(Val) Kilmer comments rankle N.M. lawmaker (about needing to carry gun)

sacramento bee ^ | 10-6-03

[wheelgunguru]

PECOS, N.M. (AP) -- Actor Val Kilmer has been talking about New Mexico, and one state lawmaker didn't like what he heard.

Kilmer, who has a ranch in the mountains south of Pecos, was asked about living in rural New Mexico in an interview published in a recent edition of Rolling Stone.

Kilmer told the magazine he carries a gun in his car.

"I live in the homicide capital of the Southwest," Kilmer said. "Eighty percent of the people in my county are drunk. So driving home on the highway, especially with kids, it's (carrying a gun) just a precaution."

Kilmer was also asked how he spends his time. After talking about feeding the animals and going to the watering hole, he put on a hick accent and said: "We shoot the automatic weapons at the trespassers and people a different color than us."

State Sen. Phil Griego, whose district includes Kilmer's ranch and who lives nearby, said Friday that if the actor doesn't like San Miguel County he's welcome to leave.

"He's shooting from the hip and he's espousing stuff he really doesn't know anything about," Griego said.

The lawmaker said the actor lives behind a gate and doesn't know his community.

A call to Kilmer's agent requesting an explanation of the actor's remarks was not returned.

John Hendry of the state tourism department said Kilmer actually loves New Mexico and its people.

"I don't believe for a minute he meant any of it. I know him and I have a feeling that you had to be there" to understand Kilmer's perhaps sardonic intent, Hendry said.

[truthandjustice1]

"I'm your huckleberry."

You're a daisy if you do.

[Cincinatus]

I'm your huckleberry.

"Say when!"

[wjcsux]

I have lived in NM for almost 20 years. You don't really want to go anywhere in this state without your gun. Crime isn't real high here, citizens with guns keep it that way.

[Roughneck]

He has asked for police assistance. The local sherriff's office is reluctant to act because, as they told him, they fear being sued for racial profiling, and the commander of the local state police barracks had to be ordered to act by the Commander of the NM State Police.


New Mexico has a demonrat for governor. He can not be expected to protect american citizens when it's the illegal mexicans keeping him in office. . . He likes to use New Mexico as a hide-out for texas democrats as well, but protect his own? Bah! Hum Bug!

[wardaddy]

I read hick accent as a Southern accent.

Whew!!....I feel better. I thought for a second there that they might actually have hicks in New Mexico as well.

[wardaddy]

She never set foot in the south

That's too bad. She sounds like she would have been mighty welcome.

[Redbob]

"It is certainly a sad state of affairs when a business owner who walks from his office to his car at night has to carry a 45 auto and a Rossi 12 ga double bbl Coach Gun."

No, it's a sad state of affairs when someone is prohibited from doing so, as he would be if his business were in New York City.

[Redbob]

I love New Mexico too, and vacation there frequently - and I always carry a .45!

[wardaddy]

LoL ....girls, pickups and oral fetish.....sounds great!

I used to know the Tesque area myself as a boy. My dad almost bought a place that borders Rancho Encantado in the early 80s. I have a branch of the family in Santa Fe and my dad was borned in Artesia.

I think Tesque is a bit north of that ranch/resort is it not?

[sandydipper]

Best one liner ever "I'll be your huckleberry." Gives me chills to this day.

[taxed2death]

....add to this sad matter the statement that Pinhead in charge Tom Ridge made...."we cannot close the borders for political and cultural reasons"..........by close, he meant seal off areas between legal border crossings.


Hope you sleep soundly tonight.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I've been wondering what he's been doing lately. He hasn't made any movies in ages has he?

I imagine he'd be sorry to hear you say that since he's in the movie, Wonderland, which opened this past weekend. (Allbeit in very limited release.)

[Armedanddangerous]

Of course Bob, you are correct. But, here's the thing. Bill tells me that no one he knows goes out after dark unarmed. He notes that even a trip to the local grocery store is an interesting experience. You might be behind a construction worker with a holstered revolver, or another with a large bowie knife.

They know all too well that there are goblins out there who will bite you if given half a chance.

I CCW in West Virginia as a choice. In Las Vegas NM, he has no CHOICE but to carry, if he wants to live to retire.

[whereasandsoforth]

I don't recall Val Kilmer ever being particularly political. He has been quite about his person life. He has played some good characters in some good movies. I know he refused to do nude scenes. He had a body double in "The Doors". But what is he now? 50? Too late to be righteous about nude scenes.

[ValerieUSA]

He is observant, funny, irreverant and he has a cool name.

[wardaddy]

and the Salton Sea which I thought was quite good though un-nerving by it's nature.....much better than it's imitator "SPUN".

Kilmer is like Malkovich or Walken or any other interesting eccentric actor. He's fun to watch even in bad movies.



His Doc Holiday was as good as it gets in a modern Western.

[Muleteam1]

There is little doubt that New Mexico has a problem with drunken drivers. Basically it is a clash of new and old cultures. Just last year Santa Fe finally saw fit to close all drive-thru windows. This angered older residents who were used to driving with a Bud in hand. I am old enough to recall the days when most saloons in rural New Mexico were always located between two small communities so business could be derived from both communities. It seemed like every rural bar was named Half-Way, Mid-Way, Middle of the Road, or some other name indicating its advantageous location. One old saloon at Logan, NM was called The Road To Ruin; not a name that would go over well in most places in the US. Its a hard lesson for old timers to realize that the freedom they once enjoyed has been supplanted by the need to protect their more numerous neighbors. Once a State which had to tell potential visitors that they did not need a VISA to visit has been discovered and is finally moving into the twentieth century. Someday it will move into the twenty-first whenever it decides to become a red state on the election map instead of a blue one.

Muleteam1

[MJemison]

Yes, and how about this one after the gunfight: "My hypocrisy only goes so far." He was perfectly cast as Doc Holliday. Tombstone is one of my favorite movies of all time!

[suijuris]

Ha, yeah that was his other personality talking. He sounds like he's just full of love for the people of New Mexico. Why is there always someone around to make excuses for celebrities when they open their mouths and make fools out of themselves? Oh lighten up Reagan. Are "why did the chicken cross the road jokes" the only acceptable humor now days? It takes at least a minimal amount of intellect to serve up sarcasm; which apparently takes too much thought for many dumdbed down Americans to understand.

[Cooter]

I thought for a second there that they might actually have hicks in New Mexico as well.

Only the imported ones like me.