Stardom? Courage? I Saw Both in the Hollow Eyes of a Small Child (Ben Stein)

eonline ^ | 3/15/02 | Ben Stein

[Artist]

Excellent article.

BUMP.

[SarahW]

Another bump.

[JennysCool]

Stein is a class act all the way.

[BansheeBill]

Link to the website of the family of Dillon Rollins HERE

[suijuris]

BTT.

The more I see and hear Ben Stein; the more I like him. Great insight and wise words. God bless D and his family

Sui

[jlogajan]

This story would have been more effective if Ben had concentrated on his own life's failings rather than to have to draw some random starlet into the cross-hairs.

It's kind of a cheap writing gimic. The well fed middle class versus some starving kid in Biafra. It's a game any ideology can play for maximum effect. But it is just a game, and Ben doesn't do himself any credit by going so cheap in his writing technique.

[Walkingfeather]

DO YOU KNOW MR> STIEN??? I DO ! YOU AS* HOLE. YOU HAVE MADE THE BIGGEST AS* OF YOURSELF. MAY GOD SHOW YOU MORE MERCY THAN HAVE HAVE THIS EVENING

[bigdaddygop_nc]

Thanks for the post. I've always respected Mr. Stein. May God bless D and his family. bttt

[denydenydeny]

You have of course completely misstated the situation as a class/economic issue, when it is nothing of the kind.

This is not about "The well fed middle class versus some starving kid in Biafra."

The column is about the definition of a word--courage--and how shallowly it can be defined. Anyone of any class can be shallow, or courageous, or--for that matter--stricken by cancer.

There are many words I could use to describe this article, but "cheap" is not one of them. Now, your facile "Biafra" metaphor--that's cheap.

[SuziQ]

Dillon Rolins--died peacefully on Tuesday night, in Arkansas in the bosom of his family. May God bless his soul. He was an angel, and now he is with the other angels, where he belongs.

God Bless little Dillon and his family. And God Bless Ben Stein for being a friend to Dillon and his family. Just think of the joy it must have brought that little boy to have one of his favorite TV stars show up to see HIM and bring him gifts. Such a little expense for Ben Stein, such an enormous gift to that boy!

[Joe 6-pack]

"This story would have been more effective if Ben had concentrated on his own life's failings rather than to have to draw some random starlet into the cross-hairs.

It's kind of a cheap writing gimic. The well fed middle class versus some starving kid in Biafra. It's a game any ideology can play for maximum effect. But it is just a game, and Ben doesn't do himself any credit by going so cheap in his writing technique."

I truly pity you, for one of these days you will realize how deeply you are wallowing in your own bitterness. You hold yourself out to be a pure libertarian, yet you begrudge anyone who has succeeded on their own accounts. Greed may be the motivation of Capitalism, but envy is the driving impetus of socialism...

Your resentment of Stein and his success highlights on which side of the line you've chosen to fall.

[Adrastus]

Did you read the same post I did? Sounds like you got lost somewhere.

Steins point is well taken. The total confusion as to what constitutes bravery and character in this country today sits squarely at Hollywoods clay feet. These people are so shallow and selfserving as to appear rediculous to any discerning person.There are people of character there, to be sure, but the majority seem to be of the type Stein quotes.

[edwin hubble]

You have slandered a truly wonderful man.

[flushed with pride]

It must really suck to be you.

[petuniasevan]

[conserve-it]

"The total confusion as to what constitutes bravery and character in this country today sits squarely at Hollywoods clay feet. These people are so shallow and selfserving as to appear rediculous to any discerning person"

Nice to know that there are those who managed to grasp Stein's irony. I have been reading his column for a quarter century, and there is nothing shallow about the man, either in character, or intellect. Good post!

[Roscoe]

BTTT

[Billy_bob_bob]

Any star who is willing to take the time and trouble to visit sick kids in the hospital is a star that I will take my hat off to. Mr. Stien, you are a class act.

Posted in memory of the great Alan Hale, another actor who took the time to visit sick kids.

[Billy_bob_bob]

To clarify, that would be Alan Hale Jr, AKA "The Skipper" on Gilligan's Island. Just so you all know.