Actors Guild Warns Against Blacklisting

AP ^ | 3-4-03 | N/A

[EggsAckley]

Actors Guild Warns Against Blacklisting

Tue Mar 4,10:08 AM ET

LOS ANGELES - The entertainment industry must not blacklist people who speak out against war with Iraq the Screen Actors Guild.

"Some have recently suggested that well-known individuals who express `unacceptable' views should be punished by losing their right to work," the union said in a statement posted Monday on its Web site.

"Even a hint of the blacklist must never again be tolerated in this nation," the statement added.

The reference was to the Hollywood blacklist of the 1950s, when actors and writers suspected of harboring pro-Communist sentiments were barred from working.

"During this shameful period, our own industry prostrated itself before smear campaigns and witch hunters rather than standing on the principles articulated in the nation's fundamental documents," the statement said.

Martin Sheen recently said top executives at NBC had "let it be known they're very uncomfortable" with his outspoken opposition to war with Iraq.

Sheen, who plays the president on the "The West Wing," said the network fears his position will hurt the show. An NBC spokeswoman responded that network executives have expressed no such concerns.

In a lawsuit filed last month, actor Sean Penn accused producer Steve Bing of reneging on an agreement to pay him $10 million to star in a proposed movie called "Why Men Shouldn't Marry" after Penn said he was against war with Iraq. Bing denied the allegation in a countersuit, saying Penn pulled out of the project.

[EggsAckley]

Just love watching the hollyweenies self-destruct.

[Bommer]

The entertainment industry must not blacklist people who speak out against war with Iraq the Screen Actors Guild.

...but its still OK to blacklist anyone who is Conservative!

[Lexington Green]

If you go to movies, you support terrorism.

[mushroom]

Does this mean I HAVE to go to the movies or I'm a McCarthyite?

[KalDot]

I agree with Glenn Beck this morning saying that the "Not in My Name" crowd will be reminded "not in their name" when the Iraquis have the freedom that our United States of America gained for them! No thanks to martin sheen, babs, crow, etc....you get the picture!

[mhking]

...but its still OK to blacklist anyone who is Conservative!

Yep...

It's OK to honor a pedophile (Polanski), but anyone who supports the Administration is persona-non-grata?

Just damn.

[anniegetyourgun]

Nothing like the blacklisting of judical nominees by Senate Democrats.

[Seeking the truth]

Hollyweird 10 - Bring Back the Blacklist

[UncleSamUSA]

Or to put it in Hollywood speak: Traitors like Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn have a constitutional right to be hired and overpayed in bogus movies and TV shows.

But god forbid any of you dare criticize them for either their acting or their politics and we'll sick the Berkeley Pot-Smoker Police after you.

[dawn53]

A lot off the subject: but have you ever heard Glenn Beck talk about his decision not to go see any R rated movies.

About a year ago he made that decision, and I hardly get a chance to listen to his program anymore. I was just wondering if he had kept up with his convictions about R rated shows.

[B Knotts]

ROFL

If anyone is in danger of being blacklisted in Hollyweird, it's those who are not reflexively anti-war.

[caisson71]

The only way to get to these SOBs is to hit them in the pocketbook. Don't watch their garbage, tell their sponsors you won't but their products and pass the word on to your friends. I just let them stew in their own juices while I enjoy the rest of our America.

[Palladin]

Too bad, you wacko whiners of Hollywood.

You're already being FReep-listed.

[ko_kyi]

"Don't support blacklisting or you'll never work in this town again." -- Hollywood elite

[tiki]

No need for Hollywierd to blacklist. We can just boycott all their work and let the fact that nothing they do makes money, speak for itself.

[EggsAckley]

I really think that someone (with better comp skills than I) should set up a petition listing the pinkos and get signatures of people who will boycott them. Get enough names, and I'm sure Hannity or O'Reilly would run with it.

I'm boycotting ALL of them. But we need to let them know.

[denydenydeny]

"Even a hint of the blacklist must never again be tolerated in this nation,"

Where was this heroic union when Cliff Robertson was blacklisted for more than four years after turning in David Begelman?

Oh, that's right, Cliff Robertson wasn't a Communist. In that case, blacklisting is just fine.

[pachanga]

This is hilarious. Why would one group of anti-american communists want to silence another group of anti-american communists? Another example that these self-honoring a$$holes really believe that the rest of the country outside of hollywood is just a mass of ignorance.

If only they would all put their $ where their mouth is and do some human shield duty for uncle sadaam.

[talleyman]

If you go to movies, you support terrorism.

I agree. (Unless of course it's a fuel efficient old black & white like "Apartment For Peggy")

[EggsAckley]

Let's do it! There are enough Freepers here who would sign it. Just "us" in numbers would be news worthy! And get the public aware of the petition.