WOODY HARRELSON: 'THE WAR ON TERRORISM IS TERRORISM - THE WHOLE THING IS JUST BS

The Daily Mirror of London ^ | 08/09/2002 | by Jessica Callan

[Lazamataz]

He's one of Hollywood's hottest actors and, with Natural Born Killers among his starring roles, is no stranger to controversy.

But now Woody Harrelson has taken another brave step - he's passionately defended George Michael over his anti-Bush and Blair single Shoot The Dog.

The 41-year-old star - currently appearing in On An Average Day opposite Kyle MacLachlan at the Comedy Theatre in London - has hit out at the backlash against the song's lyrics which criticise George Bush, Tony Blair and the war on terror since September 11.

At his play's after-show party on Wednesday night, Woody told Jessica: "I saw the Daily Mirror's front page on George Michael and I thought it was brilliant. I've always been a fan but he's right up there now. I think he's a great guy.

"I haven't seen the video for his song but I was fascinated by what he had to say.

"He's incredibly brave to have done that song. Especially when doing something like that could be considered very dangerous in today's world."

Harrelson - who is famous for his role as the dim barman Woody in Cheers and who stunned audiences with his powerful portrayal of a murderer in Natural Born Killers - is the first American to stand up and defend the 39-year-old British singer.

The former Wham! star caused outrage by using the Daily Mirror's Howdy Poodle front page, which poked fun at the special relationship between Britain and the US, on the single's cover.

"I can't believe he got so criticised in America for it. It's so unfair," said Woody. "I hear he's too scared to go over to the States now. What a joke. I'd really like to meet George.

"I want to congratulate him on standing up and speaking out.

"I totally support him and wish him all the best. It would really make my day if you could set up a meeting with me and George. I just want to shake that guy by the hand."

He also had nothing but praise for the Daily Mirror.

"I have one thing to say about the Mirror - it's amazing," he said. "The paper's stance on the war against terrorism is just right. It's so bold.

"The war against terrorism is terrorism. The whole thing is just bullsh*t. What you guys have done is very brave."

Woody - who was with his wife Laura and their two daughters Deni, nine, and five-year-old Zoe at the party at Adam Street private members' club - has been living in London for two months. He has homes in Hawaii and Costa Rica and proclaims to be a vegan, although he was gobbling up the canapes at the party.

"I love it over here, man," he grinned, sipping a pint of beer.

"I've been really busy but now the play has started I want to have a little fun. There's a little spot I go to but I'd rather not tell you where it is."

London cab driver Les Dartnell also attended the play.

In June Woody was wrestled to the ground by policemen and arrested after he went berserk in the back of Les's taxi. The cabbie said the star acted like a "caged animal".

Within minutes of Les picking the actor up from Chinawhite at 2am, Woody had trashed the cab. He then booted the door open and made a run for it.

Les dropped the charges after Woody paid him £542.96 and the two men shook hands after the play. "He said, 'No hard feelings'," said Woody. "He seemed like a nice guy. It's just one of those terrible circumstances."

[Ben Bolt]

Hey .. Thanks for the link . I found something I lost some time ago called the mythica encyclopedia . Thanks again !

[ErnBatavia]

Woody gives dopers a bad name.

Exactly what I was going to say; the "legalize drugs" crowd needs to keep his picture in refrigerator magnet form.......

[Ben Bolt]

In all honesty I have to assume you are taking some kind of silly poll here in FReeRepublic .. If you are sincere then I'm adding you to my ignore list .

It is not people who vent the frustrations that they have that divides us . It is the left and there like minded legions .

[Notwithstanding]

"Woody - who was with his wife Laura and their two daughters Deni, nine, and five-year-old Zoe at the party at Adam Street private members' club - has been living in London for two months. He has homes in Hawaii and Costa Rica and proclaims to be a vegan, although he was gobbling up the canapes at the party." A true man of the people. He proclaims to be a vegan just like Ted Kennedy proclaims to be a Catholic. For these guys its all about intentions - not acts. I suppose Woody intends to be a vegan (even while eating meat).

[TomB]

Reality is not a black and white entity, there are composite truths surrounding 911. As I witness the national dialog, as well as FR postings, I am disgusted by the demeanor of my fellow Americans.

Stick it in your ear, sparky.

[cubreporter]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[goodieD]

This twit needs to spend more time at his "air bar" in LA. I think he's a little short on oxygen.

[cubreporter]

Sounds like another fading star looking for face time.

[Bagehot]

I'm in the 'legalize drugs' crowd, and I think Woody Harrelson is an idiot. This type of piffle is lapped up by left-leaning Brit tabloid rags, and presented as a mainstream American view.

I'm not sure who's dumber, the idiot Hollywood wannabe liberal talking his own country down while eating smoked salmon and drinking champagne at a private London theatre party, or the idiot Brit journo who thinks what he says is anything other than background noise.

[cubreporter]

Thanks for that. Proves my point. Another fading star wanting face time. Probably had no clue who was where that horrible day. Probably didn't even know where he himself was either.

