From where I sit, this ruling was a travesty, not only because it discarded the wishes of 7 million Californians who voted for it, but because much of the money to overturn it came from Hollywood elites who are completely out of touch with the heart and soul of America.

Honestly, watching the decision come down from the 9th Circuit was like watching Brad Pitt and Elton John stomp all ever everything that flyover country holds near and dear to its heart. I cite Pitt and John because Pitt gave at least $100,000 to “fight the proposition,” and in Jan. 2011, John played a benefit concert in Beverly Hills that raised $3,000,000 for the same cause.

Of course, these two were not alone. Steven Bing, long time Democrat Party donor and Hillary Clinton supporter, donated $500,000 to the cause, and according to Advocate magazine, Mary J. Blige and Melissa Etheridge were right there in the mix as well. Oh, and we can’t overlook old “Meathead,” Rob Reiner, who opposed Prop 8 when it was on the ballot in 2008 and who’s been “one of the biggest fundraisers behind the legal effort” to overturn it since.

Other prominent Hollywood leftists who are against Prop 8 (and who attended Elton John’s concert as well) were David Geffen, who gave at least $200,000 to defeat Prop 8, Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Norman Lear, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Adam Lambert, Marisa Tomei, Jason Mraz, J.J. Abrams, and “Milk” screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.

Moreover, through a website founded by Will Ferrell, another group of Hollywood personalities did their part to oppose Prop 8 via a video mocking Christians, who are staunch defenders of marriage, and Christ Himself. The Hollywood personalities in the video included Jack Black, Neil Patrick Harris, John C. Reilly, Andy Richter, Maya Rudolph and Margaret Cho.

And of course, what Hollywood v. the Heartland battle would be complete without Keith Olbermann inserting himself into the drama? Back when he still had a job at MSNBC, Olbermann did a PSA to tell everyone in flyover country that gays in California—whom he thoughtfully described as “these people”—just “want the same chance at permanence and happiness that is your option.”

The bottom line: Hollywood trumped the will of salt-of-the-earth Americans once more, and in so doing, reminded everyone of the great divide that exists between celebrities on the far left coast and those whom they count on to watch their movies, listen to their music, etc. Through their efforts, the will of a clear majority of California voters was overturned and marriage redefined in what, sadly, is not a Hollywood production but real life.

Rob (from the movie ‘High Fidelity’) is most definitely right. The art of the mix tape is a finely-honed skill.  It requires patience, a clear understanding of the purpose of the mix, and of course a vast music collection.

I remember the first mix tape I ever received. It started with Bon Jovi’s  ‘You Give Love a Bad Name,’ had Journey’s ‘Open Arms’ in the middle and ended with Def Leppard’s  ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ … (and when Momma Murray heard this one, she calmly unwound all the tape from the cassette and threw it in the trash … apparently, that song’s not appropriate for a 14-year-old girl. And I’m pretty sure I was grounded from EVER talking to that boy again) …

Don’t know about you, but my iPhone is pretty much permanently attached to me at all times. And my playlists? They’re sacred. I spend hours categorizing my music and making lists I can turn on at a second’s notice. Today, I’d like to share a playlist with ya … and hopefully, my execution will make Rob proud …

We’re gonna call this list ‘Songs to Empower the Conservative to Take Action’ … No, it’s not a list of political songs. It’s a list of songs are fun to hear, and that strengthen me.

So sit back, put those headphones on and turn the volume up … because we’re ready to rock ‘n’ roll.

Song 10: Lacuna Coil

‘I’m Not Afraid’

This song, with an edgy rock beat and a little anger, is fronted by Cristina Scabbia. She brings a haunting, sometimes mesmerizing vocal track to a tune about living life to its fullest, following strong beliefs and not taking ‘no’ for an answer.

The chorus brings it home: ‘I’m not afraid … to take my time. To live my life … the way I want to … to take you down … and live my life as I want to …I’m not afraid.’

So maybe it’s a stretch to give this a political meaning. But there’s nothing about this tune that’s not totally kick-ass. There’s a sense of discovering one’s strength within the angst of a not-so-kind world that demands one to take a stand. And that’s what we need, right? Give it a listen. Maybe you’ll hate it. But then again … maybe, you won’t. (As a side note, other songs on the album ‘Shallow Life’ worth listening to are ‘Spellbound,’ ‘I Like It’ and ‘Wide Awake’)

Song 9:Lady Antebellum

‘Hello, World’

I can’t deny I am a little bit country – OK maybe a whole lotta country and I won’t apologize for it. But if y’all will give it a chance, I think you’ll discover really quickly why this song’s a keeper.

Lady A (as those of us who LOVE this band like to call ‘em) delivers a powerful vocal punch, chronicling a journey of self-discovery. ‘Hello World’ talks about a guy who literally doesn’t know what he’s got and is watching life pass him by. But by the end he gets it.

