TIM ROBBINS ON THE MEDIA

MSNBC HARDBALL? | 05/25/05 | FGS

[ForGod'sSake]

I was channel surfing when I happened to catch Prissy Matthews interviewing Tim Robbins actor/activist(sic)(scraggly beard and all).

The discussion moved to Hollyweird generally, and Prissy asked Robbins about the monolithic liberalism of Hollyweird(the question from Prissy a bit of a shocker in itself).

Paraphrased:

Tim: I don't see Hollyweird as monolithic in its politics, and there is essentially a full spectrum of political beliefs there.

Prissy: Then why is it that everyone we see and hear from Hollyweird appears to be liberal?

Tim: Must be the media.

What, I says to myself?!?! Here's this bleedin' heart from Hollyweird basically saying the media has/is creating what appears to be an industry/cultural political monolith in tinseltown(say it ain't so).

Holy cow! I held my breath waiting for followup.

Still waiting...

Prissy never blinked an eye as he moved on to more important things, whatever they were. I was still waiting for the media comment followup and never heard another word.

Now, media bias is nothing new to us around here, but this coming from a bleedin' heart in such a casual manner left me flabbergasted. Still am.

[ForGod'sSake]

First I'll say "Arnold and Ronald".

Egad; in the same sentence?!?! Arnold may be a stretch, eh? Definitely a lighter shade of red ;^)

Spectrum describes the gradation of views but does not convey the clumping or more monolithic idealism at the blue end.

Well, in all fairness to Tim Robbins(ugh), "spectrum" was my word(they still haven't put up the transcript). I paraphrased his comments.

That said, the spectrum is heavy on one end in Tinseltown and Tim likely realizes that. BUT, for him to casually lay it off on the media was like lighting a fuse, and I sat there waiting for the bang that never happened.

FGS

[ForGod'sSake]

the Oscars have that reputation here but if you look at the films that win Best Picture Oscars...they are, more often then not, on the Conservative side.

Maybe others could argue the point. I watch very few movies and haven't watched Hollyweirdos passing out awards to themselves in probably 15 years or so.

FGS

[Borges]

So why engage in the 'Hollyweird' epithets? It's a tired term. Used mostly by people who 'don't watch many movies'. :-)

[T Lady]

Thanks for clearing that up.

-Regards, T.

[ForGod'sSake]

So why engage in the 'Hollyweird' epithets? It's a tired term.

TriedTired but true?

If you want to defend Hollyweird, knock yourself out. Unless I miss my guess you won't find much support here.

FGS

[Borges]

Quite a few people here love movies actually. However most who go with the 'Hollyweird' spiel usually flaunt their wanton ignorance about cinema in general. ("I haven't been to a movie in 20 years! But let me tell you why contemporary movies are terrible!")

[Max7]

Robbins is nothing more than a pompous a$$. He gave a press statement to the media a while back you wouldn't have believed unless you'd seen & heard it yourself. He's long-winded. Overly dramatic. Pompous. (But I liked him in Shawshank Redemption. That's all, though.)

[Borges]

I don't doubt his pomposity one bit.

[bert]

....Definitely a lighter shade of red ;^)....

There were some efforts soon after the election to produce purple areas. AAAhnold would be colored with a few shots of blue rather than purist conservative red I guess.

I'll have to give you credit for openmidedness. I guess I close my eyes as it flips up channel past the leftist places. I could not bear to watch Crissie.

[ForGod'sSake]

Transcript from the interview:

~snip~

MATTHEWS:  Let me ask you about Hollywood.  Do you think Hollywood, in its critique of this president, has been effective?  Somebody put up a sign recently to Hollywood:  “Thank you, Hollywood, for getting Bush reelected.”

ROBBINS:  I think they were very—first of all, talking about Hollywood as something that operates in lockstep on any issue is kind of ludicrous, because, especially during that period of time, I remember being one of the few voices that was opposed to the war. 

So, I don‘t know—Hollywood is many different entities, many different kinds of opinions, many different kinds of people. 

MATTHEWS:  Why does it come across as monolithic and anti-war? 

ROBBINS:  I guess it‘s presented that way by the media.

But if you look at it, there‘s an awful lot of conservative people making movies that have nothing to do with social issues.  And that‘s OK.

~snip~

FGS