Behind ‘Poliwood’ Part 2: An Interview With Robert Davi
by Christian TotoActor Robert Davi feels a responsibility to tell you what he thinks about the latest headlines. He just happens to do so from the Right. The actor, best known for roles in “License to Kill,” “Die Hard,” “The Goonies,” and the groundbreaking series “Profiler,” is also on the Steering Committee for George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute, and a national spokesperson for I-Safe, an intense Internet safety program taught to schoolchildren in all 50 states. In 2008, his feature writing/directing debut “The Dukes” won nine international awards and you can see him next in “The Irishman,” with co-stars Christopher Walken and Val Kilmer.
Robert Davi “The Dukes”
The actor spoke to Big Hollywood about his participation in the new film essay “Poliwood.” He’s one of the few right-leaning actors featured in the movie, which explores how some of today’s actors aren’t afraid to speak out on political matters.
Christian Toto: “Poliwood” examines the role of actors in our culture, and whether they should participate in the political process. What are your thoughts on actors speaking out on the issues of the day? Have those thoughts evolved over time?
Robert Davi: Since most know I am not shy about sharing my opinions, I would have to encourage it. But this comes with a responsibility to be informed and secondly — it may cost one hiring possibilities or having fans who disagree with you not support your projects.
***
CT: Levinson focuses more on liberal members of the Creative Coalition than conservatives ones and much of the documentary involves the DNC event last year in Denver. Does that surprise you, and should the coalition recruit more right leaning members to be true to its nonpartisan nature?
RD: Well, I do not think the Creative Coalition stops any conservative from participating, I have felt welcome — albeit I do sense a quiet tension from some, but that may just be my cologne. It may also be because there aren’t many vocally conservative actors who openly share their views for fear of repercussions to their livelihood — though the majority of actors are definitely liberal or left leaning.
***
CT: I understand you had long talks, on camera, with director Barry Levinson for the film. Those scenes didn’t make the final cut … can you share a little bit about that conversation and let us know what we missed?
RD: I wouldn’t call it long, perhaps 15 or 20 minutes. We had a discussion about the Iraqi War and the War on Terror that I wish had stayed in. Also there was a discussion with Dan Glickman the president of the MPAA, where I discussed the new Hollywood blacklist –- it’s called “taken off the list,” but this happens in films — sometimes some of our best scenes don’t make it in and wind up on the cutting room floor. But who knows, maybe we’ll see it in the DVD extras…
***
CT: “Poliwood” includes a scene in which people in a focus group share their anger at actors who speak their mind on politics, and you’re shown discussing how a fan became disenchanted with you simply based on your ideology. What are your thoughts regarding those scenes?
RD: Well, that is, as I mentioned earlier, a hazard of being involved. Frank Sinatra, the greatest entertainer of all time, in my opinion, was one of the first celebrities to use his influence in politics and one of the first to support civil rights. He felt repercussions but didn’t let that stop him.
More interestingly, there was a very interesting exchange that I was part of in a focus group put together for the film with other actors and everyday citizens. Perhaps Frank Luntz [who moderated the group] will tell you about it, if he recollects — as we discussed it sometime later. But “Poliwood” is not my documentary, I was asked to be a part of it to support the Creative Coalition and join fellow artists with differing points of view to discuss politics and Hollywood. It was not the film-makers intention to show the difference between the left and right in Hollywood — although, personally, I think that documentary should be made. Get a conservative and a liberal filmmaker to co-direct — that could be fascinating.
***
CT: Do you ever have constructive debates with fellow actors who don’t share your political views?
RD: Well, I felt the one I had with Barry Levinson for the documentary was very interesting and while we may have disagreed, it was very cordial and I was moved by his sensitivity to our discussion. While Alec Baldwin and his brother Billy and I do not agree, we have had a spirited conversation or two over a good cigar. But I must say, I’ve had other discussions that were not so cordial. And at times an underlying tension does exist and no discussion takes place.
***
CT: Actor Richard Schiff told me he doesn’t mind it when actors speak their mind on politics, even if they do so with charged rhetoric (like Sean Penn). What do you think about actors whose comments are very inflammatory (and potentially alienating to fans who don’t share the same world-view)?
RD: I wrote an op-ed in the Washington Times months ago in defense of Sean Penn being able to express his point of view. It explores my thinking on this subject and the last line of the article sums it up: “…in defense of Sean Penn, in defense of us all.” If we attack speech we disagree with, we attack Free Speech — it is a danger to our Republic. This is a more important issue than Global Warming. Look what happened in England; Michael Savage being silenced, or the attacks against Fox News and Talk Radio or Rush Limbaugh. My skin crawls when I hear some of the things Janeane Garofalo says, but she must be allowed to express her opinion.
I have asked all my colleagues in the arts to join the Free–Speech campaign. This is something both left and right can agree on.