‘All the empty disappears, I remember why I’m here. To surrender and believe. I fall down on knees .. Oh Hello, World. Hello, World. Hello, World.’

Song 8: Adam Lambert

‘Sure Fire Winners’

Call this tune ‘We are the Champions’ of today. And what’s even funnier is Adam Lambert, (American Idol’s Season 8 runner-up) would die if he knew his song was being listed in a conservative playlist! So it’s a win-win for me.

Ignore his album artwork because it’s absolutely absurd, but ‘Sure Fire Winners’ delivers and almost redeems this CD’s knee-jerk, what-the-heck-is-this-artist-about quality …

‘We are the sure the fire winners. Oh yeah, the big time hitters. We are the sure fire winners. … Never gonna stop til we reach the top. Better get out of the game because it’s never gonna be the same. ’

Song 7: Journey

‘Don’t Stop Believin’’

Whether you know this song because you’re in love with the  Glee Version or because you’re an old school Journey fan (that’d be me) … there’s something about this tune. It really does inspire us to greatness. It asks you to keep the faith in adversity and cling to your dreams – whether you’re a smalltown girl or a city boy … just believe. The only drawback to this song? On the Greatest Hits album, ‘Wheels In the Sky’ is the very next tune .. and I really don’t like that one. 

‘Don’t stop, believing … hold on to that feeling.’ …

Song 6: Toby Keith

‘Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue’

I’m really thankful for artists like Toby Keith. I interviewed him when he first hit the music scene in the early 90s. By the time his second album came out, he’d decided he was going to leave the music business if he didn’t gain momentum. But luckily for soldiers everywhere, he did. Toby has spent much of his career supporting and entertaining troops, as he believes in this country’s purpose.

“Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list, And the Statue of Liberty started shaking her fist. And the eagle will fly and it’s gonna be hell, When you hear Mother Freedom start ringing her bell.”

Song 5: GodSmack

‘Awake’

This tune was used by the NAVY for several years in its recruiting videos. Even more fun?  The band itself, offering an edgy and sometimes a slightly evil sort of sound, is said to be pro-Bush and on the semi-conservative side.  They are a band full of military supporters (apparently, this baffles a good core of their fans). Now come on … we can give em a pass for being a little on the heavy metal side, can’t we? Because you gotta love a group of guys who can keep the left guessing.

Song 4: Miranda Lambert

‘Time to Get a Gun’

Mrs. Blake Shelton is known as the sweet but sassy girl of country music. She records these cliché, almost corny songs that would probably fall flat on the radio if she didn’t deliver them with such precision and passion. This one talks about crime rates in the country and the over-development of a lot of the farmlands.

‘it’s time to get a gun … that’s what I’ve been thinkin’ … I probably could afford one … if I did a little less drunken’’.

Song 3: Rascal Flatts

‘Fast Cars and Freedom’

I just had to find a way to put the Flatts in here. This song breathes American Summer to me and reminds me of the country rides around my home in New Mexico – dust flying, pure American fun. It’s inspiring and ageless … just like the American conservative message.

Song 2: Kenny Loggins

‘Danger Zone’

Who can’t forget this anthem from ‘Top Gun’? The music from the Tom Cruise classic is as epic as the movie itself. And I am really not sure I could like anyone who didn’t like this song (or ‘Top Gun’ for that matter) …

“Highway to the Danger Zone … I’ll take you right into the Danger Zone.” 

Song 1: Miranda Lambert

‘Only Prettier’

Did you know it was coming?  Us country girls gotta represent. Miranda’s ‘Only Prettier’ is the classic cat fight between two parties not able to get along.

‘So let’s shake hands and reach across those party lines. You’ve got your friends just like I’ve got mine. We might think a little differently, we’ve got lots in common you will see … We’re just like you, … Only Prettier.’ 

So what do you think? Would  ‘High Fidelity’ Rob be proud of our playlist?  Make one of your own.  You’d be surprised how a few good songs can lift you up on a down day.

Vince Vaughn on the ‘gay’ trailer non-controversy that so outraged Anderson Cooper and GLAAD:

“Let me add my voice of support to the people outraged by the bullying and persecution of people for their differences, whatever those differences may be. Comedy and joking about our differences breaks tension and brings us together. Drawing dividing lines over what we can and cannot joke about does exactly that; it divides us. Most importantly, where does it stop.”

—–

Adam Lambert on the disgraceful situation in Malaysia that Anderson Cooper and GLAAD didn’t cause a similar uproar over:

Lambert said at a news conference ahead of the concert that the only thing he would omit from his show in the mainly Muslim Southeast Asian country was an onstage kiss with a fellow male performer.

“My performance will still have a lot of vibes about it,” said Lambert, in a black jacket and pants and sporting his trademark black eyeliner.

“That’s not something I can really control. I’m just refraining from making one little kiss,” the former “American Idol” runner-up said when asked whether he was sending the wrong message by agreeing to suppress his sexuality in his show.

