Pro-War Celebrities Bash Hollywood Anti-War Activists

CNSNews.com ^ | 4/28/03 | Marc Morano

[kattracks]

Washington (CNSNews.com) - Hollywood celebrities attending the 89th annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington on Saturday night made it a point to condemn celebrity anti-war activists.

Actor Kelsey Grammer, who plays the lead role in NBC's "Frasier" sitcom, said he refused to watch this year's Academy Awards because of the anti-war "crap" that fellow celebrities spewed.

Grammer said he was spared filmmaker Michael Moore's anti-war acceptance speech and attack on the Bush administration at the March 23rd Academy Awards. "I didn't hear it because I didn't watch [the Academy Awards], Grammer told CNSNews.com.

"I wasn't interested. I knew that that kind of crap was going to be there and I thought, I am not interested," Grammer added.

While accepting an Oscar for his anti-gun documentary "Bowling For Columbine," Moore said, "We live in a time where we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons...Shame on you, Mr. Bush, shame on you."

Grammer called Moore's movie "a one-sided film" and blamed the media for giving so much publicity to Moore's anti-war speech.

"The media just loves to pay attention to whatever is happening that makes the most noise," Grammer explained.

Jason Priestley of "Beverly Hills 90210" television fame, agreed with Grammer and lamented the excessive coverage of anti-war celebrities by what he termed the "liberal media."

"I think more people should keep their opinions to themselves," Priestley said. He was particularly incensed by Moore's acceptance speech.

"It was shocking. I did not believe that was the forum to voice your opinions. Michael Moore is allowed to have opinions and his opinions are valid like everyone else's opinion, but I just didn't think the Academy Awards were the place to voice them in that manner," he explained.

'Keep their mouths shut'

Actor Robert Duvall said he is not a fan of Michael Moore, and he lashed out at Hollywood political activists.

"They should keep their mouths shut," Duvall said.

Asked if the media over-emphasizes celebrity opinions, actor Ron Silver emphatically agreed.

"I do, because at the end of the day, who cares? There are more important things on the table. But if they wanted to use Natalie Maines (of the Dixie Chicks) or Tim Robbins or me, or whomever, that is their business," Silver said.

Silver, a cofounder of the Creative Coalition, a generally liberal Hollywood activist organization, was an ardent supporter of the war in Iraq.

Asked if he has received any flak from other celebrities such as fellow Creative Coalition founder Susan Sarandon for his outspoken support of the war, Silver quipped, "Absolutely none, absolutely none, we just don't talk anymore."

Silver also dismissed Moore's acceptance speech,, saying, "I don't listen to Michael Moore...I didn't agree with him."

Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton defended the media's continuous coverage of celebrity activism.

"Hollywood celebrities generate millions of fans. I don't think that's overindulgence, I think that that is appropriate to those that have widespread appeal to be given widespread coverage," Sharpton said.

'Kooky ideas'

Steve Doocy, anchor of the FOX News Channel's morning program "Fox and Friends," said media focus on celebrity activism is helping to hold Hollywood accountable.

"In the past, Hollywood celebrities have never been held accountable for some of their kind of kooky ideas that aren't in line with the balance of America," Doocy said.

Andrew Firestone, the star of ABC's current reality series "The Bachelor," said he feels uncomfortable with entertainers using their celebrity status to promote their political views.

"I personally feel as though you speak about what you know. I would never want to be in a position to abuse the position I am in, in order to put my opinions across," Firestone said.

"We have to remember that actors are actors, and elected leaders are elected leaders," he added.

Trista Rehn, ABC's former "Bachelorette," thinks the media should focus on celebrity political activists.

"That is the media's job, it is to focus on people's opinions and what is going on in society and I think we place celebrities up on a pedestal, so people want to know what they think," Rehn said.

'Dirty, dirty, dirty'

The journalists assembled at the dinner generally praised themselves for a job well done on the recent war coverage, but there were exceptions.

Cyber journalist Matt Drudge was happy about CNN producer Eason Jordan's recent confession that the network withheld many details of Saddam Hussein's atrocities over the last ten years to protect its news sources in Iraq. CNN has come under fire by many media critics for censoring the news in exchange for continued access to Iraq under Hussein's former government.

"I am glad they are coming clean. I am waiting for the other networks to come clean," Drudge said. "I am waiting for the other newspapers to come clean. This town is dirty, dirty, dirty and CNN confessing is a nice start," he said.

Sharpton believes the American public did not get the full truth about the war from the media.

"I think media ought to cover everything on both sides. I think that there was some media that didn't say all they knew about Saddam [Hussein] and I think others have not said all they knew on the United States military side. I think both acted irresponsibly," Sharpton said.

CNN's Bob Franken did not like FOX News's use of the phrase "we" when covering the U.S. armed forces during the war.

"I disagree with the FOX approach to it. I believe it was jingoistic, but that's their approach to it. They would disagree with me, I suspect," Franken told CNSNews.com.