[Let's Roll]

You mean Woody Harrelson whose father murdered a federal judge in San Antonio - a contract killing - that Woody Harrelson?

[laconic]

I don't know whether Harrelson, Sr.'s inclusion in the three tramps in Dallas has been verified elsewhere. Verification is difficult because, astonishingly, the Dallas police released the three bums later that day on Nov. 22nd and either never took their identities or like so much else, "lost" their records. As I recall, the bums were right on the grassy knoll and then proceeded to walk down the railroad tracks (no reasons for their being in such a bizarre location relative to the School Book Depository). I guess we have to chalk it up to the endless blunders they made in the JFK assassination, just like losing Lyndon Johnson's cancelled check made out to "LH Oswald" (just kidding).

[laconic]

Yes, his father, Charles Harrelson, murdered federal district court Judge John Wood in Texas in the late 1970s.

[sharktrager]

Here's his resume:


Reel Radicals: The Sixties Revolution in Film (2002) (TV) (voice) .... Narrator
"Will & Grace" (1998) TV Series .... Nathan (2001)
American Saint (2000) .... Woody as Himself
Cheers: The E! True Hollywood Story (2000) (TV) .... Himself/Woody
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars (1999) (TV) .... Himself
Play It to the Bone (1999) .... Vince Boudreau
... aka Play It (1999) (USA: promotional title)
Grass (1999) (voice) .... Narrator
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) .... Himself
... aka Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) (USA: video title)
Edtv (1999) .... Ray Pekurny
... aka Ed TV (1999) (USA: poster title)
Welcome to Hollywood (1998) .... Himself
Hi-Lo Country, The (1998) .... Big Boy Matson
Thin Red Line, The (1998) .... Sergeant Keck
Monty Python's Flying Circus: Live at Aspen (1998) (TV).... Himself (audience)
... aka US Comedy Arts Festival Tribute to Monty Python (1998) (TV) (USA)
Palmetto (1998) .... Harry Barber
... aka Dumme sterben nicht aus (1998)
Wag the Dog (1997) .... Sgt. William Schumann
Welcome to Sarajevo (1997) .... Flynn
Sunchaser, The (1996) .... Dr. Michael Reynolds
People vs. Larry Flynt, The (1996) .... Larry Flynt
Kingpin (1996) .... Roy Munson
Money Train (1995) .... Charlies
Natural Born Killers (1994) .... Mickey Knox
Cowboy Way, The (1994) .... Pepper Lewis
I'll Do Anything (1994) .... Ground Zero Hero
Indecent Proposal (1993) .... David Murphy
White Men Can't Jump (1992) .... Billy Hoyle
Ted and Venus (1991) .... Homeless Vietnam Veteran
Doc Hollywood (1991) .... Hank Gordon
L.A. Story (1991) (uncredited) .... Harris' Boss
Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme (1990) (TV) .... Lou the Lamb
Cool Blue (1988) (V) .... Dustin
She's Having a Baby (1988) (uncredited) .... Cameo appearance
Killer Instinct (1988) (TV) .... Charlie Long
... aka Deadly Observation (1988) (TV) (USA: video box title)
Bay Coven (1987) (TV) .... Slater
... aka Devils of Bay Cove, The (1987) (TV)
... aka Eye of the Demon (1987) (TV)
... aka Strangers in Town (1987) (TV)
Wildcats (1986) .... Krushinski
... aka First and Goal (1986)
"Cheers" (1982) TV Series .... Huckleberry Tiberius 'Woody' Boyd (1985-1993)
Harper Valley P.T.A. (1978) (uncredited) .... Extra

[jwalsh07]

"I love it over here, man," he grinned, sipping a pint of beer.

I wonder if this asshole has a spare room for Alec.

[Thommas]

Woody - the poster boy for the War on Drugs: see kids, this is your brain on (drug de jour!)

[dubyagee]

There is a freeper who has on his home page a picture of the three tramps as they are being led away, only I can't remember who it is. I would love to find a picture of Harrelson to make a comparison, but did a google search and came up empty...

Anyway, thanks for the info. I read about the assassination alot in the late eighties. Looks like I may start again. 8 * )

[Richard Axtell]

Woody Harrelson's father is suspected of being one of the "Grassy Knoll" assassins of JFK. Combine that with Harrelson's persona and some of the roles he has played (Natural Born Killers, larry Flynt, etc.) and I would expect an anti-social, almost anarchic personality. His ill informed opinions reflect this, and doubtless he would become agitated and maybe violent if confronted with the hypocrisy and stupidity of his statements. He is just another feeble minded actor, spouting off about something he has not even a grasp of. His opinions are self discrediting.

[hattend]

He's one of Hollywood's hottest actors

He is? What's he been in that was any good?

Who would have thought that Woody Harrelson was not playing a roll Cheers. He really is an idiot.

[SunStar]

Prediction: Woody Harrelson will one day play the title role in "The Bobby Fischer Story".

Hell, he could also play John Walker-Lindh in a future movie called "The American Taliban"...