If you had told me when Big Hollywood launched in January of 2009 that one of the individuals we would end up covering the most over the upcoming 2.5 years would be the Vice Presidential candidate on the losing ticket, I wouldn’t have believed you. But even more than the media, our artistic community is obsessed by a former governor living way up there in Alaska who pops up on Fox News now and again, gives a speech here and there, and dabbles a little in social media. It’s really quite extraordinary if you think about it. And here we go again….

This couldn’t have come at a better time. Tomorrow morning we’re publishing a terrific and insightful piece written by Yervand Kochar that looks at the juvenile quality of this kind of art in a way I don’t want to spoil but urge you to take a look at. But I’m not stealing anyone’s thunder by saying how silly this has all gotten. What was once brave is now proof of your conformist bona fides. What was once provocative is now expected. What once ginned up outrage is now hardly worth the rolling of one’s eyes. Where once talent was required smug will now do.

Case in point? Via Gateway Pundit, this was one of the paintings used to advertise the opening of a new art gallery right here in Los Angeles. I say “was” because  the opening was way back in January. How pathetic is it that a double shot of blasphemy and Palin-hate took over two months to bubble its way into these here Internets. Where was the outrage, America?

Hello?

Anyone?

Yawn.

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I had a date with Judd Apatow.  It was around 1991 and I was between husbands: the out-of-work-Jewish-Gypsy-fire-eater-musician, and the high-school-sweetheart-Baptist-helicopter-police-pilot.  I needed a date to a premiere.  I knew the rules of engagement for a Hollywood career, and I tried to follow them.  It’s difficult to do this when you carry the burden of ethics around with you, but I tried to do it and stay within the bounds of morality.

1) Go to the right places.  I went to the Playboy Mansion to find an agent, and I did.  I was 21 and a Baptist virgin, and I found Betty from the William Morris commercial department there.  Check.

2) Wear something provocative to a Hollywood premiere so you can get free publicity.  I did that.  When I was an SNL castmember trying to increase my movie roles, I attended some Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan premiere (go figure – it was a flop!) in a see-through black shirt with a flowered bra underneath.  I felt ashamed, but I did get my picture in a few magazines.  All press is good press, and press leads to opportunity.

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