“There will be lots of leather and some sequins, and spikes and studs and fur, it’ll be exciting,” said Lambert.

Homosexual sex is a criminal offense in Malaysia, and the main Islamist opposition party in the country has described the show as promoting “gay culture.” Party members have pledged to proselytize concert goers.

Lambert’s glam-rock flamboyance might not represent your particular scene, but give him credit for standing up for who he is and openly defying these murdering, sexist, racist, homophobic theocrats.

Don’t be surprised if Cooper and GLAAD criticize Lambert for his lack of multi-cultural sensitivity. We wouldn’t want to offend murdering, sexist, racist, homophobic theocrats now, would we?

The full-fledged ire of GLAAD, straight from the top of the organization, is laughable.  President Jarrett Barrios says, “There has been a rash of bullying, some leading to suicides, much of it because of the widespread belief that it’s somehow OK to say things about gay people that it is not OK to say about other groups. Comments like those in the movie make it seem OK to beat up gay people.”  So, electric cars are gay = it’s okay to commit violence against gay people.  Check.

Make no mistake:  it is an awful tragedy that Tyler Clementi killed himself because of the malicious, despicable humiliation he was subjected to.  To equivocate that with a goofy putdown of electric cars (and GLAAD does not know the context of this line; sounds like something to establish early on in Vaughn’s character arc that he’s insensitive) is not only moronic but as hypocritical as Fred Phelps asking for some peace and quiet at a funeral.  Why, you may say? One word:  teabaggers.

This week, Anderson Cooper shilled for GLAAD (they do those yearly TV browbeating reports, so I guess he’s hoping to get off lightly) and brought out his crocodile tears about how this one word in the movie trailer was offensive.  He and GLAAD must have forgotten how he helped bring an anti-homosexual pejorative into the mainstream of political discourse.  Between the daily crude assaults that Hollywood celebrities spit at everyday Americans petitioning their government and the all-but-violent anti-gay epithets hurled continuously at Matt Drudge and Andrew Breitbart, GLAAD has not uttered a peep.  Why?  They couldn’t give a flaming pile of crap about consistency, because that would mean betraying the principle of Absolute Power that’s defined the Left since… well, always.

This isn’t a fight for justice or equality.  A fight requires two active participants.  A mugging is more like it, or a demented kid kicking stray dogs on the street.  The last thing Ron Howard is going to do is respond to Jarrett Barrios and call him an idiotic coward.  He and Universal, who are bankrolling the film, are going to tuck their tails and do exactly as they’re told.  Barrios knows this, and he’s laughing all the way to the hit counter on his website.

Priorities.

Speaking of which, take a look over yonder to said website, and check out all the important things GLAAD is doing for the gay community.  Do you see any mention of Adam Lambert?  No?  That’s weird, because his free speech is being curtailed to appease Islamic protesters in Malaysia, a country where homosexual sex can land you in prison for 20 years.  You’d think that a statement like “Lambert is morally unfit. His gay lifestyle will harm our society. He is of bad, bad character and poses a danger to young Malaysians” from Nasrudin Hassan, a representatives of Malaysia’s Islamic Party, would merit more attention than “Electric cars are gay,” wouldn’t you?  But you just believe that because you have a spine, and you’re able to tell the difference between an annoyance and danger, between oppression and irreverence, you heteronormative hatemonger, you.

It’s no surprise that GLAAD’s still wearing politically correct blinders to guide their selective outrage.  In fact, it’s become so commonplace, it’s even easy to ignore, but we’re not gonna do that anymore.  The Left relies on it.  It’s time to hold this frivolous organization’s feet to the fire.  So allow me to announce:  Big Hollywood’s very own To-Do List for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation!

1. Speak out against censorship, accusations of moral degeneracy directed toward gay American pop star performing in Malaysia.

2. Pressure Iranian publications to profile gay couples in country to combat false statements from President, just like recent pressure for Essence.com to profile a lesbian married couple.

3. Upbraid Anderson Cooper, Rachel Maddow, David Shuster, Keith Olbermann, Janeane Garofalo, Roger Ebert, D.C. Douglas, Bill Maher, Carrie Fisher, Brad Friedman, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Maxine Waters, John Kerry, The American Federation of Government Employees, National Public Radio, and President Obama for using “teabagger” as slur.

4. Investigate and publish names of individuals attempting to silence Andrew Breitbart by calling him gay while protesting at Right Nation 2010.

5. Make Marc Maron persona non grata for hateful bullying of recently outed Ken Mehlman.

And we’re just getting started here.  Commenters?

Thus, although Malaysian authorities have given Lambert the green light for his coming performance, “Malaysia’s Islamist opposition party…[has] demanded that” it be canceled. And where is the outcry over this? In particular, where is the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) when it appears homosexuals traveling to Malaysia need them most?

