One of the core beliefs this nation was founded on, was equality under the law.  The laws that apply to ordinary citizens, also apply to the ruling class; because if the laws are too strict for them, then perhaps they’re too strict for us. That’s why we get really upset when we learn of a politician caught speeding, or cheating on his taxes. Because if the people who write the laws are finding it difficult to cough up the cash, or keep their foot off the accelerator, perhaps taxes are too high, and the speed limit is too low.

For many, The Global Warming debate has been a similar exercise in hypocrisy. Al Gore has been a big violator. The man who wants to limit our ability to fly coach, needs a private plane when he travels to Hollywood to pick up a trophy he didn’t even win (and a masseuse he couldn’t seduce).

I recently pointed out a similar flaw in the character of Sheryl Crow. While she went around preaching the merits of CFL light bulbs, she prefers the warm glow of incandescents and halogens in her own home. I thought perhaps that Sheryl had grown up a little; the same way a college vegan gets out into the real world, admits that she’s been sneaking meat when nobody was looking, and switches to a less fastidious diet. (more…)

On March 26, I was watching the Kids’ Choice Awards with my 8-year-old twins on Viacom’s Nickelodeon, which for 30 years has been the No. 1 entertainment brand for kids. It was dedicated to the Big Green Help environmental campaign and “going green” for Earth Day awareness. Leonardo DiCaprio was honored for his green work. Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson was the host, and my fellow Hollywood stars and musicians came out in full force.

An impressive commitment was shown to keeping the message of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” as a battle cry for our youths’ participation in protecting Mother Earth from global warming and pollution. My children were enthusiastic. I was confused. Something bothered me, and I could not put my finger on why – until Memorial Day weekend.

It started on Saturday morning, when I took my 8-year-old son, Nicholas, who is a Cub Scout, to the Los Angeles National Cemetery. About 2,700 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, from Cub to Eagle, convened to place flags on more than 84,000 gravesites of America’s finest. It was a moving, profound experience.

One would expect a lot of running and playing among these youngsters as they performed their task. But, no. At each site, they stood at attention, recited the name of the service member and then saluted. Within two hours, 84,000 flags proudly waved in the gentle breeze. (more…)

Look, if I wanna recycle (and sorry, right now, I just threw out a dirty plastic cup, without washing it out and reusing it–horrors!), I’ll recycle.  I don’t need hypocritical, non-recycling gazillionaire starlets to tell me to do so.  Including when I’m trying to watch a movie.

But Hollywood, while stupid, ain’t that stupid.  So, instead of telling me to recycle, they’re doing it through t-shirts. . . . in two out of four national movie releases this weekend, the star wears her political views not on her sleeve, but on her chest.  In “He’s Just Not That Into You“–a funny movie that turned into a sappy, non-credible chick flick–Ginnifer Goodwin (whose parents got the “Jennifer Memo,” but couldn’t spell)  wears a recycle symbol t-shirt while she’s lying on her bed.  In “Push,” the ever-dull Dakota Fanning wears the same t-shirt.  Same recycle symbol.  You can read my full reviews of both of these movies–I was Just Not That Into for than one of them–and the far superior “Coraline” here. (more…)