Of George Clooney, Charlton Heston and Real Class
by Dan GagliassoThe George Clooney film The American opened in the number one box office spot this last weekend despite a terrible reception from those who actually sat through the film. According to the reviews Clooney plays an armorer turned assassin, which means he makes untraceable lethal firearms for other such political killers. So he makes his living with a gun in his hands as he has in other such films like Three Kings and The Peacemaker.
I don’t watch Clooney films, not for free, not on TV and not in theaters. My friends know not to ask me to see his films under any circumstances. A position I quickly came to back in 2003 when Hollywood’s supposed “king of cool” took a vicious and idiotic swipe at screen legend Charlton Heston who had just publicly announced that he had been diagnosed with symptoms consistent with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Clooney tastelessly joked, “Charlton Heston announced ‘again’ today that he is suffering from Alzheimer’s.” The needlessly cruel quip was delivered at a National Board of Review film awards ceremony honoring the loudmouthed actor. When called on about the stupid comment, Clooney dismissed any opportunity to apologize. “I don’t care. Charlton Heston is the head of the National Rifle Association. He deserves whatever anyone says about him.”
Heston reacted with his customary intelligent wit and wisdom referring admiringly to Clooney’s late aunt, well-known singer Rosemary Clooney:
“It just goes to show that sometimes class does skip a generation.”
Later, Heston added:
“I don’t know the man — never met him, never even spoken to him, but I feel sorry for George Clooney — one day he may get Alzheimer’s disease. I served my country in World War II. I survived that — I guess I can survive some bad words from this fellow”
Clooney would claimed later he sent Heston a written apology.
Fox’s Bill O’Reilly joined the fray by asking the question, what if a conservative had said something similar to Clooney’s joke about actor Christopher Reeve’s unfortunate and tragic paralysis. In the end, most of Hollywood’s anti-gun lefties merely ignored Clooney’s lack of grace and dignity.
Several years ago, when I was a guest curator of the National Rifle Association Museum’s “Real Guns of Reel Hero’s” exhibit of famous Hollywood firearms, I was privileged to have met and spent some quality time with Charlton Heston. He was beyond even what one would have expected: gracious, quietly dignified and despite his well earned status as one of Hollywood’s few genuine icons, amazingly down to earth. In other words, everything Clooney, by his own remarks obviously is not.
Around the same time, actor Richard Dreyfuss wrote a glowing tribute to Heston, for of all things, National Review’s website. In fact it was such a wonderful tribute that the National Rifle Association’s major publication, The American Rifleman, received permission to reprint the piece on their pages. Dreyfuss may be a liberal, but as evidenced by his piece on Heston, he’s still a class act that appreciates the same in others, pointing out that for him the iconic superstar Heston:
“…took me far, far away to places few actors could ever go. The only other actor so comfortable outside of a contemporary era was John Wayne, and Heston could time travel farther. I could never have gotten to Ancient Rome without him, or to Ape City.”
Disagreeing with your opposition doesn’t always have to be contentious, though of course it often can be. But hypocrisy should never be tolerated, especially when it involves Clooney’s kind of tasteless and uninformed attitudes. The superstar hates the NRA and all that it represents — self determination, self defense and tradition with real substance and meaning behind it. So small minded George, in order to cleanse yourself of your hypocrisy, why not swear off making any future films where you carry a gun? How many millions a picture do you get? $15 million? Of course that might cut into your considerable earnings. Or how about donating all of your next film’s salary to Alzheimer’s research?
I won’t hold my breath.
I don’t watch George Clooney movies, but I do have a considerable number of Charlton Heston films in my DVD collection. When The American comes out on DVD I think I’ll hunt up a used copy, lest old George makes his percentage off of me. Then I’ll bring it out to the shooting range unwatched. Maybe a .40 caliber round right through the center of the DVD case or some “00” buckshot obliterating it out on the sporting clay’s range.
That one will be for Charlton Heston, just a one small shot against Hollywood’s left wing hypocrisy and cruelty.
