Posted on 02/24/2003 1:20:59 PM PST by God'sgrrl
Web users protest celeb activism
Mon Feb 24, 2:47 AM ET
By Paul Bond
LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- If Sean Penn (news), Mike Farrell (news), Martin Sheen (news) and other celebrity activists are interested in what the masses think of their noisy antiwar activism, they might want to surf the Internet -- though they probably won't like what they read.
Internet bloggers are mostly denouncing the celebrity activists, and some are even calling for boycotts of movies and TV shows featuring specific actors. One angry Internet surfer even advocates a boycott of Blockbuster and Wal-Mart for daring to sell movies starring Sean Penn, known as much nowadays for his film work as he is for his recent trip to Iraq.
And naturally, there is online art that pokes fun at actor-activists, including the piece at right that resides at StrangeCosmos.com.
But probably getting the most publicity online is Lori Bardsley. A stay-at-home mom in North Carolina, she has collected 33,000 signatures on her Internet petition that basically asks Hollywood activists to keep their opinions to themselves.
Sheen, Farrell, Tim Robbins (news), Rob Reiner (news), Barbra Streisand (news) and others "are using their celebrity to interfere with the defense of our country," asserts her petition, "Citizens Against Celebrity Pundits."
She promises to deliver the petition, which can be found at iPetitions.com, to certain actors. "It's blowing me away; the petition has gone through e-mail like wildfire," Bardsley said.
She added: "I've given a voice to many Americans who are brokenhearted. Hollywood has gone too far. We love movies, and it bothers Americans that celebrities are tearing down the country, leading rallies that compare President Bush (news - web sites) to Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) and Hitler."
The petition has caught the attention of at least one celebrity activist, Janeane Garofalo (news), who has been carrying on an e-mail conversation with Bardsley.
"I wanted so desperately for Lori to understand me; I don't even know why," Garofalo said. "She has so much passion, as I do, and I love that."
Bardsley is specifically upset about what she says are anti-American comments from Susan Sarandon (news), Jessica Lange (news), George Clooney (news), Dustin Hoffman (news), Penn, Sheen and Farrell. "I'm a huge movie buff," she said. "But I'll choose to watch other films that don't star them."
Bardsley's sentiments are echoed in a May survey for The Hollywood Reporter that suggests 44% of American might not pay to see movies starring activist-celebrities they disagree with.
Such attitudes,though, don't bother Garofalo.
"It would be a problem if Dick Cheney (news - web sites) starts casting movies," she jokes. "The people who would boycott me, I probably don't want in my comedy audience anyway. We should just agree to disagree.
"If it happens that people stop coming to see me, I can go into another line of work."
Nice manners babe....
$1000 dollars says it won't be modeling.
Have you seen her?
"If it happens that people stop coming to see me, I can go into another line of work." -garafalo
I thought she already did.
Has she made a movie since that superhero bomb she did with Ben Stiller?
Been doing that for a while now. I just don't enjoy movies anymore the way I used to, knowing that I'm contributing to the fortunes of those who are so hypocritical as to tear down this country, all the while enriching themselves by taking advantage of the benefits we have here.
They all have a right to express their misguided opinions, but I'm certainly not going to reward them anymore.
They're actors for crying out loud, not statesmen. When actors worked for the good of the country, back in the old days of WWII, fine. At least they weren't trying to destroy the country that gave them so much. But now, it's just absurd.
And I love movies too, but I've just had it with a lot of these people.
Maybe someone should send Janeane Garofolo a link to FR; she needs to hear and read something besides the old anti-US garbage that is so prominent in Hollyweird these days.
The Truth About Cats and Dogs (1996)was just on this weekend on HBO....my stepson's fiance, who just LOVES that movie got upset because I kept shooting Garafalo with rubber darts...he he he...
It's amazing how so few people have a grasp on who really spends the bulk of the cash on entertainment and other "luxury" expenses in this country. Hint: It AIN'T the folks these people are usually "championing" or the people supporting the same causes as the celebrity.
It's also disgusting how much power we as a country have afforded celebrities but that's its own topic.
MM
You are positively out of your mind. She's a pig.
That reminds me of what Roger Hedgecock was saying today while subbing for Rush. Apparently Disney is remaking the movie "The Alamo" and is going to rewrite history with it. Making us the bad guys of course! Old Walt must be spinning in his grave these days.
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