They are silent, and because of this they appear to be cowering to a group of anti-gay protestors who live in a country that many Americans couldn’t even find on a map.

And while GLAAD turns a blind eye to criticisms of Lambert that would certainly be labeled “homophobic” if they emanated from a Baptist Church in Alabama or a Presbyterian Church in Arkansas, they are giddy as school kids on the Friday before Spring Break when it comes to attacking Vince Vaughn for saying “electric cars are gay” in the upcoming Universal film, “The Dilemma.”

That’s right: Although Lambert could face two decades of prison in Malaysia if, while there, he lives out the freedoms he enjoys in the U.S.A., GLAAD has their panties in an uproar over the fact that a beloved American comic said something they find distasteful.

Has anyone at GLAAD ever thought of granting others the same degree of free speech and linguistic leeway they themselves expect when members of the gay community write in support of groups like “NAMBLA” or demand to be accepted in matrimony the way heterosexual couples are? Of course they haven’t. Instead, they plan to picket and protest Universal’s “The Dilemma” until any mention of electric cars being “gay” is washed from the slate. (GLAAD’s president, Jarrett Barrios, has actually described Vaughn’s words as “hate speech.”)

So there you have it: In Malaysia, they tell Lambert how to dress when he comes to their country and they put homosexuals in prison for decades at a time, but GLAAD has nothing to say about it. Yet here in the U.S.A., where Lambert is free to be what he wants to be, GLAAD is going apoplectic because a character in a movie uses the word “gay” to describe the fact that electric cars look queer.

Maybe GLAAD hasn’t seen the Chevy Volt.

Since then, I have been fortunate enough to have free-reign on all things theatre at Big Hollywood (gently guided by the collective wisdom of Andrew Breitbart and John Nolte) and I’ve had a fantastic time writing about the industry, about the non-profit world… even about my favorite shows.  But now, things have changed just a bit.

It started with Patrick Courrielche’s now famous expose’ on the NEA Conference Call.  Just like the Scott Eckern story, what bothered me most at the time was the media and especially the left-leaning theatre writers’ attack on Patrick.   Instead of showing any level of skepticism over the appropriateness of staff members of the NEA and the White House coordinating discussions with artists about how they can help move the President’s agenda by creating works of art in favor of specific issues, Patrick was attacked and libeled for the sin of telling the truth and bringing the subject to light.

Next came the media’s reaction to James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles’ blockbuster series of videos exposing the corruption at ACORN offices from sea to shining sea.  Again, the venom and outrage is directed at the messenger while the message gets rationalized and obfuscated.  This story raised my ire to such a degree that I began posting at Big Government.

Next, I started digging deep into the story of how Kenneth Gladney was beaten by SEIU union reps in St. Louis.  I saw that not only did the mass media ignore the story, but the left-wing blog world actually tried to make Gladney the instigator.  After discovering that an SEIU front group (working with the White House and House Democratic Leadership) had provided written instructions for their union membership on how to disrupt protestors and create conditions that led to the violence, I began to realize that I was in the thick of some very big issues…  a lot bigger than whether I get to work in a theatre.

These three stories that have been highlights of the year at Big Government and Big Hollywood have a common thread:  Courageous citizens willing to tell the truth no matter what the consequences.  Kenneth Gladney is the quintessential “Little Guy”, the “Everyman”, the guy the Democratic Party always says they are looking out for.  Hannah Giles and James O’Keefe are fearless mavericks with a pet peeve for hypocrisy. They are putting into practice exactly what “Real” journalists claim they are doing:  Speaking Truth to Power.   I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Patrick Courrielche and have collaborated with him on a number of stories.  He is sincere, he is compassionate and he is ridiculously intelligent.

I have reached the point where I can no longer hide behind the warm embrace of anonymity while I stand shoulder to shoulder with such brave and noble colleagues.  I no longer fear professional retribution nearly as much I fear the direction of my government and the lack of candid analysis from the professional journalists charged with the responsibility of critically analyzing that government.

So, to that end:  My name is Larry O’Connor.

I worked for five years on Broadway for The Shubert Organization and briefly for Lincoln Center Theatre.  In Los Angeles, I continued my relationship with the Shubert Organization as the General Manager for their Los Angeles theatre.  I oversaw the operations and management of the Shubert Theatre, Los Angeles during the runs of the American Premiere of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Sunset Blvd., Ragtime, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as well as multiple touring productions.

While serving as the General Manager of the Shubert Theatre, I was also the President of a non-profit theatre’s Board of Directors as well as President of the Los Angeles League of Theatres known at the time as Theatre LA.  I also served on the boards of four union benefit plans and I served as a co-creator and producer of Los Angeles’ premiere theatre awards program, The Ovation Awards.

