS. YOUD SAID IT PLAIN, YOU SAID HONEST, AND YOU SAID IT RIGHT. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK….
I HOPE HARVEY WEINSTEIN DOES NOT HAVE A DAUGHTER….
WE MUST STOP WESTERN CIVILIZATION FROM BEING LEAD DOWN THE SEWER BY SHOUTS FROM THE SOULLESSLY POLITICALLY CORRECT, IMMORAL / AMORAL LEFTISTS THAT HAVE TURNED A GOLDEN HOLLYWOOD INTO A GUTTER!!!!
how much $ would it take to start a new studio Company in say Dallas or Memphis?
I'd love to be involved in something like that. Flyover Studios, lol
i have no idea what is involved but if you could focus on quality stuff and maybe even work similar to the studio system, would it work?
I'm sure I'll get some s— for this but…
While I agree with much that has been written and I absolutely think Polanski should finally face the music, I am not a big fan of guilt by association.
I know it's a convenient shorthand but can we stop pretending that "all of Hollywood" has signed this stupid petition? Sure, the signers aren't doing themselves any favors (Harvey Weinstein must have dirty photos or something) but some of the names I have NOT seen include:
Spielberg, Lucas, Cameron, Zemeckis, Shyamalan, Bay, Bruckheimer, Whedon, Abrams, Scott (x2), Nolan, Jackson, Fincher, Reitman, Weir, Zucker, Coppola, any of the Pixar people, executives from studios NOT called Weinstein, and most American actors. 80% of the people on the petition are Europeans who are unknown to Americans… unless you're a film festival programmer or a DVD producer for Criterion.
And I don't think silence automatically = sympathy for Polanski. If I worked in Hollywood, of course I'd want to voice my frustration at the way people have been rushing to his defense but on the other hand, I might resent having to speak out since it should be assumed people think rape is bad, unless otherwise noted. (I could've phrased that a little better but I think I got the point across.)
Some more food for thought…
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2...
As usual, Mr. Burgard, clear and to the point. I may live in a fantasy world, but I have always believed that the person who stands up and declares what they believe in, even in detriment to their occupation,will be truly successful in all of their endeavors – because they haven't turned into the lying, cheating amoral characters they are up against. They may not have huge commercial and financial success, but they live lives that their family, children and friends are proud of.Forge on
Thank you Chris!
Love it!
Mary P –
I agree to a point. In my own opinion, it's one of those side effects of working in Hollywood. Let's say I'm a young actor just starting out. I might be afraid of jeopardizing my chances of working on a Harvey Weinstein film if I speak out against him and the petition. I agree that a good person can and should speak out regardless of the consequences (and this would apply to other issues as well).
That's why I think so many young actors show up in these health care PSA videos. Who wouldn't want to have some fun making a video with Will Ferrell? (If only they did more research…)
What you are forgetting is that to people like Polanski and his supporters, the girl was nobody special. She was disposable, a throw-away life, as they love to say in Hollywood a "nobody".
I could forgive Polanski if this were some kind of tragic Lolita story. If somehow he was mentally ill because of all the tragedy he had endured in his life, and somehow he thought he was in love with the girl. Maybe even he thought he would make her a great star and mold her. I could forgive that, I really could. If the girl had been very sexually experienced and had seduced him (it happened that way a few years later with 15 year old Nastasia "Nasty" Kinski). It would still be wrong and perverted, but it would at least be forgivable.
What's unforgivable is that all Polanski wanted was a 13 year old piece of tail to use and discard. He did not care how the rape, the drugs and alcohol given to her would affect her. He just did not care. Neither did Bissett, or Huston or anyone else who knew. The are all psychopaths. The girl is just lucky she made it out of there alive.
I agree, if a person cannot see this as wrong, they are just lost, they are just gone. There is no hope for them.
The line has been drawn and it's not right or left or Con or Lib, the line is decent v. indecent.
Choose your side, no matter who you are or what other side you are on.
I also live in Los Angeles and work in the entertainment industry. A personal friend worked on Hollywood Squares during the years that Whoopi Goldberg was running the show. My friend described her as the biggest "c-u next Tuesday" of all time. She was completely despised by everyone on the crew.
One anecdote I remember was that Whoopi had an assistant stand next to her while she sat during breaks in taping. The assistant's job was to hold an ashtray for Empress Goldberg while she smoked.
Allow me to congratulate you and every one from your industry who are proudly speaking up about this atrocity.