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99 Comments
""I don’t watch Clooney films, not for free, not on TV and not in theaters.""
Me neither.
As an NRA Lifer and National Review reader I read the Dreyfus piece when it initially was published. It is very good. A perfect example of how to keep personal politics out of show business.
Now, as far as Clooney's movie goes, I've got a 10.5" Performance Center S&W 500 Magnum with handloaded 700gr bullets seated over 28gr of Hodgdon Lil' Gun that will take care of the problem.
For an idiot who doesn't like guns, Clooney sure shoots his ignorant mouth off a lot.
I will never forget how Charlton Heston gave an interview to our staff at EBS-Zaragoza, when he was shooting the commentary for a mini-series on location in the Alcazar. We were the only media given that chance – because, I think – we were military. He could not have been more gracious or forthcoming. I wrote it up a while ago, and posted it again here – http://open.salon.com/blog/sgt_mom/2009/08/16/big...
Star quality – he had it by the ton. George Clooney isn't fit to polish Charlton Heston's shoes.
Clooney's best work was on Facts of Life. It's been all down hill since then.
Ditto.
Add me to the list. Before politics were important to me, I disliked him for his arrogance.
Dear George, if you're going to have principles…..then live by them, otherwise if you would kindly STFU, we would all greatly appreciate it. Thanks, Dede.
Proof yet again that most Hollywood actors don't think through their positions. If questioned, they resort to personal attacks. Looks good, but it's only skin deep.
well, i don't watch any clooney flicks, he is among others i don't care to patronize. but for irony, it would be poetic justice for clooney to get alzheimers, i wonder if he will still be so flippant about what others before have gone through. chuck heston was a real star, and a wonderful person. clooney is a wannabe star, and a terrible person.
///""I don’t watch Clooney films, not for free, not on TV and not in theaters."" ///
You've missed "Oh Brother where art thou", "Perfect storm" and…..a bunch of unmitigated crap. And I mean….CRAP.
“Charlton Heston announced ‘again’ today that he is suffering from Alzheimer’s.” This statement by Clooney personifies the liberal hollywood sentiment and viciousness towards anyone (especially one of their own) who doesn't tow the party line!
"When The American comes out on DVD I think I’ll hunt up a used copy, lest old George makes his percentage off of me. Then I’ll bring it out to the shooting range unwatched. Maybe a .40 caliber round right through the center of the DVD case or some “00” buckshot obliterating it out on the sporting clay’s range."
If you could film the shooting practice and put it on Youtube, I bet it would be an instant hit and may become one of the most watched videos. I would definitely watch it over and over. Thanks for the visual.
<a href="http://www.cafepress.com/politicalstckrs” target=”_blank”>www.cafepress.com/politicalstckrs
another story for everyone…
Clooney was in Chicago filming one of the 'Oceans' movies, forget which one. Second one, maybe. A friend was an extra on the set. The Iraq war was raging the battle for Fallujah was being fought. Vicious, hand to hand stuff.
It was lunch break on the set.
Clooney was sitting at the table with a few cast members joking loudly about the Marines in the battle. All NRA supporters, he figured. How did they like ALL those arms being in Iraqi hands now?
It was funny ha ha to him…
Hates the NRA yet, makes a living playing characters whose survival depends on guns. Despite that ,he never sees the connection between self defense and firearms in real life. That's what happens to many whose life has been reading what other people have written and pretending to be someone your not. You lose your common sense and common humanity and people like George Clooney don't have the humility to see it.
I have to ask why we expect anything more from Clooney than we do from anybody else. You could take any two people off the street and possibly discover that one of them is kind-spoken, dignified and classy while the other is a complete douchebag. The same might happen if you grabbed any two actors at the Academy Awards. Some people are cool, some people are assholes.
So why do we seem to think actors should all be decent human beings – or at least act like decent human beings? Why do we hold them to a higher standard?