"We have to be remember and even those of us who are in the embed [program] have to remember, it is 'they,' not 'we'. It's just an important distinction. We serve our country by doing that," Franken explained.

The embed program allowed journalists to travel with pre-assigned military units in order to give the public a more authentic feel for the war.

Franken noted the fierceness of cable news competition and complimented the other news channels on their war coverage.

"The cable wars, I am sort of uncomfortable with them. I congratulate FOX, I thought that they did a very nice job, so did MSNBC, so did we," he said.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer praised the Pentagon's embed program.

"The embed process, I thought, worked excellent...I think it helped the journalists, I think it helped the pentagon, but most important, it helped the American public to understand what was going on," Blitzer said.

CBS corespondent Bill Plante was more cautious about the embed program.

"I think it worked well in this war, but it only gives you a very small picture from the point of each embed. You need the big picture as well as the little picture," Plante said.

"I hope [the Pentagon] continues it, but I hope they don't try to make it the only view of the war," he added.

President Bush addressed the White House correspondents' dinner and also lauded the embed program. Bush said journalists got a first-hand look at the "skill and bravery and decency" of soldiers, while military personnel "gained a greater respect for the journalists traveling with them, who showed a tenacity and courage of their own."

Many Iraq war combat veterans as well as members of Congress and the President's cabinet attended the press dinner, which was held at the Washington Hilton.

E-mail a news tip to Marc Morano.

Send a Letter to the Editor about this article.

[doosee]

CBS corespondent Bill Plante was more cautious about the embed program. "I think it worked well in this war, but it only gives you a very small picture from the point of each embed. You need the big picture as well as the little picture," Plante said.

Yea, like the big picture Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather would like us all to see.

[Bernard]

Why is it that any CNN rep would not be asked about the cover-up in Iraq? Are these people held to different standards than political types? For example, any member of the Bush administration is asked about the war, and member of the Clinton administration was asked about the impeachment, so how can CNN types get in front of a microphone and not be asked about the coverup in Iraq?

[gulfcoast6]

My objection to the left wing 'entertainment(?) crowd will be at the box office, including 'Chicago'.

[TroutStalker]

CNN's Bob Franken did not like FOX News's use of the phrase "we" when covering the U.S. armed forces during the war.

And when I think of you Bob, and that buck-toothed moron Al, your son, "we" never comes to mind either.

[ChadGore]

CNN KNEW !

[ET(end tyranny)]

Asked if he has received any flak from other celebrities such as fellow Creative Coalition founder Susan Sarandon for his outspoken support of the war, Silver quipped, "Absolutely none, absolutely none, we just don't talk anymore."

LOL Well, see, Mr. Silver, you got an added bonus!!

[leprechaun9]

I only know the Hollywood mob by them pretending to be someone else.

Why then should I believe anything they say about anything because I don't know who they are pretending to be?

[kattracks]

This time they're pretending to be patriotic.

[bart99]

I think the article comparing the qualifications of the hollywood elite vis our elected representatives ought to be published as a footnote whenever an article about them pops up....... an excerpt from Cindy Roberts (?) article.....

---

So who are these celebrities? What is their education? What is their experience in affairs of State or in National Security? While I will defend to the death their right to express their opinions, I think that if they are going to call into question the intelligence of our leaders, we should also have all the facts on their educations and background:

Barbra Streisand : Completed high school Career: Singing and acting

Cher: Dropped out of school in 9th grade. Career: Singing and acting

Martin Sheen: Flunked exam to enter University of Dayton. Career: Acting

Jessica Lange: Dropped out college mid-freshman year. Career: Acting

Alec Baldwin: Dropped out of George Washington U. after scandal. Career: Acting

Julia Roberts: Completed high school. Career: Acting

Sean Penn: Completed High school. Career: Acting

Susan Sarandon: Degree in Drama from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Career: Acting

Ed Asner; Completed High school. Career: Acting

George Clooney: Dropped out of University of Kentucky. Career: Acting

Michael Moore: Dropped out first year University of Michigan. Career: Movie Director

Sarah Jessica Parker: Completed High School. Career: Acting

Jennifer Anniston: Completed High School. Career: Acting

Mike Farrell: Completed High school. Career: Acting

Janeane Garofelo: Dropped out of College. Career: Stand up comedienne

Larry Hagman: Attended Bard College for one year. Career: Acting

While comparing the education and experience of these two groups, we should also remember that President Bush and his cabinet are briefed daily, even hourly, on the War on Terror and threats to our security. They are privy to information gathered around the world concerning the Middle East, the threats to America, the intentions of terrorists and terrorist-supporting governments. They are in constant communication with the CIA, the FBI, Interpol, NATO, The United Nations, our own military, and that of our allies around the world. We cannot simply believe that we have full knowledge of the threats because we watch CNN!! We cannot believe that we are in any way as informed as our leaders.

