Crossposted fromMY LEFT WING
I'm in with the in crowd; I go where the in crowd goes I'm in with the in crowd -- and I know what the in crowd knows Anytime of the year, don't you hear? Dressing fine, making time We breeze up and down the street, We get respect from the people we meet They make way day or night...
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I know, I've been out of the loop for so fucking long, this is probably OLD news to you all, but I just ran across it on YouTube...
... and the gob of self-pity I've been carrying around for what seems like weeks got yanked out of me like a cute, freshly washed little black puppy from a bin full of mud-soaked little grey ones...
The performance is astonishing, jawdropping -- not to mention it shuts Chris Matthews the fuck up, and that is ALWAYS a beautiful thing.
I didn't think it possible, but I now officially dig Matt Damon and his "Hollywood Liberal Elitist" friends even MORE than I did before.
Damon's brilliance begins slightly before the 2 minute mark, though it's worth watching the first couple minutes to get an idea of just how truly biased against Bill Clinton and absurdly lame Chris Matthews truly is.
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If someone who didn't know diddly about Hollywood and its In-Crowd -- its "Kool Kidz," if you will -- were to pick up a stack of the gossip rags and fashion mags, she'd surely come away with the idea that Hollywood deserved its reputation as being the sort of superficial, despicable society that lionises people like Paris Hilton, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Sean "P Diddy" Combs, Jessica Simpson, Jude Law, Nicole Richie, Owen Wilson -- well, the list of tabloid fodder is endless... And you probably couldn't blame her if she scoffed at the notion of Hollywood being full of laudable, notable liberals with morals, standards, ethics, values, principles. But she'd be wrong.
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The REAL "in-crowd" in Hollywood is a group of intelligent, informed artists who actually have the shit to back it up. I listed them off the top of my head(there are surely several more I could have listed, had I taken the time to consider it further), as examples of incredibly popular members of the film, television, literary and music industries of today, who are not only ridiculously talented and beloved by countless millions... but who also just happen to be extremely LIBERAL in their politics and moral beliefs:
Matt Damon, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Jon Stewart, Robert Redford, Robert DeNiro, Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford, Aaron Sorkin, David E. Kelley, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Green Day, Stephen King, John Grisham, Bill Maher, Jason Alexander, Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Don Cheadle, Johnny Depp, James Spader, Paul Newman, Martin Sheen
Clooney, Damon, Affleck, Pitt, Jolie, Roberts -- jesus christ, they ALL stand on the right side (that is, the LEFT) of just about every motherfucking political and moral issue we face today.
For some inexplicable reason, these Liberal Kool Kidz of Hollywood seem to have achieved mass popularity -- like, HUGE, man. Unlike the Beatles, who never really were, these Kool Kidz really ARE bigger than Jesus -- in an American climate that the right wing pundits and propagandists would have you believe would NEVER countenance such people in their living rooms, radios and multiplexes.
(As I noted in the comments, the Beatles weren't ever really bigger than Jesus, though it may have seemed so at times. But NOWADAYS, hell, even the fuckwits mentioned above (Britney et al) in the "THESE people are famous?" section are bigger than Jesus. Not because JESUS is lacking anything --- but because his so many of his so-called supporters are such unbelievable DOUCHEBAGS.)
Hmm. SO, what gives? Are these outspoken liberal Hollywooders popular in SPITE of their liberalism? Or because of it? A little of both? Are they just so darned talented and good-looking that even the conservative masses -- you know, the VAST MAJORITY of America, to hear tell by the right wing corporate media -- are willing to overlook it? Me, I think it's the combination. Because there are some awfully talented and good-looking conservative Republicans in Hollywood, and America just doesn't seem to embrace them to its bosom the way they do these liberals...
Anyway, My main question is this: Do these liberal icons of popular culture have enough ACTUAL power to use it in some way that could change the world, in ADDITION to their phenomenal efforts on behalf of the poor and helpless across the world?
Disclaimer The following segment about Clint Eastwood is pure speculation on my part; I have seen and read enough to feel secure in the accuracy of the speculation, but lacking references and proof, I still have to call it speculation.
The following ruminations regarding the Hollywood Republican douchebags who run and win does not include Clint Eastwood. In my view, he doesn't count as a Republican anymore (and NEVER counted as a douchebag)... though he WAS elected the Republican mayor of some small wealthy enclave north of Los Angeles -- Carmel, I believe.
The reason he doesn't count, in my estimation, is because, though (to my knowledge) he hasn't changed his political affiliation, he has been quite vocal about his disgust with the direction the Republican Party has taken. I don't have the time or energy to search out any references or links to them but I, being a pitifully addicted pop culture maven, have heard him on more than a few occasions repudiate, disavow and otherwise dissociate himself from the Republican Party of today.
In other words, he'd rather vote for a Democratic wet sock than for any neocon pissante motherfucker in today's version of the Republican Party. Don't quote me, because I totally made most of that last bit up. But the general idea is pretty accurate -- which is that he's so NOT a Bush voter.