If not for places like BH, one might actually conclude there isn't a single decent soul left in Hollywood. I've been following these threads, and I'm, damn glad to hear so many outraged.
Checkmate, Sarah. You got me there.
Again, if it were me, I might resent having to make a statement about something that common sense dictates is good (a rapist being apprehended) and I doubt Polanski was on the minds of most of these people to begin with. Of course, a little good PR (read: speaking out) never hurt anyone either.
"Hollywood is the voice of popular American culture. Control Hollywood and you can steer the direction of the country. "
Exactly. And add to that, the rest of the world, which has (until recently) looked to Hollywood as the standard bearer of quality.
For the only time in my adult life…seriously for the only time recently I've seen the one area of common ground I can have with liberals. Some liberals like Chris Rock and Kevin Smith (I assume he's a liberal) came out very strong against Polanski…despite all the phony calls for bipartisanship this really IS an issue that shouldn't be liberal or conservative (and I can't believe I actually have to say this) child rape is wrong.
I agree 100%. There are some things that are just plain wrong, and no amount of spin can change that. Preying on the week and vulnerable is one of them.
WHY DOES OBAMA HAVE HIS OWN CHURCH? Does he think he is God?
http://myfreepress.net/2009/10/09/obamas-church-i...
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I LOVE that name! Flyover would say it all.
I don't think your questions are hard to answer. It's just ego. Certain artists and their enablers consider themselves different – set apart by virtue of superior intelligence, sensitivity, moral sense, and technical ability. I don't know if this is a relic of the Romantic era or if some artists have always been this way. But if one of these artists has a political opinion, you can bet he feels it's as special as all his other feelings – deeper, more profound, more TRUE than yours and mine. Other peoples' opinions are like assholes – his are like precious gems. This is basically why Hollywood types feel themselves immune to criticism, no matter how repugnant, wacky, or just objectively incorrect their ideas are. They believe those ideas arose a higher source, and consequently must have value – and must BE valued by us, the less-privileged.
I knew a guy exactly like this. He had what I call the Actor's Total Insight Into the Human Condition and Everything Else. Either his training as an actor gave him superior insight into everything, or his superior insight into everything is what made him a great actor. I never quite figured out which.
Like other people have pointed out – Polanski and his supporters are big shots who could seriously damage careers. Kanye West's? Not so much. I mean, he postures like Mr. Badass Rapper, but from what I hear he's a bit of a joke in the industry and among hip-hop fans. He does stupid shit all the time, so he's an easy target. And he did what he did on live TV – everybody saw it, nobody can deny he did it or try to explain how it wasn't as bad as some people make it sound. So Kanye was a very easy target. He was blatantly, publicly rude, he's not an iconic figure in the music world, and he doesn't have the clout to mess up anybody's career. Easy pickins…
Sorry, my previous reply was supposed to be for Sarah Nichole's post above – not this one. There was a connection error or something…
Anyway, in reply to Par10's comment I was going to point out that there's a song by Steely Dan that says "Show business kids makin' movies of themselves, you know they don't give a f**k about anybody else…" Apropos, I thought.
Wow – that's just like William Hickey did with Dustin Hoffman in "Little Big Man!"
(Sorry, I couldn't resist…) I think this is actually a very noble idea. I'm always surprised at the things my parents and parents-in-law tell me about their younger days – things you never read about in history books and definitely don't get from Hollywood treatments. Just like life today, life in their day was complicated, not something that can be conveniently packaged, wrapped up in the appropriate conclusions. I hope you succeed.
Nekkid Food Fights! (on Spike)
The fact is, the American people are like Dorothy with the ruby slippers: we can get home to Kansas. The operative word is FOCUS. Instead of venting on "Hollywood" as a whole and intermittently boycotting on person or another, how about everyone FOCUSING on one target at a time. Take the Weinstein Company. Here is a pig Harvey who deserves to be out of business. How about we all take a silent vow to put ol Harvey out of business? NO movies, NO DVD's, NO nothing. I guarantee that if the American people were able to pull that off, the BS would end from the left coast. The shotgun aproach will never work. ONE company at a time. Are you listening Harvey? FOCUS.
if only roman would have hugged g w bush at the 2000 convention a la sammy davis jr. in miami 1972…guess then it would have been rape rape…
[...] they expand, along with our entertainment options. [T]ake a long and hard look at the people who are standing up for Roman Polanski. The stars. The [...]
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