George Looney, you have been rebuked! Why is this man (well…) relevant? Why is it being paid attention? What does it contribute to the edification of the culture of the USA? Wait, Wait! It "Cares." Unless you happen to be one of the greatest actors and citizens of the 20th century. Then of course it doesn't give a damn about you, but only those that it agrees with on "Social Concerns."
You must excuse Clooney.
He's obviously on some kind of equine pharms to keep him skinny and gaunt looking (the cocktail waitresses go for that).
Clooney shouldn't even be allowed to say the name Charlton Heston. Clooney is a complete twit, I wish he'd go live in Darfur.
George Clooney……… … .. … is to class .. .. .. .. as .. .. .. .. .. Martin Sheen is to honor
I am not a fan of George Looney, and can admit to liking only two of his films. 3 Kings and PeaceMaker. Of course that is him acting against his personal traits, in those movies he acts like a manly man. Wheras in Real live he is a girly-man (which I for the life of me can't see the him as sexy).
Charlton Heston was a Manly Man (I am thinking that stint in the military has something to do with that), in film and in Real life, which is why he is full of class.
I don't watch Clooney film either. Heston was a real class act. I am currently revisiting and visiting for the first time many of his film through Netflix.
Charleton Heston?
“I don’t know the man — never met him, never even spoken to him, but I feel sorry for George Clooney — one day he may get Alzheimer’s disease. I served my country in World War II. I survived that — I guess I can survive some bad words from this fellow”.
That statement exemplifies class, and shows the character of Heston, demonstrated against the smallness of Clooney in comparison. A lot of that generation of Hollywood stars had character. Heston, Peck, Wayne, Fonda, Mitchum, Ryan, Marvin, Glen Ford. They were giants, and lived when character was king.
George Clooney?
Pfffffftttttttt.
Bet Matt Damon thought it was the funniest thing ever.
Shame. As far as liberal actors go, I actually rather liked Clooney. Oh well. Kudos to Richard Dreyfuss, though, for maintaining some level of rationality.
Some where along the line Dreyfus lost that class and became another smarmy, self righteous creep.
It's too bad, because I liked Stand By Me. Now when I see it all I see is his dripping condensation.
What a tool.
The Ten Commandments.
'nuff said.
interestingly enough, people we know who know- or worked with- Clooney think him a great guy. But his parents were hard core leftys, and even with someone as personable as he, the apple just doesn't fall far from the tree…
Interestingly enough, I attended the 8/28 in D.C. and a bunch of us were chatting about movies and attendance to same. It seems there are more and more of us who are choosing to avoid movies simply because of people like Clooney and his ilk. I think this is one of the reasons Hollywood is suffering financially (duh!!). The great silent majority is speaking up in many different ways. I am so proud to be an American!!!
I don't watch his movies, mostly because they really suck, why do they keep letting this guy make movies? He has one method of acting that he seems to use no matter the character he plays.
Too bad it didn't fall off a cliff….
Ditto, Ditto
Because they wield the power to influence. They have a forum in which to express their views to the masses. The vast majority of us do not. The messages celebrities with this kind of power decide to put out there are sometimes completely insane and despicable.
Clooney didn't make that nasty "joke" in a locker room or playing poker over a buddy's house. He said it in front of a microphone in front of a lot of people. If he were intersted in being a good human being he would've never said anything like that and kept his personal opinion of the NRA to himself. But he's not interested in being a good human being, he thinks he's a superior human being entitled to make nasty statements and insane commentary.
So eff him….
Maybe we need to "rate" these Socialist Hollywood Pundits by "Caliber" …Clooney would be a "50 Caliber". Whereas, Angelina Jolie would be hmm, a 9 mm …at most a 45 ACP. Pat Benatar & Cher – 40's for sure. And Lord knows how many would be shotgun shells.
