BOYCOTT SCHMOYCOTT

Moi ^ | April 16, 2003 | THE BELOVED DEB

[Deb]

I love Ed Harris. Ed Harris is gorgeous. He's a brilliant actor who brings power and believability to every character he plays.

So infinite is my love for the palomino-haired Harris and his swoon-inducing jaw of desire, that when he refused to stand in respect for Elia Kaza's acceptance of a Life Achievement Oscar a few years ago, I let it pass.

Yes, I thought it was childish and petty for the otherwise perfect Harris to sit with his arms folded petulantly and his crystalline baby-blue eyes sternly staring daggers of condemnation at one of Hollywood's most gifted directors. And all because Kazan cared more about his country than his politics. But, I thought, lots of people are misinformed about the days of the Hollywood Ten and I figured Ed would eventually come around. Heck, maybe I could save him.

Then came the NARAL dinner.

There was my beloved saying some very harsh (and goofy) things about my president not being "a real man". Yikes.

Eddie, Eddie, Eddie...come back to the light, mon cherie. Quel disappointment. I casually checked to see if his butt was a tight and high as ever and, sure enough, it was perfection. Unfortunately, Ed himself seemed a tad dumber. Was that possible?

I decided to kill the taste of the troublesome NARAL event by watching my Academy tape of "A Beautiful Mind". Harris is so good and so yummy in that movie that I just knew it would drive all unwanted negative images of my, possibly brain-damaged, idol out of my mind. I took comfort in the notion that the object of my desire had probably been bullied and corrupted by his shrill and contolling (shudder) wife (who was not only not good enough for him, but also aging badly).

As I watched Harris go about creating the character that brought him an Oscar nomination, my heart sank with a huge splash. All I could see was the childish, petty Harris who sat so hatefully, with his arms folded and his humanity diminished while a truly great man received a much deserved (and much delayed) tribute.

I contorted uncomfortably in my seat. Beads of pearly sweat danced on my brow. This wasn't good. Yummy people couldn't become flavorless or worse...inedible (!) over-night! Could they?

I raced to my library of films and yanked out "The Truman Show". Besides "The Right Stuff", where Harris played uber-hero, astronaut and ultimately, cranky Senator John Glenn, his lip-puckering, Oscar-winning portrayal of the beret-wearing TV director in "The Truman Show", is surely his manliest.

Uh, oh! Could it be? Instead of dreamy, he seemed cruel and self-obsessed. Desperately, I exchanged "The Truman Show" DVD for "Pollock". In "Pollock" his talent was electric. He was born to play this complicated man and he had been rewarded with yet another Oscar nomination.

But as I watched my future husband recreate the flawed genius who was Jackson Pollock...I thought he looked short.

I ran to the window and screamed down the hill to the cocooned drivers on the Hollywood freeway, "THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!!!!!"

But it was. I had lost my passion for Ed Harris. The blindness of my love had been cured. And why? I'll tell you why...because of his arrogant need to make me hear his stupid political views! This, in turn, forced me to see him as mortal, fallible and jerky. The idol had fallen. And I noticed it had a bald spot.

And so it has been with other "celebrities", actors, singers and acid-tongued comedians I used to hold dear.

Now that she parrots Gaulish, left-wing Democrat talking points, Janeane Garofalo just doesn't seem so brilliantly funny. And to me, George Clooney is no longer the new Clark Gable. Dustin Hoffman has become the Rain Man. Ed Begley always gave me the creeps so no loss there, but I have liked Jim Carrey since "In Living Color" and I thought Ben Affleck had a real future as a leading man (in spite of "Sum of All Fears"). Now I can't bear to look at any of them.

I'll never buy another Barbra Streisand CD. And not because of any boycott, but just because she doesn't seem that gifted anymore. Likewise, Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, Michael Stipe and Madonna. In fact, as soon as some bonehead entertainer stands under a "No Blood For Oil" sign or wears a stupid anti-war T-shirt (paging Viggo Mortensen), my brain creates some kind of celebrity anti-virus and makes me immune to their talent.