[Part one of this two part series can be found here.]
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40 Comments
The "Free-Speech Campaign" is one thing that those Hollyweirdos on the left will never adhere to. It is apparent that the lefty loons will only back THEIR leftist speech and do everything possible to squash conservative viewpoints (the Fairness Doctrine?). So stating that the "left and right can agree on" this is not only a falsehood but pure fantasy.
I think actors and actresses take political stands at their own peril. I know I dont care about a celebrities opinion one way or another, whether I agree with them or not I simply dont care what they think. I'm going to base my opinion on facts that I can gather independently, not on sensationalism or rhetoric. So, their endorsement means nothing to me and a lot of people, but they jeapordize their careers and fan base by taking polarizing stands on issues. They gain nothing and risk a great deal. Although they may feel this makes them noble advocates of their ideology, to me it just makes them idiots.
It raises their "coolness" factor among their peers, which seems more important to them than a long career in acting.
If, as Mr. Davi says, an actor is informed on the issues, I don't mind it if they speak out and take their lumps from the fan base. It's the airheads that spout DNC talking points without ever doing any research that drive me crazy!
"… some of today’s actors aren’t afraid to speak out on political matters."
Why should they be afraid to ride the same bandwagon nearly all their associates are riding? If they were speaking out in ways that disagreed with the fashionable opinions then they might have something to be afraid of. Robert Davi is one of the exceptions — someone who has the guts to challenge the zeitgeist.
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Thanks Richard, for clarity, seriousness, and complete sentences.
Lazy Jack
http://www.thanksforthelaughs.wordpress.com
Dig your work Mr. Davi! The part we conservatives must get straight is, comity amongst colleagues is a two way street. Hollywood is a business that for to long, has held their customers in disdain, as witless rubes that simply can’t understand the brilliance of a Hollywood thespian. My wife and I are proud flyover Americans, We love our country as much as leftist Hollywood hates it, and we find it our patriotic duty not to support, in any way, their insulting America hating swill. The damage has been done, and certain actors will never be able to rehabilitate their image. In the immortal words of Frank Zappa, I’ll conclude with his brilliant life metaphor, “shut up and play your guitar!”
I agree that pea-brains like Penn & Garafalo should be allowed to spout their ideas to their hearts content. It's amusing (in an annoying way) and tells me who I shouldn't waste money supporting, which in a depressed economy is always nice.
The point that I especially appreciate in Mr. Davi's interview is when he says that celebrities must accept potential backlash from their customers. That reminds me of when the Dixie Chicks spouted off about GB and there was a massive backlash in the country music community. Radio stations dropped their music and they were essentially dead in the water as country performers. The Chicks and virtually all entertainment media spent months whining about how intolerant and bigoted country audiences were rather than acknowledge that the Chicks had made a statement and in response, their customer base had chosen to exercise their capitalist right to take their business elsewhere.
As long as celebrities don't snivel about intolerance when they are criticized or their movies quit selling, I'm fine with anything. (Changing the channel works beautifully)
Good, interesting interview.
Is it just me or does anyone else get the sense that this "slight tension" Davi's feels from his left counterparts is really passive-aggressive behavior?
I just don't get why people who hold a conservative perspective in Hollywood should be met with "slight tension." That seems like the antithesis of open-mindedness and creative process. But that's just me.
I'm all for free speech. Everyone has an opinion and they have a right to express it. What bothers me are the people that hear some of the completely batshit things actors like Garofolo and Penn say and take that as gospel. There are a lot of people that refuse to do any thinking for themselves, and they are influenced by loud and inflamatory rhetoric.
It would be great if these actors showed some restraint or better judgement, but they either have no internal mechanism for tolerance of other's views, or use their loud angry crap to get face time camera. Either way I feel it cheapens free speech.
No disrespect to you Richard. Your a good actor and more important a good man . As far as I'm concerned. It's not important that the Cele-slobrities are informed and what they think. What's important is that The People are informed and are Thinking.
It would be better respect if you used his actual name, "Robert"…..LOL
Certainly any actor, actress, director, singer, human being should have the right to say what they want. Everyone here should support that right. I don't agree with the language that Mr. Davi uses in saying we shouldn't "attack" it. For that is exactly what must me done. Attack it with logic and sanity and with our wallets if necessary. I would also say that when their speech is aimed at giving aid and comfort to our enemies or at taking away the rights of American citizens, then the fight needs to be twice as hard. These aren't subtle policy disagreements we have here, they are fundamental and the differences are at two difference poles.
Thanks Hank for the bail-out . At least I got the first letter of his name right. I better have another cup of coffee…………………………Sorry Robert!
No problem, if Richard is the worst he's called (especially being a conservative in Hollywood) then I'll bet he'll call it a good day….
While I'm glad Mr. Davi is able to hold and state his opinions without suffering any harm to his career . . .
