Hollywood Republicans & Libertarians Coming Out Of The Closet

Hollywood Investigator ^ | December 30, 2002 | Hank Willow

[Commie Basher]

Demonstrating that libertarianism has appeal in Hollywood, Ruprecht lists as out-of-the-closet libertarians: Kurt Russell, Penn and Teller, Clint Eastwood, Drew Carey, John Larroquette, Howard Stern (who briefly sought the LP ticket for NY guv), Tommy Chong ("Although he may be a one-issue type person."), P.J. O'Rourke, Russell Means, [TV movie producer] Aaron Russo, and possibly Bill Maher ("I used to enjoy [Politically Incorrect] at the beginning, but then it got so Left, it got so weighted heavily against ...").

Not all libertarians places a high value on attracting celebrities. One Region 63 attendee marveled that actors comment on political matters they know nothing about -- and that people take them seriously.

"Actors are not necessarily that smart," Ruprecht conceded. "It doesn't mean you're stupid, but you don't have to be smart to be a good actor or a good dancer. That people give [celebrities] any credence or any weight to what they have to say just because they're -- it just boggles my mind why anybody would listen to what I have to say."

Why does the right to own a gun trouble many otherwise libertarian celebrities? Explains Ruprecht: "It's an idealistic feeling that America would be a better country without guns. What doesn't cross over the synapse is that it ain't gonna happen. They're idealists, thinking we are gonna get rid of the guns -- and not that only the bad guys are gonna have guns. And [thinking] that we'll have a terrific country 'like England has' -- which is getting worse and worse."

After other attendees noted that many pro-gun control celebs, such as Steven Spielberg and Rosie O'Donnell, have guns or armed bodyguards, Ruprecht, reminding everyone that he'd been a lifelong Democrat, said: "That's the Democratic thing. They feel they know better how to live your life than you do.

[drjimmy]

I think a more accurate title for the article would be, "Hollywood Libertarians and Apparently Only One Republican--David Ruprecht's Wife--Come Out of the Closet."

[WorkingClassFilth]

Thanks! I used to really relish it back in the days when they listed 'partially defatted pork tissue' as one of the main ingredients. Yum!

[Commie Basher]

Agreed, too, that the greens are red.

That's why I call them watermelons -- green on the outside and red on the inside.

[exmarine]

Hollywood republicans coming out of the closet huh? All 2 of them?

[William Terrell]

You're right. I posted the hot and quick version. But if you copy the "View Source" in Notepad, you can clean off the beginning and ending HTML envelope and post the remaining (you can fine tune it using the Preview button) all the links are preserved (usually).

[Archangelsk]

I am pretty sure that PJ O'Rourke, in one of his books

I believe the book was either "Age and Guile Beat Youth, Innocence and a Bad Haircut" or "Republican Party Animal". Either way O'Rourke is one funny SOB. The same goes for Penn and Teller (Several years ago, I had the opportunity to be one of their volunteer props during one of their shows, an experience I'll never forget).

[WorkingClassFilth]

"I call them watermelons -- green on the outside and red on the inside."

I call 'em "Stoplight Commies." They go from red to green quickly, but in doing so they show a brief flash of tell-tale yellow.

You say po-ta-to, I say po-tah-to. I'm sure we can agree that any potato is better fried, baked, boiled or mashed though, eh?

[ricpic]

Why does the right to own a gun trouble many other libertarian celebrities? Explains Ruprecht: "It's an idealistic feeling that America would be a better country without guns."

---

These celebrities call themselves libertarians but don't understand the connection between gun ownership and liberty? Give me a break!
These are not idealists, they're IDIOTS!

[laredo44]

Maher is libertarian because it sounds like a cool thing for him to say.

I always thought he proclaimed himself a libertarian because being a Democrat, which he undoubtedly is, made all motivation on his TV show suspect. Now that his show is cancelled, he can ooze back into the fold. Watch for him on the convention floor in Boston '04.

[clintonh8r]

That was one of he funniest scenes ever filmed...that one, and the one in his "room".

[WorkingClassFilth]

B*I*N*G*O!

No such thing as a Libertarian without the grasp of arms as a signator of liberty.

Reminds me of "Republicans" that grow government, raise taxes, repress liberty, abandon national sovereignty and the Constitution. No lack of these RINO's is there?

[Paradox]

I came to be a republican via the libertarian path. As a lifelong democrat, raised as a democrat, in a large hispanic family of intellectual (?) democrats, the libertarian philosophy gave me an "intellectual" avenue for escape from leftism. At the time, anything republican was seen as, well, just plain old DUMB. Thats how they keep the "highbrows" on their side, by convincing them that the republicans are dumb (and evil, smell bad, look funny, etc..).

Anyways, by proclaiming myself a libertarian, I was able to escape leftism, where I have eventually graduated to being a republican (with heavy libertarian leanings, but I am still with you guys on the vast majority of issues).

So don't knock libertarianism all together, it just gets a bad name from the "libertines", and the pseudointellectual left who wants to sound cool.

[garyhope]

"And Olive Loaf is awesome!"

Is that Meatloaf's sister?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Actually, I believe she is the love child of Meat Loaf and Olive Oil.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Kurt Russell, Penn and Teller, Clint Eastwood, Drew Carey, John Larroquette, Howard Stern , Tommy Chong, P.J. O'Rourke, Russell Means, Aaron Russo, and possibly Bill Maher

Hollywood has thousands of stars, producers and directors, and this is all he could come up with? Sounds like pretty slim pickings, and hardly proof of a new trend.

[PJ-Comix]

Penn and Teller...

How can you tell about Teller? He never speaks.

[PJ-Comix]

Jamie Masada who owns the Laugh Factory in Hollywood is very conservative. A big Reagan supporter and still strongly conservative.

[PJ-Comix]

I bought O'Rourke's "Republican Party Reptile" a decade ago. It had ONE good article, about Hollywood culture. The rest was sophomoric and dull. His articles (many originally appearing in Rolling Stone) read as though he was trying to shock conservatives (and impress hipsters) by smirkily praising drunk driving, drugs, and talking dirty. A real bore.

Then check out the ARTICLES by the OTHER P.J..

[WorkingClassFilth]

She is tender, sweet, toothsome and delicious and I love her dearly.

[PJ-Comix]

She is tender, sweet, toothsome and delicious and I love her dearly.

Petra Verkaik? And who cares what her politics are?