Example: Jessica Lange's nose has never seemed so smushed against her face.

So all the show biz guilds and unions can save their breath whining about "McCarthyism" and "punishing Americans for speaking out". The anti-virus in my brain isn't listening. It has decided that being for this country and its president, is more compelling, sexy and entertaining than being against. I have no control over my feelings.

Tom Selleck once said (and I'm paraphrasing) "I don't know that I ever lost a job because of my politics, but I know I never got one."

Selleck is a patriot, a conservative and a Republican who, though gorgeous and hugely popular, has seen his career fade while nothing Robert Downey Jr. does renders him unemployable.

I have a feeling that now that this war is pretty much in the history books and our president is free to move on to domestic issues, the sour smells that emanated from the Martin Sheens, Sean Penns and Tim Robbins', will make them impossible to watch. Americans just might demand that Tom Selleck be elected to "The West Wing". They may find themselves immune to its current star.

[Deb]

And that goes double for french crap.

[Pearls Before Swine]

And that goes double for french crap.

It just doesn't taste (wine, cheese) or smell as good (perfume) as it used to.

[Right Wing Professor]

Great piece, Deb.

[newgeezer]

Cute.

:-)

[RooRoobird14]

Ed Harris was at 10+ on the hunky scale in "The Right Stuff." But alas, he's proven in real life to be as big a panty waist as Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon.

Harris is on my boycott list from now on for his vicious rants against President Bush. He's a disgrace to the marine uniforn he wore, even if it was just for a movie role. I'll bet the real U.S. Marines wouldn't give Harris the time of day if they heard the nasty things Harris has said about President Bush.

[Bahbah]

"his swoon-inducing jaw of desire...."
LOL. I especially loved this.

[joesnuffy]

Selleck is a patriot, a conservative and a Republican who, though gorgeous and hugely popular, has seen his career fade while nothing Robert Downey Jr. does renders him unemployable.

Yep and if we as "conservatives" threw our tv sets on the lawns of every tv station in america along with all our cds dvds vcrs and home theater equipment... We would probably do what.....go nuts..... READ BOOKS....spend more time talking to our friends family....Our Kids... yet we devote all our precious time on earth to the financial support and king making of these freakin losers no these traitorous haters of our souls... in Hollywood, Music Sports News & Politics... The cult of the personality ......is killin us

[Mamzelle]

Palimino-haired?

He's *bald*.

[Atlas Sneezed]

He also did a fine job portraying the patriotic, buzz-cut, Marine Corp, Sousa-playing, steely-eyed-missle-man, Apollo hero Flight Director Gene Kranz, in Apollo 13, another casting against type.

These Hollywood loons need to learn that they are not necessarily good at anything besides playing "pretend."

[js1138]

The real John Glen turned out to be no better. Down on his knees in a heartbeat in exchange for a Shuttle ride.

[BunnySlippers]

I have never seen a West Wing. But do they ever have elections?

[Petronski]

I know how you feel, Deb. Oh how I have looked forward to visiting Normandy this spring...and even now I'd still like to see it again. But I know I could not enjoy it, because as good as the people of Normandy are, I would not be able to put out of my mind how my visit was also enriching all of France, even by my modest hospitality budget. I'd like to go to visit the France of 1999 (the last time I visited), when the American administration was just as putridly, perfidiously socialist as the French, and the sting was not nearly as bad in contrast.

[RooRoobird14]

You're right. The real John Glenn ended up being as big of a Clinton apologist/loser as John Kerry. Both are scumbag politicians first, veterans second.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Love the essay! But you could improve it by avoiding the smattering of (dare I say "french"?) words throughout. After all, if we are going to boycott, it must be complete! No more "eff" phrases! They no longer sound intellectual.

BTW, I noticed that cases and cases of "eff" wine in my supermarket were marked at $5.77/bottle, while the California varieties have held their prices at $10 - $15.00/bottle! Living well is the best revenge!