After nearly fifteen years with Shubert, I took the occasion of the birth of my first child to start my own production and management company.  I managed productions in theatres from 99-seats up to 3,000 seats with stars like Sir Ian McKellen, Kelsey Grammar, Ruby Dee, Neil Patrick Harris, Val Kilmer and Adam Lambert, and with creative staff the likes of Charles Nelson Reilly, Stephen Schwartz, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Max Azria and Ossie Davis.  Not once in all of those productions or with all of those people (some of them well known for their extreme political views) did the subject of my politics ever come up, (as far as I know!).

I sat through many one-sided conversations about politics, the economy, America and the war.  It was never necessary for my politics to come out for me to effectively do my job.  It still is not necessary, but, we’ll see if I get the chance to find out.

I am married and I have four children.  I want my wife and children to know that I am not afraid.  That it is not only allowed in our country to raise your voice, it is expected.  It’s part of the deal here.  And when something is wrong, when a friend is being bullied and intimidated, when people in power are corrupt, we have a duty to exercise our God given right of free speech.

I would like to express my extreme and humble gratitude to Andrew Breitbart, John Nolte and Mike Flynn for allowing me to write here under the cloak of anonymity.  I know that when Big Hollywood first launched, Andrew felt a little heat because of it.  But, I think we have all seen over the course of this year that Andrew can handle a little heat, he is the Red Adair of the “Under Media”.  I would also like to thank the small group of friends who have known my secret and remained discreet.  I appreciate your loyalty more than you can know.

This may be the end of my secret, but I see this as the beginning of a new and liberated style of writing.  There are many things in my life and in my past that I kept from these pages for fear that it would expose me.  Look for those stories at Big Hollywood in the coming weeks.  And, at Big Government, look for a continuation of stories like Kenneth Gladney’s assault, and the climate of fear and intimidation created by organizations like HCAN, ACORN, SEIU and the extreme left of the Democratic Party.  Those are the stories that brought me to the realization that there are some bigger things afoot here… bigger things than hiding my face from the world.

I’m Larry O’Connor.  I’m “Stage Right”.  And I’m really happy to be here.

You often hear that when you step up to point out the lefty assumptions, biases and what John Nolte calls the “liberal tells” within popular entertainment.  You are allowed to praise the technical achievements of an Avatar – such as they are, since many of us think it looks freakin’ stupid – but heaven forbid that you dare question the hackneyed liberal noble savage clichés that James Cameron offers up instead of a story.  The message is clear – our proper role as pop culture consumers is to sit back, open our eyes, slacken our jaws and swallow Hollywood’s agenda.

But what is remarkable – and crucial – is that we are no longer passively accepting whatever Hollywood dumps on us.  The backlash to Avatar’s flabby thinking and tired ideology is the new paradigm, with even reviewers outside the conservative movement slagging it for its staggering intellectual hypocrisy, cardboard military/corporate villains and sophomoric Mother Earth enviro-babblings.

This is good, because Avatar is not just a neato movie.  And “Imagine” is not just a pleasant song.  And Adam Lambert is not just a flamboyant artist with a powerful personal vision that transcends our hidebound, repressed notions of morality.  They are all part of an agenda, and the proper response to that agenda is illumination.

The real danger is not that Hollywood preaches the tenets of its agenda – people tend to tune out preaching – but that its assumptions and values will be inculcated by osmosis and accepted simply because they are always there and no one even bothers to point them out, like ideological wallpaper.  Left/liberalism first infects the political culture through popular culture, and it must work in secret to displace the values, norms and traditions – like decency, hard work, free enterprise and patriotism — that most people are still brought up to believe in.  If you see, for example, enough movies where the villain is – surprise! –an evil corporation, after a while that is going to make an impression.

Look at the JFK assassination.  Somehow, through the magic of popular culture, in the minds of millions of Americans the murder of a fairly conservative (by modern standards) president by a dedicated, Castro-loving communist became the martyrdom of a crusading liberal by a cabal of military/capitalist conspirators.  Huh?

Don’t look for movie critics to do the job of calling out the nonsense.  Most of them are in on it and always have been.  Witness the unbelievably embarrassing review that liberal Roger Ebert bestowed upon 1991’s staggeringly ignorant and foolish JFK.  Back then, if you weren’t reading National Review, you probably had no idea until you plopped down your money for a ticket that the staff of Pravda couldn’t have made a more anti-American film.

This backlash is something new, and it means that we no longer have to let left/liberalism be our culture’s default setting.  Vitally, the internet and resources like Big Hollywood mean that we no longer need to fight alone.  We can leverage our collective power to support that kid coming out of Avatar somewhere in Missouri who thought the movie looked kinda cool, but can’t help thinking that seeing all those American soldiers getting slaughtered was not something people should be cheering about.  He can’t really put into words an explanation why he feels that way to his gushing friends.  Now we can give him the tools to put his finger on the nagging feeling that so much of popular culture leaves him with, and we help him to articulate his response so that the next time he can say, “Wait, I’m not buying that, James Cameron.”  And so he can tell his friends.  And they’ll likely agree.

