Posted on 11/23/2004 9:31:40 PM PST by Nascardude
Hollywood Republicans: Fact or Ficton? By Steve Ryfle
Patricia Heaton was having dinner and conversation with a few Hollywood friends when the subject of politics came up. When the "Everybody Loves Raymond" star said she's voting for George W. Bush, the chatter turned to awkward silence.
"You'd think I'd crapped in the middle of the table," the Emmy-winning actress says in "Rated R: Republicans in Hollywood," a documentary that premiered recently on AMC-TV.
Hollywood has always been a liberal town, a Democratic stronghold. Over the decades there have been few openly conservative celebrities. John Wayne, Charlton Heston and Frank Sinatra were proud of their Republican leanings, but in the heat of the presidential campaign, Hollywood's GOP members (and yes, they do exist) seem locked in the closet.
Sen. John Kerry has enjoyed vocal and visible support from the Hollywood clan. Ben Affleck has appeared in person with the candidate, and Michael J. Fox was sitting in the front row at one of the debates, next to Kerry's wife. George Clooney and Michael Keaton each donated $2,000 to Kerry's campaign. Matt Damon's now being quoted as saying that he'd give a million dollars to get Kerry into the White House.
And everyone knows that Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Martin Sheen, Barbra Streisand, Danny Glover and a host of other celebs have long been loud liberals. The town's affinity with the Democrats supposedly dates back to the era of the Blacklist, when Hollywood was torn apart by Cold War conservatives and their commie witch-hunt.
But other than ex-action star and current California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, it's hard to find celebrities who sing the praises of the President. According to a prevailing theory, it's just too risky for Republican stars to speak out -- the possibility of career damage is just too great (even Schwarzenegger quipped after his GOP convention speech that wife Maria Shriver -- she of the Kennedy clan -- was so upset she shunned him in the sack for two weeks).
"I honestly think that it automatically hurts me if I said that I supported the war in Iraq and I support the troops," says Drew Carey, who describes himself as a libertarian in the "Rated R" documentary. "That automatically kills me for getting a bunch of movies, a bunch of TV shows. People don't want to hear from me."
Jesse Moss, the filmmaker behind "Rated R," had trouble getting stars to appear on camera. A disclaimer in his film states that Mel Gibson, Chuck Norris, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Bruce Willis and Heather Locklear -- all known Republicans -- refused to be interviewed.
Only a few famous Bush supporters aren't afraid to stand up. Ron Silver, the famed character actor who played attorney Alan Dershowitz in "Reversal of Fortune," also spoke forcefully for Bush at the GOP convention in August. "I am liberal on lots of social issues, but I am so serious about the Bush [anti-terrorism] line," Silver told the Chicago Tribune.
Country music stars, of course, are less reticent. Brooks & Dunn, Lee Ann Womack and the Gatlin Brothers all support Bush. And a few other celebrities are in Bush's corner, if not exactly speaking out on the President's behalf: Bruce Willis, Kid Rock, Kelsey Grammer, Alice Cooper and Britney Spears.
A few years ago, James Woods told Jay Leno he "loves" Dubya and was proud to have voted for him, and Danny Aiello has also been an unabashed Republican. It wasn't so long ago that Michael Moore's Oscar acceptance speech drew audible boos from some of the Hollywood rank-and-file. But at the moment, the Hollywood chorus of conservatives remains comparatively quiet.
Meanwhile, as the campaign has heated up, several news outlets have attempted to "out" Hollywood Republicans, including Details magazine. In a recent issue, Details named a few celebrities who are admitted conservatives, such as Jessica Simpson and Shannen Doherty, and a few surprises, such as Adam Sandler and Freddie Prinze Jr. Prinze's wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar, has expressed right-wing leanings in the past.
Mike DeLuca, a powerful producer at Sony Pictures Entertainment, told Details that when he acknowledged his Republican affiliation, the reaction in Hollywood was like admitting he was a "serial killer." DeLuca added that Tinseltown liberals "...scream about the environment before they hop onto their private jets and blow 8,000 pounds of fuel getting to the Hamptons."
Details also "outed" Mandy Moore, but her publicist issued a quip of a response, stating: "Mandy is not, nor has she ever been, a Republican."
Being a Republican in Hollywood, it seems, is to be a nonconformist, a rebel. Thus, the rebels are banding together, organizing, and speaking their minds -- in comfortable surroundings, anyway. A group called the Wednesday Morning Club, whose steering committee includes Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall and Icon Pictures exec Steve McEveety (who produced "Braveheart"), has been gathering steam.