[onedoug]

How much are studios paying audiences to go see their films these days?

[mabelkitty]

I heard he had a very serious affair with Melanie Griffith. Is that true?

[Charlesj]

There was something about Harris' and Nolte's refusal to applaud Elia Kazan that bothered me a lot more than their and others' political ranting. Perhaps because Kazan was about 90. Perhaps because his talent was SO much larger than theirs. But I now avoid films with Harris, like Pollack or whatever it's called. I do think Alec Baldwin is a good character actor. The rest are all wimps (except Nolte, who's just nuts).

[nothingnew]

Do you write for some romance magazine?....Crikees!

FMCDH

[Fred Mertz]

I really liked the character Andy Dufresne in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION.

[Rummyfan]

Sigh.... Jessica Lange in TOOTSIE and MEN DON'T LEAVE...... now I can't watch her any more.

Cheryl Crow - THE GLOBE SESSSIONS one of my fav CDs .... not anymore.

Actually thought BULL DURHAM was a pretty funny slice-of-life in the minor leagues and the Costner character Crash Davis was a closet conservative (evidence: his speech to the Sarandon character about what he believes in). And Nuke Laloosh - I think that IS Tim Robbins!

These people are entertainers - when they open their mouths in the real world to opine on real subjects and reveal themselves to be a couple bricks shy of a load, it disappoints us.

One last note - I have never watched nor ever will watch THE WEST WING!

[Rummyfan]

Just couldn't get past my disgust with Alec Baldwin playing Jimmy Doolittle in PEARL HARBOR. Ugh - that America-hater portraying one of the greatest heroes of the twentieth century? Outrageous!

[Frohickey]

Americans just might demand that Tom Selleck be elected to "The West Wing". They may find themselves immune to its current star.

Hmm... Tom Selleck as President in "The West Wing". He did make a TV movie, 'Running Mates'.

[Ukiapah Heep]

Yep, them awful words are comming from them pretty mouths! It's been the big splitsville between me and a lot of liberal friends and relatives over this one! I can't abide their blather, coddling and cooing over Muslim fanatic murderers and their lickspittle European protectors.

[Frohickey]

ep and if we as "conservatives" threw our tv sets on the lawns of every tv station in america along with all our cds dvds vcrs and home theater equipment... We would probably do what.....go nuts..... READ BOOKS....spend more time talking to our friends family....Our Kids... yet we devote all our precious time on earth to the financial support and king making of these freakin losers no these traitorous haters of our souls... in Hollywood, Music Sports News & Politics... The cult of the personality ......is killin us

Unfortunately, that is true. But fortunately, not all of my disposable income is spent buying TVs, home entertainment systems, CDs, DVDs, videotapes.

They are spent on better things.... like Homeland Defense Rifles. :)

[lonevoice]

Deb, very well done! It's ironic that the media doesn't obsessively report the political opinions of high fashion super models. Somehow we (the consumers) don't confuse intellectual capacity and looking pretty. So, I've never understood why we assign any importance at all to the political opinions of those who play dress-up while reciting words written by others. We (generic we) are the eager audience that attends to the media's breathless reporting of Sarandon's et al brainless blather. If we didn't care what actors think, the media wouldn't be able to sell magazines that inform us of it.

The cognitive dissonance of the cult of celebrity troubles me enough that I chide those who find it relevant what any entertainer thinks, be it Charlton Heston or Barbara Streisand. If we quit listening to or repeating what they think, maybe they'd all just shut up and do what they're paid such obscene amounts of money to do...entertain us. As it is, we've been willing accomplices to the death of our simple pleasure of enjoying talent.