These celebrities have no intelligence-gathering agents, no fact-finding groups, no insight into the minds of those who would destroy our country. They only have a deep seated hatred for all things Republican. By nature, and no one knows quite why, the Hollywood elitists detest Conservative views and anything that supports or uplifts the United States of America. The silence was deafening from the Left when Bill Clinton bombed a pharmaceutical factory outside of Khartoum, or when he attacked the Bosnian Serbs in 1995 and 1999. He bombed Serbia itself to get Slobodan Milosevic out of Kosovo, and not a single peace rally was held. When our Rangers were ambushed in Somalia and 18 young American lives were lost, not a peep was heard from Hollywood. Yet now, after our nation has been attacked on its own soil, after 3,000 Americans were killed, by freedom-hating terrorists, while going about their routine lives, they want to hold rallies against the war. Why the change? Because an honest, God-fearing Republican sits in the White House.

Another irony is that in 1987, when Ronald Reagan was in office, the Hollywood group aligned themselves with disarmament groups like SANE, FREEZE and PEACE ACTION, urging our own government to disarm and freeze the manufacturing of any further nuclear weapons, in order to promote world peace. It is curious that now, even after we have heard all the evidence that Saddam Hussein has chemical, biological and is very close to obtaining nuclear weapons, their is no cry from this group for HIM to disarm. They believe we should leave him alone in his quest for these weapons of mass destruction, even though it is certain that these deadly weapons will eventually be used against us in our own cities.

So why the hype out of Hollywood? Could these celebrities believe that since they draw such astronomical salaries, they are entitled to also determine the course of our Nation? That they can make viable decisions concerning war and peace? Did Michael Moore have the backing of the Nation when he recently thanked France, on our behalf, for being a "good enough friend to tell us we were wrong"? I know for certain he was not speaking for me. Does Sean Penn fancy himself a Diplomat, in going to Iraq when we are just weeks away from war? Does he believe that his High School Diploma gives him the knowledge (and the right) to go to a country that is controlled by a maniacal dictator, and speak on behalf of the American people? Or is it the fact that he pulls in more money per year than the average American worker will see in a lifetime? Does his bank account give him clout?

The ultimate irony is that many of these celebrities have made a shambles of their own lives, with drug abuse, alcoholism, numerous marriages and divorces, scrapes with the law, publicized temper tantrums, etc. How dare they pretend to know what is best for an entire nation! What is even more bizarre is how many people in this country will listen and accept their views, simply because they liked them in a certain movie, or have fond memories of an old television sitcom!

[bart99]

Note to myself:

I especially enjoed the quote by Moore -

" Did Michael Moore have the backing of the Nation when he recently thanked France, on our behalf, for being a "good enough friend to tell us we were wrong"? "

I wonder if he has developed a concious and has any second thoughts now after all the revelations of the past few days.....

Oh well........

[marktwain]

I was glad to see that Matt Drudge was invited. That was a nice touch. Maybe they will invite Jim Robinson next year.

[Feckless]

"I think it worked well in this war, but it only gives you a very small picture from the point of each embed. You need the big picture as well as the little picture," Plante said.

Translation: Makes it harder to lie when dealing with specifics.

[Lijahsbubbe]

"We have to be remember and even those of us who are in the embed [program] have to remember, it is 'they,' not 'we'. It's just an important distinction. We serve our country by doing that," Franken explained.

What? Franken doesn't want us to say 'we', even if it's an embedded reporter? This isn't a football game. Either you're a U.S. citizen or not (Peter Jennings excluded).

This is our country and our troops. Franken knows using the posessive 'we' might actually foster a feeling of unity to our troops and our country. Now I know why they don't say "our President".

[elephantlips]

Right on!

[smith288]

If Jim was to be invited, then all Freepers should go. Jim was pivitol in starting FR, but we, the freepers (including Jim), make it what it is now.

[RockBassCreek]

Someone made a great point the other day -- Glenn Beck I think.

He said that one problem with celebrities becoming political figures is that it destroys the ability to "believe in them in a role." In other words, when you see Clint Eastwood as Josie Wales, you've got to believe "Josie Wales" exists during the time you're watching that movie.

He said that when he sees Susan Sarandon is a movie, she's so politicized that he can't hear anything she says or does in the movie because all he sees is the loud-mouthed, political Sarandon. Every word she says in the movie is seen as an effort to propagandize or advance her position.

It's like type-casting, I guess. I simply cannot watch Alan Alda in any kind of movie. Every gesture, smile, inflection -- you name it -- EVERYTHING is Hawkeye Pierce. The same with Mike Farrell. They're uselessly, hopelessly typecast.

[Budge]

CNN's Bob Franken did not like FOX News's use of the phrase "we" when covering the U.S. armed forces during the war... it is 'they,' not 'we'."

I wish I could take this mealy-mouthed sob back in time to the reporting of World War II.

He would soon learn the difference between 'we' and 'they!'

[techcor]

Somebody should offer an "Alternative to the Oscars". Next year even a test pattern might beat the Oscars. Brian Kilemeade could host. Or Kelsey Grammer.

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing "Star Bellied Sneeches." by Dr. Seuss. I haven't seen that in years. Or maybe "Old Yeller".