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A Hollywood Christmas Story
Townhall.com ^ | December 17, 2015 | Larry Elder

Posted on 12/17/2015 6:32:00 AM PST by Kaslin

The following story is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

I drove past the outdoor parking-lot-turned-Christmas-tree-store several times before I decided to buy my Christmas tree from there. It was fairly close to my home in the Westside of Los Angeles, and business seemed brisk. Must be a nice place.

Soon I found a nice, fluffy, well-shaped tree. "How much?" I asked a smiling salesman. "$60," he said, showing me the price tag I had overlooked, "Good deal." Then he said, "Are you Larry Elder? Big fan." "Guilty," I said. "Is this your place?" "No," he said, "I'm an actor, just doing this part-time to make a few bucks for the holidays."

I'm always surprised when I meet non-left-wing actors, a rare breed in this town -- especially those out of the closet. I asked how his career was going. "Mark" told me the names of a few TV shows and movies in which he'd appeared.

But lowering his voice, he said, "When you're a Republican in this place, it gets tough." He told me about jobs he felt he'd lost because someone told someone that he was "a Republican." "I'm not even sure I am," he said, lowering his voice still more. "But I know we can't handle four years of Hillary."

Soon, another salesman came over, also an actor and fan of my show. "Tommy" said, "I'd ask you what you think about the Republican field, but you're not working, right?" We all laughed. "I'm just here to buy a tree," I said.

Believe it or not, a third person, shopping for a tree, overheard the conversation. She came over. She, too, enjoys my show, but said: "It's caused a rift between friends and even family members. Oh, they're tolerant and caring -- as long as you agree with them." The shopper, "Sandra," it turns out, was also an actor.

Well, now the four of us started exchanging stories of left-wing intolerance, practically completing each other's sentences.

Sandra told us about an acting gig in the home of a well-known comedian for some online video. When Sandra found out, because of some offhand comment, that the comedian was also a conservative, they started talking -- only to be to be interrupted by the cameraman who complained about their "right-wing crap." Sandra said, "(The comedian) reminded him that, one, this was her own home, and, two, she hired him, and then the cameraman finally shut up."

I told a story I once heard about actor Ed Asner. "On the set of 'Lou Grant,'" I said, "Asner said he never hired anyone who voted for Ronald Reagan. Publicly said it!"

I told them about the time a movie was filmed at the house next door to mine. The film's location scout negotiated with me to use my driveway and patio area for parking and catering.

During the filming, I stood on my porch and watched them shoot some takes. The caterer came over to me, said he enjoyed my show, and we talked for 15 to 20 minutes.

Months later, the same caterer called my radio show. He said when people observed him speaking with me, "The word spread that I must therefore be a Republican. Haven't worked on a shoot since."

After a few minutes swapping stories, a man yelled from a booth on the tree lot and told Mark and Tommy to "get back to work." As they scattered, Mark pointed to the booth and whispered, "He's the owner. When I told him you were here, he said, 'And you're impressed by that guy?'" I laughed, "Not a fan." He shook his head. "Occupational hazard," I said, "I just hope he doesn't jack up the price on me." We laughed.

I looked around for several more minutes, making sure that I was getting the best tree for the size and shape I wanted. But I settled on the one I first liked.

"$80," said the owner. I handed him my credit card, and signed the receipt before recalling that Mark told me it was $60. Maybe, I thought, I misheard Mark. But then I remembered being shown the $60 tag.

So I found Mark, and told him that his boss charged me $80. Angry, he told me to wait and stormed over to the booth. The boss and he had an animated exchange. I couldn't hear what was said, but I was refunded $20.

After two workers tied the tree to the top of my car. I found Mark, put my arm around him and thanked him for intervening. "But I better get out of here while you still have a job."

Mark didn't disagree. But he smiled, "This town. Merry Christmas."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 12/17/2015 6:32:00 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

It will take a war to fix what is brokren in this country.


2 posted on 12/17/2015 6:39:08 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (I support anything which diminishes the Muslim population.)
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To: Kaslin

Leftist intolerance is stunning.


3 posted on 12/17/2015 6:54:15 AM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: ClearCase_guy

And it will require a generation of teaching Truth/God to the children. These people are so ignorant of History and Traditions and Truth and are so irrational and ignorant of everything worth knowing, it is sad.

Traditions and History has to be taught and passed down to your children—EVERY generation and it is hard work and takes time—something no people have for the raising and shaping of the minds of their own children-—they let the perverted sodomite curricula (mass indoctrinatinon to “one” way to (not) think) so the kids “feel” the “truth” when exposed to concepts so they literally can NEVER be critical thinkers (Christians with Free Will/individualism/thinking outside the box).


4 posted on 12/17/2015 6:55:13 AM PST by savagesusie (Right Reason According to Nature = Just Law)
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To: Kaslin

Liberals, they say, become conservative ‘one mugging at a time’. Some of them, though, will carry their hatred of freedom to the grave.


5 posted on 12/17/2015 6:58:00 AM PST by ArtDodger
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To: ClearCase_guy

There will be no war as long as the conservative masses are apathetic and cozy in front of their entertainment centers.

In this arena individualism is a bad thing. We must stand together, defend one another, and ultimately fight shoulder to shoulder in defense of our values.

There is no other way to win. Talk is cheap.


6 posted on 12/17/2015 7:12:36 AM PST by T-Bone Texan (The economic collapse is imminent. Buy staple food and OTC meds now, before prices skyrocket.)
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To: Kaslin

Always interesting to read stories about the ‘tolerant’ lefties in Hollywood and how they ban folks from jobs. They are the Joe McCarthys of the new millenium.


7 posted on 12/17/2015 7:16:58 AM PST by irish guard
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To: irish guard

They are more organized and united than we are...

Alinsky: * RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.)


8 posted on 12/17/2015 8:27:56 AM PST by Dr. Pritchett
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To: ClearCase_guy

Things have become so eff’d up that only a flawed anti-hero can save us.


9 posted on 12/17/2015 11:09:37 AM PST by Company Man (Keep on Trumpin')
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To: Kaslin

Ed Asner was/is a f***ing Communist.


10 posted on 12/17/2015 10:44:08 PM PST by Pelham (Muslim immigration...the enemy is inside the wire.)
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