[DeFault User]

You seem to have had one of these---

From Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: an·ag·no·ri·sis
Pronunciation: "a-"nag-'nor-&-s&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural an·ag·no·ri·ses /-"sEz/
Etymology: Greek anagnOrisis, from anagnOrizein to recognize, from ana- + gnOrizein to make known; akin to Greek gnOrimos well-known, gignOskein to come to know -- more at KNOW
Date: circa 1800
: the point in the plot especially of a tragedy at which the protagonist recognizes his or her or some other character's true identity or discovers the true nature of his or her own situation

[habs4ever]

Does JRD know about this obsession you have? lol

[habs4ever]

I'm curious, but did you ever write to TeenBeat about David Cassidy? So many flashbacks, Deberoo....the prose is almost the same ;-)

[Alex Murphy]

He also did a fine job portraying the patriotic, buzz-cut, Marine Corp, Sousa-playing, steely-eyed-missle-man, Apollo hero Flight Director Gene Kranz, in Apollo 13, another casting against type.

Ed *had* been one of my favorite actors because of his work in that film, and in The Abyss - but mostly because Gene Kranz is a personal hero of mine, and any guy who plays Gene Kranz can't be all bad, right?

Wrong.

Like you, Deb, I can't watch Eddy anymore (and I'm not staring at his body parts, so get that thought out of your mind right this instant). I'll never give up my DVDs of Apollo 13 and The Abyss, but I'm tired of Eddy's chromium cranium reflecting the Left's highbeams into my eyes. Ed comes off my "must watch" list.

[McGavin999]

That is EXACTLY the way I feel. After hearing a bunch of pap from these guys I suddenly can't seem to get into their acting. There is a huge stop sign in front of them as they try to portray a "hero" that makes my minds say, uh uh no longer realistic.

Gee, wonder what happens to entertainers who are no longer entertaining?

[amused]

Selleck as a GOP replacement President on West Wing???

Magnum as Commander in Chief?

I could dig that.

[cricket]

"Selleck is a patriot, a conservative and a Republican who, though gorgeous and hugely popular, has seen his career fade while nothing Robert Downey Jr. does renders him unemployable. "

. . .The truth of Libs is that there is none. . .and yes, these folks look really bad without it.

[cricket]

"Tom Selleck once said (and I'm paraphrasing) "I don't know that I ever lost a job because of my politics, but I know I never got one."

Welcome to your world, Tim. . .

. . .and thanks Deb, for the great read 8^)

[Leatherneck_MT]

Harris wouldn't be hired to pop a pimple on a real Marines ass. That maggot has already been thrown out of my house and I will never watch anything he stars in ever again. Matter of fact my wife and I have agreed that there will no longer be any movie going for us.

The Hollywierd elitists have done their job very well. They have alienated far too many of their one time fans.

Semper Fi

[wimpycat]

Well done, Deb! This is a very good piece. I know how you feel. I think Ed Harris is h-o-t, HOT! But the thing is with these actors is that what we really like about them is the illusion they create, not the man himself. Ed Harris is a pompous, misguided prick, if you ask me, but I won't take his acting ability away. Fair's fair. He's still a good actor. I wish these Hollywood loonies would just keep their mouths shut when they're not on the job. I don't give a crap what they think, I just want to be entertained. But them spewing their stupid crap intrudes on the illusion and ruins the whole thing for me.

[spodefly]

Good post, Deb.

You are feeling the same thing I have as regards actors/entertainers that have inserted themselves into the public political dialogue. The relationship that each of has with someone on-screen (or whose music is emanating from a CD) is a fragile thing. We suspend disbelief, and let that person that we know is an actor become the character in that film. This is essential to enjoying that film.

What is happening now is that I no longer see the character, I see a pampered, elitist, outspoken, silly, whatever person pretending to be something that they obviously are not. I watched that Bruce Willis flick, Mercury Rising, the other night and every time Alec Baldwin was on screen I did not see the character he played, I saw some smug SOB that, if he had a grain of integrity, would be living in France now. When Baldwin went into his speech about 'patriots' and 'each of us playing our parts' I couldn't help but call BS at the screen. Would I ever want to see a film where Alec Baldwin was the central character -- probably not. Too much work on my part to overlook the obvious and lose myself in the story.

