Bull Durham stars giving money to food bank (in Cooperstown, Sarandon, Robbins and Shelton)

Cooperstown News Bureau ^ | May 6, 2003 | Tom Grace

[TLBSHOW]

'Bull Durham' stars giving money to food bank

Director Shelton also taking part in donation to Cooperstown charity

Cooperstown News Bureau

COOPERSTOWN - Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and Ron Shelton, the co-stars and director of the baseball movie, "Bull Durham" have decided to make a donation to the Cooperstown Food Bank.

Robbins' agent Chris Widmaier, said the gift will be made soon, though he was unsure how large it will be.

It will total more than the $377 collected for the food bank last Wednesday during two screenings of "Bull Durham" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, he said.

"We were going to donate the proceeds from the showing, but that got a little complicated," Widmaier said.

Instead, Robbins and Sarandon, a longtime couple, and Shelton decided to make personal donations. They also passed the hat during last week's showing of the film and collected money from the audience, Widmaier said.

He said it was Robbins' idea to give money to the food bank.

"He thought it would be a nice thing to do," Widmaier said. "He looked at a few different possibilities and this seemed like a very good one."

Robbins, Sarandon and Shelton had been scheduled to appear at the National Baseball Hall of Fame on April 25 and 26 in a forum commemorating the 15th anniversary of "Bull Durham." However, Hall President Dale Petroskey — former assistant press secretary under Ronald Reagan — canceled the event, asking Sarandon and Robbins not to appear because of their outspoken opposition to the war in Iraq.

Petroskey's letter to Robbins was made public and included the sentence: "We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important — and sensitive — time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger."

Robbins responded by saying he didn't think baseball was a Republican sport and has since discussed his views on war and peace in several forums.

The Hall of Fame received thousands of e-mails and telephone calls as a result of the incident, and Petroskey has since apologized for not speaking to Robbins and Sarandon before uninviting them.

On hearing of the entertainers' pending gift Monday, Petroskey said, "It's very generous and a nice gesture."

Ellen St. John, director of the Cooperstown Food Bank, said Monday she was delighted to hear of their pending gift.

"That's wonderful news," she said. "We certainly can use the money."

St. John said the food bank, which is in the annex of the Presbyterian Church at 25 Church St., provided about 39,000 meals last year for about 3,300 people.

"We've been very busy," she said.

People who come for help are given a four-day supply of food, she said. The food bank is open from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

[wideawake]

"Hey, left hand!!! Over here!!!"

"Yeah, right hand? What's up?"

"I'm giving this week's Evian money to a food bank to make a political point!!!"

[newgeezer]

Robbins' agent Chris Widmaier, said the gift will be made soon, though he was unsure how large it will be.

Such large hearts these people have. Surely they're not doing it just for publicity.</sarcasm>

[amused]

As cynical as I am, this was still a good thing to do.

[Cicero]

Well, I hope it's more than $377. They can afford it.

[Welsh Rabbit]

Yep. No good deed is worth doing if you don't get the proper credit for it... /sarcasm off

[IronJack]

This is known as "purchased legitimacy." Or, in liberalspeak, "The right thing for the wrong reasons." A lot of gangsters used the same tactic over the years.

Think of them as Tim Robbin Hood and Susan Maid Marian.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I'll bet combined Tim and Susan will donate 10's of dollars. God Bless em. They are gonna show us.

[lilylangtree]

There's not a foodbank in Hollyweirdo with all those starving actors we hear about? This action is suppose to what? Make people like Saranwarp, Timbo and Shelton?

[TLBSHOW]

Its so they can come riding into town on the white horse and save the day...... (snicker)

Wait and see if they don't come up here to hand the check over themselves.

[E=MC²]

timmy and suzy respond to the reporter's question: "How many dollars did each of you give to the Cooperstown Food Bank?"

[cosine]

Last year the food bank served 39,000 meals to 3,300 people? In 2000, the population of Cooperstown was about 2,032 people.

Didn't know that the Hillary economic plan would work so quickly.

[TLBSHOW]

lol

[The Other Harry]

"We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important — and sensitive — time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger."

Petroskey had it right to begin with. His only mistake was to apologize for speaking the truth and making a good decision.

[mc5cents]

Al Capone supported a lot of soup kitchens in Chicago too. He was the common man's hero it those days.

[TLBSHOW]

Costner defends Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon

SUNSET, South Carolina - Kevin Costner says no one -- including the Baseball Hall of Fame -- should single out Bull Durham costars Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon for their anti-war views.

Robbins and Sarandon had been scheduled to appear last weekend in Cooperstown, New York, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the popular baseball movie.

Instead, Hall of Fame President Dale Petroskey sent a letter telling them he’d called off the festivities because they had criticized the war in Iraq. He later apologized for not calling them before canceling the event.

Costner, who also starred in the film, said Robbins and Sarandon shouldn’t be viewed as targets by those supporting the war.

He’s a good man and she’s a really good woman; she’s a thoughtful woman, Costner said Thursday. We don’t need to be separating them from us. We need Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon.

Costner said he doesn’t agree with all that Robbins and Sarandon say, but they have a right to their opinion like everyone in the United States.




Robbins and Sarandon aren’t divisive and they don’t intend to make others uncomfortable, Costner said. They’re just really voicing that right that we fought a long time ago for.APTODAYhttp://www.abs-cbnnews.com/abs_news_body.asp?section=Celebrity&oid=22374

[IronJack]

And didn't Pablo Escobar "employ" a lot of the Columbian locals? Bonnie and Clyde were just real down-to-earth folks too. As were Frank and Jesse and John Dillinger. Spread a little of that stolen wealth around -- what the heck; it ain't like you had to EARN it! -- and shazam! you're a hero to the gullible.

Kinda makes you wonder where Tiny Tim and Wake-up Little Suzy were all these years when the food kitchen needed money but the "stars" didn't need to salvage an image.

[mc5cents]

Kinda makes you wonder where Tiny Tim and Wake-up Little Suzy were all these years when the food kitchen needed money but the "stars" didn't need to salvage an image.

Yea, don't it though. Well, I guess we don't have to wonder too much though. Do we.