The Golden Globes – Last chance to Bush bash
by Christian TotoThis Sunday’s Golden Globes ceremonies (8 p.m. EST) will give Hollywood one last award venue to bash the Bush administration.
Is there any doubt some winners will jump at the chance to savage the president while he’s still in office?
Last year’s Oscar ceremony proved to be a fairly muted affair, politically speaking. Lefty Michael Moore never even made it to the stage.
But with President George W. Bush set to leave the White House shortly, and celebrities empowered by the results of their near-uniform support for President-elect Barack Obama, anything could go this weekend.
It doesn’t hurt that the ceremony is famous for letting revelers booze it up during the broadcast.
Richard Gere and Queen Latifah set the stage this week with their award show comments. Gere delivered a rant against the current administration at the Critics’ Choice Awards. The hip hop Queen turned actress used her platform at the People’s Choice Awards to rally support for The One.
Yes, we can get enough of the new president’s sloganeering. Let’s wish him well in office and hope he lives up to a fraction of the hype.
Award shows are the perfect venue for actors to speak their minds. Their thoughts are broadcast to millions and no one can question what they say – although entertainment journalists rarely hold actors accountable for their diatribes. And the assembled crowd is almost uniformly on their side.
That doesn’t mean award shows and political speeches don’t mix. Should Sean Penn win the Best Actor Oscar for “Milk” come Feb. 22, it would certainly be appropriate to toast the late Harvey Milk – even if some think Penn has some explaining to do regarding his support for dictators who treat gays like second-class citizens – or much worse.
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27 Comments
Sure, it’s always expected, but I was still disappointed by Hugh Laurie at the People’s Choice. During his acceptence speech, he said he’s loving people, now that they’ve been choosing the right people recently–and in case, you know, the audience didn’t get the political angle, he added, “I wonder who won this eight years ago?”
I didn’t mind the cast of House campaigning hard for Obama. But I thought Mr. Laurie seemed to be a decent enough fellow who would avoid needlessly insulting nearly half of his audience. Bah.
I suppose it would be too much to ask them to just read the lines, make a gracious speech then get the heck off for the next winner.
I’m one of those viewers they lost several years ago so let us know if you watch this boring show (Globes). So disappointed to hear about Hugh Laurie. Switching to Mondays, I’m switching off.
Hugh Laurie can get bent. Who the hell is he to tell anyone what the right choice is? Stick to what you’re good at, which is pretending to be someone else.
Also funny is when these morons protest Bush’s fascism and heavy-handed dictatorial tactics. Tell you what, genuises, go launch your career over in Moscow (not Idaho), say the same things about Putin, and see how long until your staring up from the bottom of the Moskva. Or since you love Castro so much, see how the same criticism flies in Havana.
Regarding Hathaway’s comment about Rick Warren, why doesn’t anyone believe Obama when he says he’s against gay marriage?
I’m sure Sean Penn will mention it when he accepts his next award. Or blame Bush. He could call out his dictator buddies but they don’t have gays in their countries.
As a fan of Hugh Lauries from Blackadder days, I figured he would come out and bash Prop 8 supporters, since his best friend Stephen Fry is gay. But thought he had a little more class than to take a jab at half his audience….though this conservative stopped watching House after season 2. Guess being a late life success makes you want to stay “part of the gang.” SHEESH…
Why is it that foreigners who make it in Hollyweird always have to become political commentators when they get here? They don’t get what our country is truly about, and have never understood what the average American is about. I am with all commenters above, give your speech, get your award, and get the hell off the stage. BTW, does anyone really watch this pap anyway?
I stopped watching all awards shows 6 years ago for this very reason. I’m tired of listening to people who willfilly lie, or are too ignorant to research and pay attention to what actually goes on in Washington DC. They can count on one less viewer. I will never see another Sean Penn movie. I won’t support communist sympathizers. The list of actors/actresses who I can still stomach are very small. They are entitled to their own political opinions, but I don’t need to be beaten over the head with it when I’m paying good money to go to the movies to escape everyday life. I pay them to act, not debate politics.
What makes you think Bush being out of office would stop them from bashing him? Richard Nixon’s been dead for years and they still bash him.
The Bush-bashing seems to have gotten more desperate the closer the man comes to leaving office. It’s like everyone is frantically punching their shadows. The Onion just featured a “hilarious” bit about a plane crashing into Bush. Someone throw a shoe at him, quick!
Hollywood celebrities are pathetic creatures of very low intelligence. They make their livings speaking words written by others. They are incapable of original thought. Anyone who watches Hollywood award shows is sick.