Anyone remember how Heston was posthumously snobbed by the audience when his name appeared in the "In Memoriam" section at the Oscars? The same folks who, some seconds later, raved in applause for Paul Newman… And yet Heston's filmo in his first twenty years has more challenging, ground-breaking and great pictures than Newman ever made in his whole lifetime. "The Planet of the Apes", "The Agony and the Ecstasy", "The Omega Man", "Solyent green", "Ruby Gentry", "The Naked Jungle" (the only disaster movie with a plot and characters as interesting as the disaster itself) or the proto-Indiana Jones "Secret of the Incas" (Spielberg must have seen this one, and remembered quite a lot) and others I forgot, are more appealing to me than "Hud", "Cold-Hand Luke" or any of the many films in which Newman endlessly repeated the same Brando-copied mannerisms.
Clooney would be a pimple on someone's butt when compared to a class act like Charleton Heston. There are true "actors" and there are "line-readers." Charleton Heston was the former. Clooney IS the epitome of the latter. I, too, eschew any of his films–along with those of Sarandon, Martin Sheen, Ed Asner, Danny Glover, Sean Penn and, increasingly, even Forrest Gump himself!
There can be no Clooney without looney! I didn't know this guy made movies…
a dear departed relative gave us, as a youth, an autographed photo of Heston…
It was from the film '55 Days at Peking'. Great shot of Chuck in his turn of the century Cavalry garb. One of those early moments in youth when you know JUST what you want to be when you grow up.
Wish we still had it…
Ditto. Ditto. DITTO! I didn't care for him going all the way back to ER and I knew nothing about him other than being the nephew of the famous Rosemary. It was just something about him that felt very false.
I think his career peaked with "Batman & Robin" only to be upstaged shortly thereafter by this Batman movie.
I was at the theater this weekend to see "Despicable Me" for the second time. I was waiting for the commercials to be over in the theater when the "The American" was over in another theater and the crowd emerged. There was universal grumbling about the movie going on and one old guy said in a loud voice, "George Clooney owes me a refund on my ticket."
I think I'll give the movie a miss.
As a female, I'm really sick of being told constantly by the media how "gorgeous" Clooney supposedly is. Sorry, not buying it. Granted, taste is relative, but I don't find him even remotely attractive. His disgusting remark about a legend makes him even less so.
I also don't buy the comparisons of Clooney to Clark Gable or Cary Grant . Those men had class; Clooney doesn't.
So, if someone wanted to mug a rich guy … Clooney would be the one to target? No, he has a bodyguard who carries a gun.
I'm so sick of these hypocrites. I agree that he should never again do a movie where his character survives because he carries a gun. Walk the walk, numbnuts. What a jerk.
The last one I watched was the horrible "The Peacemaker". It was so bad, I forgot the name of it as soon as I had returned it.
That's the thing–as I've said before, I would take Clooney over the likes of Sean Penn any day. At least when he accepts an award, he doesn't launch into a diatribe about how stupid or bigoted America is. I think I still hold to that sentiment–maybe he did genuinely regret the statement later–but I'm disappointed all the same.
"George Clooney isn't fit to polish Charlton Heston's shoes." or, lick his boots.
Our family stopped watching commiewood productions years ago. We actually still watch tons of classic movies on VHS… John Wayne, Jimmie Stewart, etc.
like we said, he- they- just can't help themselves. The liberal idiocy is in the DNA, sadly…
I've seen only a few of his films and I remember when he was on ER, and I'm not saying this just because of his tacky comment, but I never found him to be a good actor or good looking. Among my friends I'm in the minority. He just comes across as personality-less onscreen. I can't think of any movie I've seen him in where I thought, wow that was a good performance. They've always been more or less the same character, some monotone voice. Just not appealing.
Judah Ben-Hur . . .oh MAN, I was in love.
*MissQuinn*
Liberals never cease to amaze me with their hypocrisy. Make sure you don't say anything offensive or hurtful about Obama (which is just about anything, according to them) but they can sure make all the cruel comments they want and "justify" it with BS like "well he's the head of the NRA, he deserves anything you can say about him" Seriously, what does that even mean??? He not only made an insensitive joke at the expense of a great actor suffering through the beginning stages of Alzheimer's but he insulted so many other people who suffer from it as well. Not only is he classless, hypocritical and insensitive, he's just plain ignorant. Go away, Clooney!