We are all soldiers in this fight, and popular culture is the front line.

But isn’t it a losing battle?  Why be the guy who says, “Wait a sec – did that character on CSI: Miami just refer to global warming like it’s more real than leprechauns, unicorns and Blue Dog Democrat senators who vote the principles they profess?”

No, it’s not a losing battle, because the mere act of raising the issue defeats the Hollywood elite’s insidious power to infiltrate and undermine.  If the viewer sees the agenda, he can evaluate it, consider it, and then decide whether to accept or reject it.  That’s not a process we conservatives fear.  We don’t have to disguise what we’re selling like our liberal – oops, I mean “progressive” – friends.  That’s why the Hollywood elite values a discussion of its agenda like the post-1/20/09 Democrats value dissent.

We need to confront the agenda not just because we like picking apart movies – though we do enjoy holding foolishness up to ridicule – but because every time the silly ideas and clichés of the Hollywood elite pop up, someone has to be there to play cultural whack-a-mole.  After all, those who send these messages succeed only through misdirection — “America sucks.  Now quick, look over there at that explosion!”

And we need to respond, “Wait, America what?”

And we need to call out their nonsense every single time, whether in print or just to the pals you went with to the movies.  Avatar cries out for it:

Oh, the bucolic natives are once again oppressed by the evil Americans!  Nonsense! Americans have freed more people from oppression than any other group in history.  The world would be an immeasurably worse place if we had not conquered North America.  And the American Indians were imperfect like all human beings – some were good, some were bad, but they were certainly not the dopey, touchy-feely constructions of pure Rousseauean sweetness and light of modern Hollywood’s patronizing portrayals.

Oh, evil businessmen ruthlessly ravage mother Earth and exploit innocent Third World peoples in a greedy race for profits!   Nonsense!  Capitalism and market economics have done more to improve the lives of human beings than anything else.  The Third World’s embrace of socialism, self-destructive cultures and through-and-through corruption are the overwhelming causes of its problems.

Oh, evil Western countries are causing climate change that will result in an environmental catastrophe!  Nonsense!  Global warming is a scam, a hoax and a fraud, and is less science than pagan religion.  I wish it weren’t – hot weather is a great excuse to mix up some Sapphire and tonics and this cold weather we keep having is becoming a real bummer.

And Hollywood, you can peddle your oppressed visionary act to some other sucker.  Nobody is saying don’t make liberal films.  We’re just saying that your days of doing it in secret, of being able to get away with putting out your propaganda knowing that your secrets are safe with fellow traveling reviewers, are over.

You go ahead and make the films you want to make – many of us have fought for your right to do so.  But it’s our right – and our duty – to critique you.  Now you actually have to make your case, out in the open, in the global warming-amped sunlight.

You’re welcome to compete with us in the marketplace of ideas.  Except we’re going to be Wal-Mart: embraced by most Americans; and you’re going to end up like Circuit City: obsolete, inflexible and ultimately bankrupt.

We’re calling you out – on your flabby arguments, your weak thinking, your stunning ignorance of history and your rank hypocrisy.  We’re not going to be distracted by bright colors, loud explosions, or hi-tech gimmicks.  We’re ignoring all of the hype.

So, Jimmy Cameron, tell us….

Why is capitalism – you know, the economic system that allowed you to make Avatar – so bad?

Why are primitive societies – you know, the kind you manifestly do not live in – so morally righteous?

And why are the deaths of American fighting men – you know, the folks who are keeping at bay the bastards who would saw your open-minded, tolerant, liberal head off with a butter knife given half a chance — something you think ought to bring cheers from the audience?

Hey, Jimmy, you made your stupid movie.  Now we’re going to make you make your case.

We all know about the Adam Lambert fiasco. Most of us also know that the make-up caked crooner has been complaining of being held to a “different standard” due to his sexuality. Many Americans have publicly disagreed and stated that it was his distasteful, sexually charged performance (coupled with crappy vocals and a hairdo that many consider to be a fire-hazard) that landed him in hot water.

They’re both right. The truth is, that Adam Lambert hasn’t been put in water even close to resembling the boiling kettle that he richly deserves. If a straight man were to forcibly push a lady-dancers face into his crotch in an “impromptu” fashion as Lambert claims he had done… The man would be incarcerated.

For crying out loud, I got double yellow-cards in my office for calling a dame “sweetheart.” Do you honestly think that I could get away with simulating face-rape in the workplace if my subordinates didn’t sign up for it? In saying that however, to many people it would become clear that I’ve come out of the closet.

Yes folks, haven’t you heard? If you criticize somebody who happens to be a homosexual, you are doing so only because you yourself, are indeed a homosexual. There’s no way around it.

Gay “progressives” touting these arguments are what my extremely gay (and extremely lovable) friend Trevor explains as the “Gaystapo.” Much like using the “racism” card when dealing with Barack Obama dissidents, the whole “you’re a secret-homosexual” argument is a way of ending the discussion before it even begins. Afterall, what kind of self-respecting straight male would want to be accused of engaging in bedroom tomfoolery with other lads?

