[sinanju]

I wonder if the Tim Robbins "Chill Wind" speech to the National Press Club is available on CD somewhere [more entertaining than the collected speeches of Noam Chomsky, no doubt]. I still remember listening to it on CSPAN in absolute stitches. Mr. Robbins was using his most ponderous stage voice [channeling Abe Lincoln perhaps]. I had recently seen his 1999 directorial debut: Cradle Will Rock on cable so I had had a recent reminder of his politics. The man was in an ecstasy of righteous martyrdom [as if being disinvited from the Bull Durham fifteenth anniversary reunion was the equivalent of being sent to prison or professionally blacklisted for life]. He lost his ability to raise my blood pressure from that day forward and I now enjoy his acting [though not his directing, he's just too slavishly derivative of his mentor, Robert Altman] with a clear conscience.

Face it gang, very few members of the artistic community have, had or ever will measure up to our behavioral and political standards [would you have let your daughter date Errol Flynn?]. This does not mean we should not gleefully stick it to them whenever we can [and do our best to stand by those few we admire]. I believe The Reagans represents a sea change in america's relations with it's entertainers. There may be no such thing as bad publicity for hollywood's denizens but their corporate sponsors and advertisers cannot afford to be so dismissive of their customers. TVland can rant and rave over this fact, heap Emmys on The Reagans and Angels in America, deride Seventh Heaven, and cancel Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman to their heart's content, but us Great Unwashed do not like being spat on and shat on and the sooner the dream factories acknowledge this and "give the customer what they want" [remember that phrase?] they will continue to hemorrhage viewers and dollars and they are slowly starting to realize this.

[wildwood]

shat on

wow, great word. GREAT coin...kind of a cross between two words, without being coarse...GREAT word! great observations too.

[Badeye]

I think you hit the nail on the head with this post.

[Reagan Man]

Throughout its history, Hollywood has always been somewhat out of control and most entertainers have always been overtly engrossed with themselves. In the old days, however, Hollywood projected a certain class and set a positive tone that folks could respect. Something sorely missing from todays screen stars, made up mostly of juvenile big mouths and propagandist leftest thugs. Today most of filmdoms elites are full of s**t and think the world revolves around them. To a certain degree thats true. It's the pop culture we live in today. A pop culture that drives the good, the bad and the ugly in American society.

[MACVSOG68]

Extremely well stated, well thought out and meaningful.

[laotzu]

In all of history, there has been but one minstral so truly clever, that his counsel was deservedly sought. Goeffrey Chaucer is still an exceptional entertainer.

Because of his success; Today, every cat juggler, and plate spinner presumes that his station is of some status.

The inescapable reality is they are unlikely to be as useful as a dishwasher. I'm sure the Lords of the Dark Ages held the same standard.

Bluster is there only tool. As you have eloquently pointed out, it is hysterical to watch them self-destruct reclaiming "I really am important!!".

[TheDon]

I try not to listen to entertainer's political opinions as much as possible so I will still be able to enjoy their work. For me, unfortunately, there is a threshold at which I can no longer enjoy an entertainer if I become too aware of their anti-American utterances.