It is a sad commentary on Mr. Clooney's character that he can weep for the people of Darfur in one breath, and in the next make such a cruel and classless comment about another human being.
What did Pat Benatar say?
Oh Brother was good, if you like Coen Brothers films… and I do, but Clooney is still a smug prick.
Charlton Heston was in advanced years when he started experiencing Altzheimers. Lets hope George Clooney gets to experience it much much earlier.
Can you imagine how prosperous Hollywood would be if they would make movies the majority of the country would like to see. Clooney is the epitome of the arrogant sleezy Hollywood elite. A real girly-man, not deserving to be mentioned in the same breath with Heston.
Went to a concert years ago. After about 2 songs, and every song thereafter, she bashed the Republicans. I wish these guys would just do what they do best …I didn't pay to hear such trash.
Went to a concert years ago. After about 2 songs, and every song thereafter, she bashed the Republicans. I wish these guys would just do what they do best …I didn't pay to hear such trash.
Make a film of shooting the DVD and post it on you tube.
Not sure Ed was thinking along those lines:)
Well – that's what they call 'em…
Charlton Heston cared about our Freedoms
Clooney wants to control your Freedoms
Or hold his staff, or change the wheels on his chariot!
I gotta say I've watched and continue to watch "O' Brother Where Art Thou" many times. Perhaps the Coen Brothers created the one fair performance from Clooney, but the rest of the movie and the music is worth the pain of seeing his smug, although in this instance dumb, face.
I like that movie, too. Especially because I know that dumb look isn't acting, it's real.
Mr. Heston was truly a great American. He consistantly stood up for individual rights and honor. Even when his views would have seemed controversial he spoke his mind. He was an early supporter of the civil rights movement. His commitment to the Constitution and the principals for the founding fathers only add to his stature as anfluential and beloved actor.
Great piece. Clooney's comments about Charlton Heston were the primary reason I haven't watched a single one of his movies in almost six years. The puzzling thing about liberals – the compassion they claim to hold monopoly of mixed with the viciousness of thought and speech.
When I see a Clooney DVD, I just yell "PULL" and fire away. I love the sight of Clooney DVD's exploding in the early morning sunlight. Sean Spicoli's DVD's also make excellent shotgun targets. I buy both on eBay or at the swap meet for about .99 cents each just for the pleasure of watching them explode and glitter in the sunlight in a good trap shoot. With the price of clay pidgeons these days it's a bargain because If I don't hit them the first time(rarely), they can be reused until I do.
Sorry for the double post. Network playing up again…
The stars in Hollywood haven't gotten bigger, Hollywood has just gotten smaller.
.
You wanted to be a turn of the century cavalry offier stationed in Peking and assaulted by Boxers? : )
I loved '55 Days at Peking.' David Niven had a great role as well.
Clooney has been repeating the same drivel for years. What does that make him?
I love that Clooney hates guns but yet is a tireless advocate to end the ethnic cleansing in Darfur Sudan. You know George, I suspect the people in Darfur whould much rather have Charlton Heston and 50 crate of rifles than your moral outrage. How far has that gotten them ?
Oh and how's freeing Tibet going by the way George? 200K Chineese trrops still there? That Beastie Boys concert didn't push you guys over the top? Shocking……
/Just watched The Omega Man for the first time the other week… Awesome. Who knew you could kick so much A$$ wearing that much polyester.
Cheers to you CH!
This Clooney guy just rubs me the wrong way, always has.
He's a punk.
Thanks for linking back to the Richard Dreyfuss piece on NRO. I read it when it was published, and it was indeed a pleasure reading it again. I still miss Mr. Heston 2+ years after his passing, but his DVDs are a big part of my collection (still waiting for 55 Days in Peking to come out here in the states), and I enjoy "visiting" with him often.
The 11th commandment is the one that George Clooney should be reminded of : Sit down and Shut the f*ck up!
"Take your hands off me you filthy Clooney!"
Me too.
