Clooney and Other Loonies

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Clooney and Other Loonies
by Robert Yoho, Columnist and Senior Editor

March 10, 2003

"Eye on Conservatism"

Columnist Robert Yoho Sometimes you have to wonder what is wrong with Hollywood. Is there some kind of toxic substance in the water out there that makes seemingly normal people behave like mindless baboons? What is there about the place that makes them think their celebrity gives them license to spew their tasteless, classless, uninformed, and utterly contemptible remarks to the world?

Recently we have seen actor George Clooney make fun of Charlton Heston’s bout with Alzheimers’ Disease and say that America cannot win a war. We have heard actor Ed Harris, the star of the film "The Right Stuff," question President Bush’s manhood because he doesn’t support abortion. Then we saw Kathleen Turner, the star of "Body Heat," say that the GOP "scares the hell out of me."

There is absolutely no warmth to the personality of Kathleen Turner. Clooney is a loony. And Ed Harris only has the "Right Stuff" on the silver screen.

As a person who often gives voice to his opinions in public or on the printed page, I do not challenge their right to say whatever is on their mind. However, their opinions are often built on raw emotion and little else. Moreover, I often wonder why the media never makes liberals pay a price for the clearly politically incorrect behavior of threatening violence against others or making fun of people’s illnesses.

Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) was forced to step down from his leadership post when he publicly stated his support for the presidency of Strom Thurmond. Even Bill O’Reilly has stated that nobody could get away with making fun of Christopher Reeve’s paralysis. But even that would be okay if the person afflicted with a dread illness is the head of the NRA.

On a national talk show, Alec Baldwin has suggested that we should kill those who hold political beliefs that he doesn’t share. Racist director Spike Lee has also advocated violence against those who do not share his politics. Rosie O’Donnell has said that those who carry guns should be killed, except of course for those armed individuals who guard the lives of Rosie, her girlfriend, and their adopted children.

If that wasn’t enough, then we had Sean Penn, best known for his role as a mindless surfer dude, make a visit to Iraq to learn the "truth." Penn, one of the great intellectuals of our time, decided that Saddam Hussein was someone to be trusted, while our president was a man to be feared.

At a gathering for the National Abortion Rights Action League, actor Ed Harris showed the world that he is not much smarter than Alec Baldwin, George Clooney, or the other Hollywood loonies. I guess Ed Harris thinks a real man should not raise the children he produces. His wife, Amy Madigan, another Hollywood actress, taught him this great wisdom.

"He’s a good old boy," Harris said about the president. "He knows how to shoot a gun and how to drive a pickup truck. That is not the definition of a man."

You really have to love these people in Hollywood. These actors and actresses can often give outstanding performances when they stick to the script. However, they quickly reveal their ignorance when they attempt to ad lib. Not only that, they also insult the gun owning, pickup driving, anti-abortion Americans in "fly-over country" who regularly attend their pictures.

Whenever they start talking extemporaneously, Ed Harris and others of his Hollywood ilk tell the world that they are nothing other than empty suits. In short, they are little more than talented script readers.

Perhaps that is why they are loved by the media. The network anchors and the morning news show personalities are little more than newsreaders themselves. In short, these media news celebs share the same lack of intellect, propriety, and good taste as their friends in Hollywood.

George Clooney says that he doesn’t care what people think and Ed Harris said, "I don’t worry about turning off people at all."

Perhaps the star of "The Right Stuff" has the right idea about the people in Hollywood. Maybe we should start turning them off! ***

Photo of Robert Yoho courtesy of staff files