Their careers are fragile, not because of a boycott, but because they ask alot of us in return for our suspension of disbelief in enjoying their craft. Anything that makes this dynamic more difficult diminishes their appeal at the box office.

[Deb]

Yep. Alec Baldwin has talked himself into the Hollywood Squares' permanent center square.

Nice career move, Alec.

[doug from upland]

Congrats for one of the best ever vanities on FR.

[Deb]

Speaking of Marines...Harvey Keitel (ex-Marine), recently said all young American men should be required to serve in the military. He said it would make them into men and give them the life experience nothing else could.

Harvey has become my newest hero...plus I've seen all his naughty bits in "The Piano".

[mrs fat city]

I have always liked his work too, and am disappointed to here that he is a member of the "hollywood hall of shame" Ever see him as the freaky psycho death row murder in "Just Cause" - just amazing. I am also sorry to see Ed Norton say it was nice to be in France and Germany because it has been a long time since he was in a country that is not ashamed of their government. Great actor - BAD STATEMENT. What kills me is these people have such inflated opinions of themselves, that they actually think that ANYONE CARES what they think. They are not nearly as important as they believe they are. NO ONE CARES. Be quiet and make movies Hollywood!!!

[mrs fat city]

Just thought of this - Where are the comments lately from Julia "Bush is NOT MY President" Roberts ? She has been awfully quiet. Maybe her new husband told her to stop whining.

[Deb]

(shhhh)

[Deb]

Thanks, Doug. That's very sweet.

I saw "A Mighy Wind" today. It's the mockumentary from Christopher Guest and Michael McKean spoofing the folk era. Very funny. You'd love the fake folk music. It's much sweeter than "This is Spinal Tap", but not quite as funny.

[reformed_dem]

Excellent piece, Deb. It's so maddening when you hear the drivel that comes out of an entertainer's mouth. My list of actors that I would watch is getting smaller and smaller. If we wanted to listen to them spout politics, we would vote them into office, since they are not politicians, they should shut their flaps and ACT.

[Deb]

Both Ed Norton and his girlfiend Salma Hayek, take every opportunity to trash Bush and the US. They're especially obnoxious when out of the country.

[Deb]

The last thing I remember coming from Ms. Roberts was,

"Republican comes between reprehensible and reptile in the Dictionary".

I don't know what that means, but I don't think she likes us.

[doug from upland]

FOLK SONG

[timydnuc]

When it comes to a boycott of hollywood, I do it my way. We go to our cabin with no computer and an old antanna tower TV. We have a CD player, but we have films like "Patriot". We have a family of Bald Eagles that just had 2 babies. I can stand on the front pourch of my cabin and watch these birds play, and hunt. I can stand on my dock and fly fish in the morning, before the sun sets it's self in the morning sky. I can fix a pot of coffee and wake my wife with breakfast in bed, after I have done early morning fishing in my boat. That can't come close to watching some movie, most of which are a waste of time. We have 4 channels on the TV up there, but we don't watch much. We use the CD for music more than movies. A good fire at the end of the day is just perfect for the end of the day. That's entertainment! I move slower at our cabin, I'm in true relax mode. We don't worry, we just live a life of relax.

Hollywood wants to control our lives by what they produce, but we have the choice. I wish all of you could have the enjoyment we have from our cabin. It is an investment that endures our lives. It's our island of sanity in the rat race of the life that we live.

[InterceptPoint]

Wonderful piece Deb.

What you are experiencing I have been practicing for at least 10 years now. Surfing the DirectTV movie channels is an interesting experience. I check out the movie to see what it's about and glance at the actors and directors to allow my version of your virus to react. It works perfectly on Woddie Allen and Whoopi Goldberg, Barbra Streisand, Susan YouKnowWho and her mate Tim WhatsHisName and many, many others. I haven't seen any of their stuff in so long I can't remember what they even look like.

[nunya bidness]

I ran to the window and screamed down the hill to the cocooned drivers on the Hollywood freeway, "THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!!!!!"

When did you move? East or West hills?