Liberals, the truth is that most of us don’t really care if you think we’re gay. It’s not that big of an insult. As a matter of fact, it’s more of an insult to your own argument, seeing as you’re threatening people with falsely “outing” them of a practice that you claim to support in the first place.

We’re not secretly gay. We’re just sick of the falling standards and we’re sick of you lying to/about us when we stand up for decency. Am I the only one who feels that way?

Sean Penn, it has nothing to do with hate. I think Adam Lambert is a vulgar little pissant who’s fifteen minutes are up… And I still like the unclad ladies.

See how that works?

American Idol runner up Adam Lambert, one of the performers during the live East Coast broadcast, shocked viewers with his “pelvic-thrust[ing] … four-minute, S&M-themed routine, taking time out from singing to grope a female dancer, kiss a male musician and, most shockingly, shove a male dancer’s face into his crotch, in an act that simulated fellatio.”

Nothing like watching a little simulated fellatio to round out an evening with the family. Pass the popcorn!

Sources from the AMA claimed that those dance moves had not been part of the rehearsal, and the West Coast version of the show was edited to delete the scene. Now there’s the real scandal: trying to protect children who might be watching. If it’s good enough for the likes of the celebs in the AMA audience, it should be good enough for your 10 year old.

ABC received approximately 1,500 calls the next day from people complaining about what Lambert billed as ” a sexy song about seduction and power and I was just doing the lyrics justice.” The hicks who complained are probably the same people who did not see the poetic beauty in a “man eating, cannibalistic lesbian cheerleader.” How positively provincial. However, the plebes won and ABC also took the step of canceling Lambert’s “Good Morning America” performance. I suppose what Perez Hilton calls “c*** shock” would be a bit too much before breakfast.

Of course, Lambert was shocked in his turn that Americans would be anything but thrilled to see him in a lip lock with another guy as well as a man’s face in his crotch – according to the NY Post article linked above, he’s been “keen” to “push the boundaries” and “titillate audiences” ever since he came out of the closet. And after his AMA performance, he announced on his Twitter account: “All hail freedom of expression and artistic integrity.” Not a word about good taste.

Isn’t it amazing? Artistic integrity used to be guarded by the likes of Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, and Renoir, who wanted to delight the viewer with a tasteful but individual interpretation of the world. Now all that’s important is being offensive in the name of “freedom of expression.” We’ve certainly come a long way from Elvis’s hidden pelvic thrust on the Ed Sullivan show and parents complaining that the Fab Four’s hair was too long.

Lambert is whining that  he didn’t “intend” to create controversy (BS Alert!), and it was somehow discriminatory to edit his performance when the likes of Madonna and other racy performances by women aren’t. I guess he wasn’t paying attention when NBC aired an edited version of Madonna’s concert in 2006. And how about the uproar after Janet Jackson’s so-called “wardrobe malfunction” while performing with Justin Timberlake during the Superbowl in 2004? (Side note: what IS the deal with Justin Timberlake? I can’t understand his appeal. He can’t sing and he reminds me of Screech on “Saved by the Bell.” Could someone please enlighten me?) Then there were the steamy kisses between Madonna and Britney Spears and Madonna and Christina Aguilera that had plenty of tongues wagging (and not just the ones onstage). Seems to me women catch plenty of flak when they flaunt their disdain for social mores on television.

Besides, just think of the ratings.

But since Lambert is openly gay, we may not criticize or fret for fear of being labeled homophobes. We must rejoice with him in his newly public persona and embrace any outlandish behavior in which he engages onstage – or off – because he is expressing himself in the name of Art. What do we ordinary mortals understand about Art except what we are told by those who create it? They create not for us, but for themselves. We’re just lucky enough for the chance to stand by and respectfully admire.

And it’s important that Lambert shed the goody goody image portrayed on Idol, just as Britney Spears shed her Mickey Mouse Club, schoolgirl persona and Lindsay Lohan shed – well, just about any shred of dignity she ever had. Onstage and off, sex and smut are the currency du jour in the entertainment world, even if the public isn’t buying.

So quitcher bitchin’ and enjoy Lambert’s time in the sun while you can. If you think it’s creepy seeing a man’s face in his crotch now, imagine the same scene when Lambert’s in his 60s.

Adam is a singer first and foremost, and initially it was his voice that drew me to him. His range, falsetto, and his ability to hold high notes were amazing. On “American Idol,” his choices in music, clothes, lighting and sets, always made his performances entertaining.  Indeed, I liked his whole performance package. Additionally, I was intrigued by his display of emotion, including the angry snarls and the steaming sexuality. I’m a Broadway and hard rock girl, and I liked the fact that he was over-the-top. 