I’ve also stopped watching awards shows because all it does is give these idiots the opportunity to spew their politcal views and hatred. I miss the old days of Bob Hope, Jimmy Stewart, Clarke Gable all of whom served their country with pride, one way or another! Today they make a mockery of all that is good in the United States. Shame on MR. Laurie for criticizing our president. This country has made you famous and very wealthy. I’d put you on the next boat to England if I could and say good ridence to you!!!
Dear actors,
Just read the words …..then sit down and shut up.
Gosh, I’m down to watching old Shirley Temple movies! Why can’t they just keep their mouths shut when in the public square? Why insult half your audience, the half that actually works and pays taxes? I have never understood the mentality of those who live off the largesse of others and then slap them across the face! Barbra Streisand – are you listening????
Who wants to waste time watching the GG when ‘24′ will be on Sunday and Monday night – Go Jack Bauer!!!
bs’d
“…it would certainly be appropriate to toast the late Harvey Milk – even if some think Penn has some explaining to do regarding his support for dictators who treat gays like second-class citizens – or much worse…”
Yes, but string up conservatives. They have no right to exist. So much for the left’s idea of Freedom of Speech.
Mama
I won’t be available to watch the Globes. I’ll be too busy watching Jack Bauer shove his foot up some idiot senator’s ass while being grilled for “torture.”
SO disappointed by hugh laurie… If he thinks his show is the success it is only because of the lefties who watch it, he is sadly mistaken.
Go on back to the UK, hugh. Forget about the US now. Now that you’ve become richer than you ever were, more famous than you ever were, and an icon of American tv history. No need for gratitude, dude. Go on back. Sell that huge house you’ve bought in LA for a profit and go back to Old Blighty. Now, I won’t miss you.
“it would certainly be appropriate to toast the late Harvey Milk – even if some think Penn has some explaining to do regarding his support for dictators who treat gays like second-class citizens – or much worse…””
It’s the hypocrisy of Hollywood. When homosexuality is presented in a movie, why is it done by straight leading men? How come so many homosexuals still get black balled in Hollywood or are relegated to playing stereotypical flaming caricatures of themselves?
Do people still actually watch Hollywood award shows?
Living in American does give one the right to freedom of speech, whether a visitor or a citizen. Hugh Laurie has just as much right to bash Bush as others have a right to take a jab at Obama. And FTR, there’s *plenty* of fodder for Bush bashing!
No one would say Hugh Laurie does not have the right to bash Bush or anyone else. But 1) we are not obligated to listen to him do so. 2) Even if someone has the right to say something, common sense and tact should dictate that it is not always wise to say something that is going to alienate a chunk of your audience. 3) He became a rich and successful internationl star because of AMERICAN television – during the “repressive” Bush years, I might add. 4) As far as I know, he is still not a citizen of this country, so still cannot vote – so why does his opinion on our politics matter, anyway?
I say all this as a huge fan of the actor. I had followed his career for several years and was thrilled when he started doing “House”. But now stuff like this makes me less enthusiastic about watching the show. I knew he probably held views like these anyways, but now he had to go ahead and confirm it to score points with his peers.
Speak freely, Hollywood, but stop being surprised that the response to your words by those residing outside of LA is both apathy (as in ignoring your TV shows -adding House to the list-and your movies and your books) and distain. Who even knew there was an award show on this weekend? Don’t watch/don’t care.
“LAst chance to Bush bash” my free-market-loving, WalMart-shopping, gun-toting, Israel-supporting behind!
These dumbass leftists are STILL bashing Nixon and McCarthy among others. These idiots will NEVER let it go.
@NeoConJedi,
Of course we’re bashing McCarthy! What, you thought he was a good guy? Wow, you guys have marched to the right. So very, very far. You’d make Hitler cringe.
I don’t watch award shows and rarely watch network TV. I don’t have a problem with these people making political commentary, but it’s rarely something they have any insight into. Matt Damon’s rant about Palin was beyond embarrassing, as were most of the comments you hear from idiots like Penn and Danny Glover (if you want to hear a sane opinion about Chavez, ask Maria Conchita Alonso, who is Venezuelan).
I don’t care that Laurie is a foreigner, he is perfectly welcome to make comments, just try making them on factual matters or a cause you believe in (even if it’s pro-Obama, that doesn’t mean you have to spew anti-Bush rhetoric). I’ve been on the Left side of the aisle and borderline Right (although I am more an Conservative leaning Independent Pragmatist than anything), and you really don’t have to generalize everyone who doesn’t agree with you, then make blanket insults. If you really believe in what you say, it should be easy to be passionate, articulate, and positive about it. Going the negative route says far more about you and your cause than it does about the people you’re attacking.
Wrong again Toto!
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