Not in the least surprising, really, considering Clint Eastwood has NO respect or tolerance for stupid people, and George W. Bush is the world's most high profile stupid person EVER, an embarrassment not only to the Presidency, which goes without saying, but also to Americans -- and Clint Eastwood is all about the American Thing. It seems pretty clear that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the LAST Republican for whom Clint Eastwood will ever vote -- and while I'm not privy to Mr. Eastwood's inner thoughts, I'd be willing to bet my Academy Awards screener DVDs he won't be voting for Arnold in any more elections, regardless of friendship.
If useless douchebags like Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Fred Thompson, John Warner, George Murphy, Fred "Gopher from The Love Boat" Grandy, and, of course, Sonny Bono and Mary Bono, his equally useless douchebag of a wife (who took over after Sonny died when he skied into a tree and was subsequently, inexplicably RE-ELECTED), can achieve political positions, then SURELY the combined star power of the Kool Kidz can be counted on to win office and create a liberal revolution in DC? Of course, that would require their actually WANTING to do it...
Do you suppose that decent, truly intelligent and politically savvy people -- like Clooney and Affleck, for instance, who have already expressed interest in it in the past -- could actually make bona fide runs for political office? I think they could.
But I also think it asks a lot of them -- a lot more than I think I might be able to ask of myself, so I'm sure as hell not going to judge them should they opt NOT to subject themselves to it...
There are very real sacrifices involved. Many, many sacrifices -- especially for people like the aforementioned Kool Kidz. Let's get real -- you've got to have a DEEP sense of obligation and patriotism and love for your fellow man to give up the luxe life of the Pretty People and throw in with the infuriating bullshit that is a D.C. existence.
The ONLY example of the bullshit propagandists' success is the systematic attempt to destroy the career of the Dixie Chicks in response to one minor disparaging comment against GWB, said overseas and seized upon by the Christofascist Neocon Zombie Brigade.
The Dixie Chicks were "made an example of," in exactly the same way that the Beatles were supposed to have been made an example of -- their records destroyed in sickening bonfires, death threats made, etc.
All of this has been documented in their documentary, Shut up and Sing -- whose tagline, by the way, is one of the best ever: "Free speech is fine, as long as you don't do it in public."
(Okay, it's not really among the best ever, but it IS possibly the best since that of Full Metal Jacket: "In Vietnam the wind doesn't blow -- It Sucks.")
But I digress...
The lead singer of the Dixie Chicks is Natalie Maines. Her "offending" comment consisted of exactly 15 words, and these are they, verbatim:
Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas.
While researching for this piece, I came across a message board for the documentary. Mostly banal, as most message boards are; I didn't bother to tally the positive and negative comments score. I did, however, decide to respond to one of the banal negative comments. (Well, make that two -- but the second response was just a way to ensure that, should my first comment have been deleted by the censors, anyone wishing to read it might do so by making her way to MLW and reading THIS entire post. Sneaky, eh? Yeah.) So.
The original banal negative comment to which I responded went like so:
Does anyone actually feel bad for these girls? by msterliz (Fri Dec 1 2006 09:08:08) Dixie Chicks need to get over themselves. They are rich rock stars. Am I supposed to feel bad for them? Even if rocks got thrown near them, I really do not care. I got rocks thrown at me once, you don’t’ (sic) hear me bitching about it.
This movie is just more preaching to the choir by whiny Bush haters who have delusions of totalitarianism. (sic)
ON a side note, their music is pretty awesome, and I don't even like country.
Hence my response:
Yes, I feel bad for these WOMEN.
Can you imagine getting death threats from people all over the country, just for voicing your opinion? Or, at least, from certain parts of the southern states of this country?
As for me, I don't HAVE to imagine it; I run an entire WEBSITE devoted to saying negative things in public about the ignorant mouthbreathing dickweed currently squatting in the White House -- and yes, I get death threats on a regular basis. And I'm NOTHING compared to the Dixie Chicks. So, yeah, you can bet your ass I feel sorry for them.
Yes, I feel sorry for these women, who got (and, astonishingly, continue to get) death threats from the kind of ignorant mouthbreathing fucksnot psychos who actually believe death threats are WARRANTED toward anyone who says ANYTHING negative in public against George W. Bush. The very SAME fucksnots, by the way, who would have APPLAUDED them saying it about, say, Bill Clinton.
I feel sorry for them because they live in a country where ignorant mouthbreathing toesuckers call grown women in their late 30s "girls."
I feel sorry for them because ignorant mouthbreathing asscheeses think being rich and famous is a decent tradeoff for having the lives of your babies and your friends and family threatened -- and tell them to "Shut up and sing, bitches."
I feel sorry for them because they live in a country led by a moron who thinks having been a C student in an Ivy League school where your daddy BOUGHT you acceptance (and probably BOUGHT you those Cs) is something that's not only funny, but something to about which to BRAG -- and who actually DID brag about it -- in PRINT, for motherfucking POSTERITY.
(Not to mention having had the Presidency BOUGHT for you by your daddy, too -- with a little help from his corrupt, rich friends -- and bragging about THAT, too, though in a slightly more subtle way.)