Some of the exact things I liked about his performances, also probably made me biased against him personally.  I can’t really say I felt the kind of attraction to him that so many others professed.  And, his Goth look — the pitch black hair, black eyeliner and nail polish, coupled with his unabashed sexuality, didn’t exactly lead me, conservative Debbie, to believe that he’s the kind of guy I’d want to be friends with or whose values I would share.  Fortunately, I’m open minded, and as in my politics, I try to form conclusions based on fact, not superficial impressions.  

I started listening to Adam’s confessionals during “American Idol” and was first struck by how focused, ambitious, articulate, and intelligent he seemed.  Other “Idol” contestants talked about how fun it was to live in the mansion and how they liked to goof off with other house-mates. Adam talked about his musical influences, his goals and career path.  Perhaps unwittingly, he built up a following.  OK, so he’s smart.  But still, a liberal guy from California?  Probably not my type. 

Yet, as time went on I found myself reading and listening to all his interviews via TV, radio, blogs and print.  Now I admit, I don’t quite understand the sex and the drugs, but putting that aside, I was surprised to find out what a good head he has on his shoulders.  I would go as far as to say that some might learn a lesson or two from listening to his perspective. Does he get upset when criticized?  No, he takes it with a grain of salt. Conceal who he is when being honest might cause rejection? Well, maybe he’s better off without people who feel that way. Take off his guyliner to conform to society and possibly increase “AI” votes?  No, it’s more important to be who he really is. Advice to future contestants?  Take risks. Things not working out in your life?  Don’t give up; step it up.  See others who don’t fit in?  Embrace them. Feel outcast?  Try to accept yourself and feel comfortable in your own skin. Lead the banner for gay rights? Nah, he’s focused on singing. It’s all about the music and he’s not going to get side-tracked. Whom he sleeps with is just coincidental. 

Adam goes all out during his performances. I saw the American Idol Concert at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC in August.  His twenty minute stint has got to be exhausting:  he holds back nothing.  And unlike the other performers, during his “free time” during the tour, between meet and greets, interviews, and sleeping on a bus going from city to city, he’s recording his debut album (to be released November 24, 2009). 

We all have our favorite singers as well as those we dislike.  And, for each of us it will undoubtedly be based on different underlying factors.  For some, it’s based purely on the type of music and the voice, for others presentation might make a difference.  Yet others will seek out those whose values or lifestyle they can admire or relate to. 

Still, every performer in the “American Idol” concert is doing his or her best to put on a good show.  In this regard, Adam is no different from his fellow performers. 

Despite this fact, there have been protests outside the concert halls, lambasting Adam and “American Idol” producers for permitting Adam to perform.  The protesters, all in the name of Christianity, evidently thought it was important enough to take time out of their day to rally outside the concerts holding venomous signs and screaming epithets.  Some of the signs read, “God hates fags” and “fags doom nations”.  On Sunday, August 30, 2009, Adam had to endure the second of such protests, held in Kansas and conducted by members of a Baptist church. The first protest was in San Jose on July 12, 2009, also by members of a Baptist church. 

In a YouTube interview, one of the Kansas City protesters spewed forth contempt and hatred….yes, hatred.  She insisted that her views were rooted in the Bible and explained that her pastor gave a sermon stating why she should feel hatred in her heart toward Adam and gays, as she’s sure God does.  She argued that Adam is a sinner and that “American Idol” is glorifying sin by allowing Adam to perform. 

Adam’s response?  In a radio interview after the first protest, he stated that he respects their opinion, but has a different world view.  He added that he was pretty sure that “God hates hate” and pondered whether the protesters’ energy might be better spent on something more positive like feeding the homeless, if their goal was to make a difference. 

After the second protest, Adam didn’t comment (admirable in itself), but tweeted:  “Love overcomes hate.  Love knows no color.  Love knows no orientation.  Love is all. (:”.  

Wow. Now I consider myself fairly conservative politically. But I am also tolerant in the true sense of the word.  And what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their home is none of my business.  If people want to stand outside with signs that read “Adam’s singing sucks,” that’s fair game.  But whom he sleeps with should be off-limits. 

As to the protesters’ comments, they are not even theologically accurate.  First, we are all sinners, so to select out one type of sin and insinuate that it’s worse than adultery for example, is erroneous.  Second, are we not to love the sinner and hate the sin?  Third, didn’t Jesus say to overcome evil with good?  Judge not, lest you be judged?  Worry about the plank in your own eye…..?? 

I was struck by how Adam handled the barrage of hatred by people to whom he’s done nothing.  I think there are a lot of people who, similarly situated, would have cursed, told the protesters to drop dead, screw off, and generally returned their anger with more anger.  Instead, all the while, this guy-linered gay guy, ever gracious, has shown nothing but respect for those who would spit in his eye.  He has shown love toward those who hate him.  So who is really following the teachings of Jesus?  I believe that it is Adam Lambert, who has turned the other cheek……again.