Posted on 12/07/2001 12:00:25 PM PST by Jersey Kid
'Ocean's Eleven' Stars Visit Troops The Associated Press Dec 7 2001 2:28PM ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, stars of the new film ``Ocean's Eleven,'' signed autographs, chatted and posed with American troops at a top security military base on Friday. Julia Roberts and Andy Garcia, who also star in the film, also made the trip to the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey. Staff Sgt. Steven Coppock of Roy, Utah, said he helped instruct Roberts as she drove a giant remote-controlled tractor, which is used to defuse bombs, around a parking lot. ``She was concerned she might hit somebody's vehicle,'' Coppock said. There was no media access to the base, which serves as the launching point for patrol missions over northern Iraq and is a transport hub for the war in Afghanistan. ``The troops are so happy, but the superstars say that they're so happy as well,'' Mehmet Birbiri, community relations adviser at the base, said by telephone. The five Hollywood stars arrived early Friday morning aboard a private jet. They had a bacon-and-eggs breakfast with American and Turkish commanders at the base, officials said. They also talked with Turkish soldiers and visited an American high school at the base. From his home in Malibu, Calif., on Tuesday, producer Jerry Weintraub explained, ``We want to bring them (the soldiers) a little bit of home for Christmas. We really wanted to do something for these kids.'' In return, soldiers at the base presented the ``Ocean's Eleven'' stars with authentic flight jackets personalized with their names. Staff Sgt. Robert Whitehurst, of Daytona Beach, Fla., said Clooney was constantly cracking jokes. ``Where are you heading? Why don't you head by Burger King and get us something to eat,'' Whitehurst quoted Clooney as saying as Roberts operated the tractor. ``You could tell they were glad to be there,'' Whitehurst said. ``Ocean's Eleven'' opened in theaters across the United States on Friday
I've heard people say the same thing about Rosie O'Donnell.
No, I'm afraid not. The only reason these vacuous self-centered nitwits went there was for publicity. No publicity, no happiness.
I have to agree with you. If they simply went with a USO troup IN BETWEEN pictures, I'd be inclined to give them some credit. But, what the heck, I'll bet the troops gave THEM a good time. I haven't read anything about the "superstars" actually putting together an act to entertain the troops, have you? Oh well, if it cheered up the troops, I won't try to get a law passed against it.
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