—–

At the 1:44 mark Cher worries that if she comments on Palin or “teabaggers” that no Republicans will see her new movie “Burlesque.”

Little late for the aging diva to worry about that. She alienated us long ago.

Nikke Finke calls the opening of “Burlesque” soft. With a reported $50 million production budget and a $17.8 million opening, “soft” is another word for disappointing.

Only in Hollywood are the company’s primary spokespeople allowed to cheap shot 50% of the customers. If you remember, until we found out she didn’t like us, we “teabaggers” used to like Cher. Think the movie might have done a just a teensy bit better had Cher been born with the “class” gene. Maybe even good enough for the few millions dollars necessary to move from “soft” to “solid” — which is everything on opening weekend. (more…)

GLAAD is just one of those organizations like PETA that you can’t help but feel sorry for.  Their stars are waning; their time has passed.  PETA can only grab a headline if they cough up enough money for some D-lister to disrobe for a photoshoot, and GLAAD can’t accomplish much beyond the occasional censorship potshot in Hollywood.  It’s odd that we’ve been highlighting the political divide between Clint Howard and his brother, Ron, for the past week or so, as it’s Ron, the orthodox progressive, who’s catching heat from GLAAD currently.  Howard is the director of a new Vince Vaughn picture titled The Dilemma, and GLAAD has deemed it homophobic, offensive– all that stuff– because Vaughn’s character says “Electric cars are gay.”

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. (more…)

One of the finest comedy movies ever made was the Mel Brooks classic “Blazing Saddles.”  It’s a cult classic that’s still aired on TV today.  The film’s dialogue is riddled with racist, sexist, bigoted speech. The “N” word is used 17 times. Yet, 36 years after the film’s debut the “N” word is “bleeped” whenever it’s broadcast on television. It isn’t because the movie was insensitive to racism in 1974.  Quite the opposite.  The bigotry is an intentional punch line at the expense of the bigoted.  Sensitivity to mere words has neutered an extraordinarily important commentary on race in film.

Mel  Brooks, like so many entertainers of his era made his living skewering racial, religious, ethnic, and social mores.    Brooks, a Jew, was quite fond of poking fun of his heritage.  His movies have lampooned Hitler, Nazis, and the Holocaust.   It makes the “N” word seem like Sesame Street.

Have you ever watched or listened to the Friar’s Club or Dean Martin celebrity roasts?  One of the most famous “roast masters” was legendary comic Don Rickles.  While roasting then Governor Ronald Reagan, Rickles proclaimed it was “his people” that got Reagan elected.  When roasting Sammy Davis Jr. he said “We all have our differences.  Dean’s Catholic, I’m Jewish, Sammy, you’re black.  I’m sorry.”   

Again, these are tame examples, mind you. (more…)

What is it with Roger Ebert and trashing everyday Americans? After spending a few days childishly attacking the truck drivers, waitresses, school teachers and mechanics who make up the Tea Party movement as “teabaggers,” he now uses his Twitter Olympus to go after the Big Hollywood community with this:

Ebert links to this post of mine from yesterday.

This is the inter-web-nets and individual comments get through all the time that are inappropriate. But Ebert’s not pointing to one specific comment. He’s talking about everyone. All of you. The rabble who dare object to being smeared with an obscene sexual slur from one of your betters.

Dear Mr. Ebert, (more…)

[UPDATE: More here.]

I’m reminded the term Teabaggers is pornographic. Didn’t know that until MSM told me. Let’s face it: The Baggers own it now. — The latest from Roger Ebert’s Twiiter, presumably in response to this.

Ebert’s seen a lot of films but obviously hasn’t learned very much from them. When he disappeared into the hospital for all those months, those of us who disagreed with his politics put those meaningless differences aside as we worried and prayed for the robust return of the thumb that had become such a part of our lives. But who would’ve guessed he wouldn’t come out of his near-death experience like the movies taught him to: as a kinder, more understanding, more tolerant and patient man with a new appreciation for the simple and human things in life? No, he went the opposite way and the story of Roger Ebert’s life will now look as though the projectionist got the reels for “Regarding Henry” confused.

Roger Ebert Yesterday

It’s been extraordinary to watch this once  beloved critic squander all the universal affection and goodwill he had built up over a lifetime in just a few short months. And over nothing. No one bad-mouthed his mother or rang his doorbell and ran. We disagree on the size and scope of the federal government. We disagree over the idea that increased government control will improve our health care. We’re not as enamored as he is with the man currently occupying the Oval Office. Disagree, argue, that’s all fine. But he’s calling us “teabaggers,” and he knows full well what that means. And he’s calling us “teabaggers”  because he doesn’t have the guts to come right out and call us “c***suckers.”

(more…)