. . . I still don't CARE. The man is an ACTOR, not a strategist or a policy expert. His opinions on the Iraq War are no more insightful than those of the woman who cuts my hair, or my son's teacher, or the CEO of Wal-Mart. (Nor are they less insightful or well-informed.) Yet somehow the Republic is able to survive without the press breathlessly asking my barber or my kid's teacher or the CEO of Wal-Mart about the Iraq war. Why, then, do the media waste time telling us what actors think?
I do not mind when actors express their views on politics, world events, their pet projects. If I had their soapbox, I might too. My objection (and it is a strong one) is when they are rude and condescending. It seems there is a false sense of superiority of viewpoint with famous folks.
I feel sorry for a conservative actor. Is there room for his opinion really or is he merely barely tolerated? It is strange that actors – who I would generally classify as dreamers – could be so closed minded to even the possibility that their view is not shared by the universe.
I applaud Mr. Davi, he gets it. Freedoms, be they Speech, Assembly, Religion etc. are under attack like never befor. Allowing freedom to one group while limiting to another is an anethma to the Bill of Rights. Mr. Davi by his commentary and his work product, he actually directs rather than just act, shows to be a thinking person.
The very nature of Hollywood is the opposite of real accomplishment……..the people who wrote the story lines for the movies, those who put it in script form are the true talents. The actors? pretty faces and bodies with the ability to read someonelses work, with myriad re-takes to get the lines correct (ever watch out takes?) leads one to question any opinion they express. Is it thiers, or have they memorised someonelses?
It doesn't really matter to me if they are informed or not. Freedom of speech is freedom of speech.
But that does not include freedom to make me listen.
They can spout all they want, I don't pay attention.
Restraint and better judgment from modern liberals? Don't hold you're breath.
As far as they're concerned, the problem with America is people like you and me that disagree with them. They want to silence us.
Because it sells.
Exactly, and they have loud, screeching voices like Penn that get their agenda out there.
And we also have the freedom not to go to their movies. I try to separate and entertainer from their politics, but I haven't watched anything with Julia Robert's since her infamous republicans are between reptile and repugnant in the dictionary line. I'm a big believer in voting with my wallet and that is the hazard celebrities seem to underestimate.
Agreed. I do the same thing. I want entertainment, not scorn.
The funny thing about free speech campaigns, the more mainstream they are the more they protect vicious attacks on conservatives and believers, but any meaningful discussions of race or sexual politics is off the board.
Or as a local bookstore displayed on their shop window: "Support Freedom of Speech. Oppose Racism."
Naturally, the owner considers media about non party line race politics "Racism".
There is the sensible left and there is the Progressive left. Old-school liberals like Lieberman (still left, but appreciates freedom) and a ton of southern Democrats in the House all support Free Speech, but it is the Progressive left that gets all of the attention because the Media is on their side. Pidgeon holing all of the left into one ideology is not an accurate portrayal of them, but the Progressive movement has gained alot of steam recently with the election of a Progressive leftist Pres.
Generally, I accept that most actors are liberal and hold liberal views. If I chose not to watch shows and films based on the politics held by the actors/writers/producers/staff, I wouldn't be watching anything. As a consumer, however, I hold the right to stop watching shows or films that I find abhorrent or just plain lame. I don't ask that the actors and writers et al agree with me, I just ask for respect. Or at least indifference.
Finally, if an actor or other person employed in the entertainment business decides to go outside of the film and personally make statements with which I highly disagree, I reserve the right to not attend any of their films. Cosumers speak with their money and their feet.
As stated by others, it seems like Free Speech campaigns really end up serving one purpose: protecting one group's attacks on another group while still limiting the speech of others. Until we can agree that everyone deserves the right to speak, free speech will never exist. There will always be someone complaining that someone else has a "wrong" opinion.
With few exceptions Hollywood elitists are nothing more than worthless, self-important, anti-American egotists. They spew their venom to the world while praising themselves and giving each other endless awards so they won't feel guilty for participating in their deviant lifestyles. They preach "tolerance" but they are not satisfied with tolerance, THEY WANT FULL ACCEPTANCE OF THEIR SICK LIFESTYLES AND MENTAL ILLNESSES. In reality, they act the part of heroes while they surrounding themselves with adoring, WEAK MINDED WORSHIPERS WHO WILL NEVER TELL THEM THE TRUTH.
Why is Obama Surrounding Himself With Gays?
http://usataxpayer.org/view.asp?Get=obamagay
Corruption in Congress…
http://usataxpayer.org/view.asp?Get=corruptcongre...
I appreciate Robert taking time out from his life, to do this interview with CT, in an effort to expand a bit on his participation in 'Poliwood'. Thank you.