I feel sorry for them because they told the truth about their feelings (hell, they didn't even tell the truth about, say, the FACTS, which they very well COULD have done) and spent the next 7 years being threatened with the death of their CHILDREN...
... by the kind of ignorant, mouthbreathing, cocksniffing morons who don't even bother to VOTE -- and who, if they DID bother to vote, do so on the basis of which candidate with whom they'd rather have a goddamned BEER, rather than which candidate might actually be the better President. The kind of ignorant, mouthbreathing, cocksniffing morons who probably think that the guy with whom they'd rather have a beer is in all likelihood the most qualified candidate BECAUSE he's the one with whom they'd rather have a beer -- who haven't the slightest clue that "the guy with whom I'd rather have a beer" is NOT a valid criterion for candidacy for the Presidency of the United States of America.
I feel sorry for them and for the rest of the country and the rest of the WORLD because they live under the grotesque "leadership" of a man whose strings are pulled by a group of amoral scumbags who don't believe a WORD of the Christian words they put in his mouth. A man who is not only a MEMBER of the Christofascist Neocon Zombie Brigade, but a pitifully MINOR member, at that, whose "leadership" is nominal at best, and whose actual puppeteers don't believe a damned WORD of the "Christianity" they feed into his earpiece during his speeches and "impromptu" press conferences.
I feel sorry for them because their President started a war just like the one he AVOIDED fighting himself when he was young enough to be drafted, by once again having his daddy buy him into a nice, safe, cushy job in the National Guard (you know, back when the National Guard was the National Guard of AMERICA, not the National Guard of IRAQ) -- a nice, safe, cushy job, by the way, that he couldn't even finish then. He had to have his daddy buy him out of AWOL charges, for chrissakes.
And about this new war: This is the one he started under orders from a BUNCH of men just like him (daddy's buddies, remember), who almost ALL avoided fighting in that other war, too.
Ask Vice-President Dick "Dick" Cheney, he'll tell you -- he had OTHER PRIORITIES. Priorities for which he needed FIVE deferments from the draft. And when the deferments ran out -- the Selective Service Department stopped issuing deferments to married men with NO children, you know -- well, what DO you know? Nine months and 2 days later, out popped daddy's little sixth deferment...
Dick and all those other buddies of Bush's daddy apparently needed to start THIS war (Iraq, in case you've lost track) not only to make themselves and their friends even more obscenely rich than they already are, but to convince themselves they aren't the pitiful chickenshit chickenhawk cowards they really are. And how to convince themselves of that? By sending thousands of mostly innocent OTHER men and women to kill hundreds of thousands of mostly innocent men, women and CHILDREN before dying themselves in a war that should never have begun, and sure as hell shouldn't still be being "fought."
But I digress...
I feel sorry for them because they, like I and others like me, know good and goddamned well this war is bullshit, and that MOST people -- even people who AREN'T liberals or Democrats -- know it's bullshit. But this bullshit war will continue and thousands of innocent people will continue to be killed and maimed as long as there's even a tiny the minority of asswipes who buy the pathetic propaganda distributed by the current regime's media lapdogs (Fox News, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC and even NPR). As long as that tiny minority of idiots who actually seem to think that its ACCEPTABLE to kill thousands of innocent people because, HEY, we MIGHT be killing a couple BAD guys in the mix, right?
So, yeah. I feel sorry for them. But not for the reason you seem to think I (and others like me) feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for them because they tried to tell the truth, and continue to try to tell the truth -- and mouthbreathing fucksnots like you think they're not telling the truth.
Because mouthbreathing fucksnots like you actually BELIEVE the absurdly obvious lies you've been told by the evil motherfucking douchebags for whom you voted. If you voted, that is, though it's difficult to believe people like you actually manage to drag yourself away from Girls Gone Wild or The 700 Club or Debbie Does Darfur to do your civic duty and punch a few holes that aren't connected to whatever hooker you convinced to come down to your mother's basement that day
Well, yeah, I did go a little OFF on the ignorant mouthbreathing little fucksnot; don't know as he really deserved it, but that "whiny Bush haters" line was very RUDE, don’t you think? And even if that weren't enough to warrant an MSOC rant directed toward him... "delusions of totalitarianism???" Come ON! He couldn’t even get the right WORDS out! He NEEDED my rant -- if only so he might have to look up some of the words and thereby EDUCATE himself a little.
Fuck him.
Anyway, I totally veered away from my original subject, which was the marvelous Matt Damon appearance on Christ Matthews's little town hall show...
Here's what I think: the Hollywood In-Crowd stays where they are, doing what they do best -- but they put their collective star power behind the right candidates and voila -- American gets yanked out of the gutter and put back on the proper liberal track. Hell, in a couple of decades, we may even have won back the respect of the world, and saved the planet from the impending global warming disaster.
Yes, you know what I'm saying:
AL GORE, we need YOU to run and win in 2008
... and Hollywood In-Crowd, we need YOU to help him DO it.
Hah -- you had NO idea I was going there, did you?
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