Thousands of Americans want to oust their president. The anti-war one, that is

The Guardian ^ | Tuesday March 4, 2003 | Duncan Campbell in Los Angeles

[John Lenin]

Thousands of Americans want to oust their president. The anti-war one, that is

Duncan Campbell in Los Angeles
Tuesday March 4, 2003
The Guardian

Pressure is growing for the president to lose his job because of his uncompromising stance on the war. That's President Bartlet, as played by Martin Sheen in the hit television series, The West Wing.

Sheen has been one of the leading figures in the anti-war movement, addressing rallies and spearheading the "virtual match" on Washington last week in which legislators were deluged with a million emails, phone calls and faxes.

NBC is under pressure to sack him from its hit show or face a boycott or withdrawal of advertising. Sheen said in Los Angeles the channel's executives had indicated that his high profile could damage the show and had called on him to explain his views. He had also received thousands of hate emails, been accused of being a traitor and accosted in the street.

Many actors and singers are being lambasted by conservative talk show hosts for expressing their opposition to the war. A website, Citizens Against Celebrity Pundits, has been launched, for "American citizens [who] stand against wealthy Hollywood celebrities abusing their status to speak for us".

The site calls for donations for ads to counter the anti-war movement. "We believe that celebrities Martin Sheen, Mike Farrell, Tim Robbins, Rob Reiner, Barbra Streisand and others with them are using their celebrity to interfere with the defence of our country," says the site.

Last week, Fox News, the conservative cable news station, published a poll which concluded that two thirds of those interviewed wanted celebrities to remain silent on politics.

Organisers of the anti-war ads signed by actors and musicians say they are necessary because the mainstream American media has been reluctant to give coverage to the anti-war movement and the cable news channels are overwhelmingly pro-war.

Last week a full page ad in the New York Times quoted former Nato supreme commander Wesley Clark saying that invading Iraq would "supercharge recruiting for al-Qaida". It was signed by around 50 musicians, including Lou Reed, Sheryl Crow, Massive Attack, and REM.

[way-right-of-center]

I don't know about telephone or fax numbers, but the email address is Thewestwing@nbc.com

[Kaslin]

Since I have never watched West Wing nor ever will, it's hard to boycott if you don't know who the advertisers are

[dighton]

Marlons, Garrs, it's a fishy world.

[CFC__VRWC]

I'd never do such a thing. I don't watch West Wing, though i'd have started if the rumor about adding Robert Duvall to the cast had come true. In any case, Martin Sheen has a right to his views, and he shouldn't lose his job because of them. If NBC cans him, or silences him, I'll be as outraged as anybody. How's that any better than what happened to Dr. Laura? Disagree with him--heaven knows I do--but leave him alone.

It's a fine line and I can understand your concern, but Mr. Sheen has chosen to shove his political views in all our faces by abusing his special access to the media, access that you or I could never dream of having. Not to mention, he does it with his character's persona.

I happen to have very strong political views (why else would I be here?). However, I don't make a habit of making a big issue of my politics at work, and I surely don't parade them in front of clients. If I start hammering away at clients with political opinions and offend them to the point where they take their business elsewhere, I'm not going to keep my job very long, and there are probably very few people who would disagree with my company letting me go for chasing customers away like this.

This is exactly what Martin Sheen is doing - getting into his customers' faces and bellowing out loud that unless we agree with him, we're stupid, unenlightened, racist murderers. By using his President Bartlett character to promote his message, he's even using company resources to insult and bully the client. If this guy is going to cost his boss (NBC) money by driving away the business, I think NBC would be remiss if they DIDN'T let their concerns be known.

[way-right-of-center]

Me neither, but I am not above sending some nasty emails to their advertisers if someone can identify them. The fact we don't watch can be our little secret.

[CaptRon]

Martin Sheen is in a business that produces nothing and his very employment depends on his appeal to the public. Unless he's not as smart as he thinks he is, he should know this. His employment is at the mercy of the public. We should have no more concern about his continued employment than he does about ours, especially because his employment is dependent upon how the public views him, a fact he should also know. He has no more expectation to be employed if he pisses of his employers, US, than I would if I pissed off my boss.

[goodnesswins]

A "Bartlet" is a pear...only usually it's spelled with two t's at the end.

[reformed_dem]

....mainstream American media has been reluctant to give coverage to the anti-war movement....

It seems to me that's ALL they want to cover.

[gaucho]

Do you have addresses and phone numbers? Please post.

To send feedback and comments on The West Wing, email: TheWestWing@nbc.com

Keep in mind that Mr. Sheen is entitled to his opinions but I do feel that he has a high profile that needs to be toned down and is irresponsible. I am pretty tired at these "celebs" who don't have a firm grasp on facts spewing because we don't have a democrat in the White House. I'm sure if Clinton was doing this they would be lining up to unzip his pants.

Other contact info for NBC:

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/header/Executive_Bios/

Write to:
Viewer Relations
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

[Tennessee_Bob]

Read the second sentence of the article.

[John Lenin]

NBC Programming Email

[gaucho]

If they fail to remove him....we should insist that NBC change the Sheen show's name to THE LEFT WING!

In the East Coast we refer to the West Coast as the Left Coast. LOL.

[dts32041]

Actually it could turn into a wet dream according to Kip adonna (sp).

[NJJ]

Mr. Sheen has chosen to shove his political views in all our faces

I don't have a problem with him embarrassing himself. I'm sure he honestly believes that most of the US little people agree with him. This comes from too much Hollywood inbreeding and their just having to be loved by everyone. The attention he is now getting no doubt is a big surprise and once the Iraqi people rejoice over their newfound freedoms, there will be a lot of explaining to do by this crowd.

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

The only reason the producers give a damn about his views, is because his views affect the show's ratings. They would not be suppressing his right to free speech. They would be ridding themselves of a person whose off-stage image/antics decreases his on-stage worth.

[ellery]

Sheen has a right to his own stupid opinions, and others have a right to boycott him. But I think this would just make a martyr of him, without doing anything to convince people how idiotic some of his views are.

[longtermmemmory]

Liberals/leftists/socialists who use the freedom of speech to silence conservative voices or just voices that disagree, abdicate the right to free speech. Sheen and his ilk gave up their rights with every knee jerk blame america first. This scum has NEVER sent a message to hussain to disarm, This so called actor and/or politician wanabe only demands in the free society, he makes no demands in the dictatorship.

[Seeking the truth]

Re: Impeach Bartlett bumper stickers.

Design one to 3.5" x 10" size. Use as many colors as you wish.

I have the capability of making bumper stickers as part of my Ocents Stamp Business

I can make bumper stickers, in any quantity.

Contact me at 0cents@0cents.com if you have any interest.

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm? Why don't you propose that to NBC and tell them - they will recover any lost revenue and even more!!!

Money talks!

[CyberAnt]

Actually, it's been fairly mild lately - ever since Rush pointed out who the organizers of protests were (Communists and Marxists), and the protestors were not carrying any signs against Sadaam - but only signs against Bush.