One of the scenes in the film, which stands out in my mind, is when director Barry Levinson speaks with the founder of the Creative Coalition, Ron Silver. The late, great actor proceeds to tell him, what is scarring him, for the first time in his life is, "a certain intolerance on the left…their unwillingness to hear arguments they don't agree with, ad hominem attacks, very little tolerance for discussion for Bush or policy".
Continued:
Ron Silver understood what we are up against. Robert Davi understands what we are up against. Andrew Breitbart understands what we are up against, as such created this wonderful place called Big Hollywood. As we approach our one year anniversary next month, I am grateful for all of those creative souls, who take time out of their lives, to express points of view, with integrity and passion. We are in a battle, like it or not, with many who wish to silence us. The challenges before us are immense. Perhaps, the Free-Speech campaign proposed by Robert Davi, is a step in the right direction. We shall see. All I know is, I'm game.
Jimmy – I have always had tremendous respect for those of you in the creative community who participate when it is clear that doing so can cause serious harm to your livlihood. Many of you have contributed to this enterprise and I cannot thank you enough
Thank you Jed. You're a good man. I hope all is well in your life.
Amen to that. I'm sure we're not alone in expressing our gratitude for this place and everyone that makes it possible.
so sad when in our country we hae to continually fight the bullies on the left that are trying to steal free speech..
If we attack speech we disagree with, we attack Free Speech — it is a danger to our Republic.
If we allow ourselves to be silenced from speaking out against speech we disagree with, it is just as much an attack on Free Speech and just as big a danger.
Mr. Penn (as an aexample) certainly has the right to speak his mind. Likewise, anyone who disagrees with him has the right to make their disagreement heard.
There's a huge difference between the people the anti-Prop 8 forces hounded out of their jobs for making a private political contribution, and someone taking advantage of a professional awards ceremony to push an agenda. Mr. Penn chose to link his professional career with his political views, and so I don't see any problem with persons of differing views taking that into account when choosing whether to support his endeavors. If he will not separate his politics from his acting… why should we?
I like what malclave said here: "If we allow ourselves to be silenced from speaking out against speech we disagree with, it is just as much an attack on Free Speech and just as big a danger."
This is the key to our winning over the hearts and minds of America in 2010 and 2012. For far too long we have been hampered by the media in getting OUR message out, and sharing opposing views. The media don't do "fair and balanced" like Fox does, where they have people from both sides on and actually give them a chance to speak.
Anytime we are confronted with an opinion we disagree with, we must speak up, respectfully and with logic and facts. We do this not because it's necessarily going to change the hearts and minds of die hard, toe-tag liberals. But because it will put ideas in the heads of moderates, independents and people who are otherwise apathetic about politics but tend to THINK they are liberal, when they are not (I was kind of like that).
cont'd
Sites like these and news stations like Fox help, but we have to sort of be "soldiers" of the Constitution, "soldiers" of Conservatism, ready, willing and able to set forth our beliefs when the opportunity arises. We cannot be scared to do so. We cannot let ourselves be silenced.
I think that is probably the biggest reason why many of us get so twisted up over what celebrities say, etc. – because there are few forums to hear an opposing point of view so it's left out there for the people to hear, and like in the law, silence can sometimes be considered consent.
So get out there and "preach the word of Conservatism" every chance you get. Because I think, in the end, when that word is heard, it will be listened to and acted upon and thus our Country will be saved from the cluthces of Statists.
I have asked all my colleagues in the arts to join the Free–Speech campaign. This is something both left and right can agree on.
The problem is how liberals define free speech. If they agree, then it can be said. If they disagree then you can't say it to them or anyone else. That is a liberals definition of free speech.
it would be a mistake to underestimate the power of the celebrity culture on today's young people…the future leaders of our nation. The US Gov't knew this during WWII, which is why they spent so much time and money on propaganda on the home front. (you would think Pearl Harbor would have been enough…but look how we seem to have forgotten the outrage of 9/11.) Bush's people rejected the advice of doing the same as FDR did during WWII and doing a propaganda campaign (sort of a 9/11 "Why we fight" as Capra did. I wonder if he regrets that now. BUt they would have hate Bush even more…). I have to disagree with Mr. Davi on one point. The need for Hollywood to support the war against THOSE WHO ATTACKED US is important.
I have always wondered if the 9/11 attackers had forsaken an attack on NYC and the Pentagon and attacked the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Oscar night…would the attitude of the Tinseltown hoi polloi been different?
I dunno…
I notice that those on the right like the eloquent Mr. Davi are willing to support the right of free speech but that I seldom, if ever hear the same freely spoken by those on the left; be they actors or otherwise. What matters most, it would seem, is how we vote on election day. As a country we made a huge mistake in 2008 but we have a chance to change the political landscape in 2010 and 2012 and beyond. Assuming Obama is a verifiable US-born citizen he has a right to be president and do whatever but we have the right to vote him out of office. The right to vote, with or without an ink-stained index finger, is the most important right of all.
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