I stopped watching George Clooney movies because they were awful. ("Three Kings"–what was that?)
Clooney will never be the actor Charlton Heston was in his worst movies. Not that he had any bad ones I can't recall any. And another thing at an age when most men are content to sit with the grand kids and go fishing and do some hunting, He took on Clinton and became the President on the NRA. A giant among men in his own right, while playing a lot of giants among men on film. Ben Hur you did just fine. You had a wonderful life.
"When The American comes out on DVD I think I’ll hunt up a used copy, lest old George makes his percentage off of me. Then I’ll bring it out to the shooting range unwatched. Maybe a .40 caliber round right through the center of the DVD case or some “00” buckshot obliterating it out on the sporting clay’s range."
Yes, paying money for a product you have no wish to use is surely the best course of action here.
Because actors, like sports figures, have been lifted to pedestal status in the last twenty years.
And people who chose these professions become "role models" whether they like it or not. People will look up to them to get a clue on how they themselves should behave and think. And the people in these positions need to think about the image and message they project. Whether or not they accept the role of "role model".
That's exactly what I say!!
Honestly, I'm not going to waste any time on Georgy Looney…He needs to have a cup of STFU. But as a kid back in NYC, i remember watching The Ten Commandment with my family every year and how Mr. Heston portrayed the part of Moses. TTC will forever be a true classic. And Mr. Heston will also be a classic of a man.
You got that right, LOL!!!
Who's George Clooney?
Love that movie. It is not a "Clooney film", it is a Coen brothers film – a good one – in which Clooney is well cast as a bit of a doofus.
I kind of liked Out of Sight back when it came out. It had a cool soundtrack and Jennifer Lopez was way cuter before she had her nose done. But I haven´t seen it since.
I also thought Three Kings was excellent, until the moment when the Iraqi claims it was Americans who taught him how to torture. First, it´s a lie. Second, throwing people into industrial plastic shredders isn´t high art. Third, they don´t need to be taught about brutality in those countries. They can school us. But if anyone taught them it was some soviet block expert.
I love how even this gets voted down… like, is there something deeply controversial about what I said? Is it actually normal for people here to buy things they know to be useless? Must be nice to be rich.
I met Charlton Heston a few times and we started to write to each other. I treasure his letters. They will be reading and watching Heston's films in the future and no one will even know who Clooney is or if he even lived on this planet.
Sadly, with the politicization of actors, I have virtually lost interest in about 95% of all movies. Along with George Clooney, add Kevin Spacey, Babs, and the list goes on forever. Consequently, I save lots of money by not supporting people whose attitudes do not reflect mine. The old saying, "Money Talks, Bulls**t Walks", is applicable here. Don't support these people financially, that's the best revenge we can have.
that gun reminds me of a line from the film "Johnny Dangerously"
"It's an .88 Magnum. It shoots through schools!"
As some has already stated….Charlton Heston will live forever in the minds of American much like John Wayne, James Stewart etc while George Clooney will forever disappear and be forgotten much like a fart in the wind. On another note, I have seen Robert Osborne of TCM and even Alec Baldwin of all people state what a terrific actor Charlton Heston was and praise his contributions to the motion picture industry. Whether Chuck Heston was in small films like "Naked Jungle" or "Ruby Gentry" or mammoth productions "Ben-Hur", "EL CID", "Ten Commandments", "Big Country", "Planet of the APES", WOW, what a resume, THE MAN WAS A GIANT in life.
well, guess not exactly that…
But Cavalry officer? You bet…
How smart is it to insult and turn about half your potential audience (customers) away from you and your projects? Those that enjoy a piece of the action can't all be thrilled.
Apparently few others watch Clooney movies either. He is box office poison as they say, only getting parts because the liberal powers that be like liberals first, good actors second. I cannot help notice his opposition to gun ownership and yet he tries to enrich himself by peddling movies about an assassin. Last time I checked, an assassin used guns. Oh, I guess this is OK, as long as this hypocrisy enriches a liberal.
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