So has the Hollywood Congress of Republicans, which recently named Michael Moore "Jackass of the Year" (Moore, they say, still hasn't picked up his trophy, described as the "back part of a donkey").
What do celebrity endorsements mean to a presidential candidate, in terms of actual votes? Probably not much. Still, Hollywood's Republicans are looking forward to a day when they can speak their mind without fear of reprisals, says actor Mark Vafiades, president of the Hollywood Congress of Republicans.
"We're the guys who have the most difficulty expressing our views." Still, Vafiades says more and more people are registering with his organization -- a sign that the political climate may be changing. "It's getting closer to the day when [being a Hollywood Republican] will be acceptable."
Cant forget Kim Alexis and Kathy Ireland
Yep. All the babes are Republicans. Britney, Jessica, Sara Michelle, Heather Locklear, and Kathy Ireland. The Dems can have the washed up has beens whose looks fade with age like Susan Sharandon and Helen Hunt.
Sean Michaels - born again as I recall. He had a reputation as a really personally self-destructive individual in years past. He found God and has since returned to the WWE. He's worn -plenty- of tshirts on TV clearly expressing his beliefs.
Also remember him saying he was a lil concerned about lack of WMDs in Iraq
I disagree with you criticising these pro-Bush celeberties for not being more vocal. I've noticed that Republicans and other people with "right"-leaning tendencies are less likely to spout off on mindless political rants. I don't care what celeberties think about politics. Their job is to entertain us, and not to speak on issues about they are not qualified to explain. I don't mind them campaigning for people, but people like Susan Sarndon are just revolting. I liked all of these celebs to begin with, and now I like them more. I don't particularly follow any of them except Eastwood and Gibson to a lesser extent, but they all always come across as likable, decent people by Hollywood standards. These people are good examples that Bush supporters are classier than people who supported French Kerry. Kid Rock didn't call Kerry a thug, and Jessica Simpson did not compare Kerry to a Nazi. These people show which political part is more rational and emotionally stable.
Good, now I can continue to watch Adam Sandler movies! LOL
I also heard Kerry Wood (Chicago Cubs pitcher) and his wife are huge Bush fans & both voted for him. They actually said that no hollywood star is going to tell them how to vote!!
Go to JERSEYGOP.COM and check out the GOP BABE OF THE WEEK
No. No, they don't. It's the other "celebrities" who need to sit down, shut up, and get back to play-pretend on stage and the Big Screen and yammering their mouths with bands.
Almost none of them have the knowledge or wisdom to presume to bark at the rest of us.
I don't care what my boss's political opinions are, and I work with him 40-50 hours a week. Why would I care what a hips-and-lips-wagger like Spears thinks?
"What do celebrity endorsements mean to a presidential candidate, in terms of actual votes? Probably not much."
Obviously it means a whole lot! Look at the impact that the Vote or Die and Vote for Change dingbats had! (hee-hee-hee!)
I don't think we should criticize pro-Bush celebs, either. One, I know what it's like to be conservative in a bluer than blue state, and two, like you said, they should just do what we pay 'em for.
I show my distaste for those such as Susan, Whoopie, Barbra and the rest by NOT buying their CDs or going to their movies.
Awesome. Thanks for that link. I just bookmarked it.
I wasn't criticising the Pro-Bush celebrities. And I'm certainly not suggesting they should go on tirades like the sickos on the left. I just get so sick of seeing Anti-Bush celebrity bashes on tv. It would be so nice to see a large group of Pro-Bush celebrities stand up and show their support for Bush. THat was all I was saying
"One, I know what it's like to be conservative in a bluer than blue state."
The Bay Area is about as blue as it gets from what I hear. I've been to southern California, and that is supposedly the conservative part of the state. I'm in a evenly divided city in a red county in the blue state of Maryland.
And while you're at it get 'Walking Tall'
dang, now i'll have to reconsider my dislike for adam sandler :P
Good article!
The Bay Area is definitely lib-land! Thank God for the internet, my FRiends here at FR, Fox News and talk radio, otherwise I'd go crazy! (Although some would say I already have...)
I was struck by the fact that on election eve California was being called by 7:59 p.m., by my watch, for Kerry!
Most Pro Golfers support Republicans.
What about Tiger? He was a service brat.
Just watched that. Pretty good movie.
Don't forget the rockers on the right ---
Gene Simmons
Dave Mustaine
C. C. De Ville
James Hetfield
Alice Cooper
And The NUGE!!!!
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