IIRC, Thomas Jefferson once said something like: “I have never found a difference of political opinion sufficient grounds to end a friendship.” Eve’s thread about the hospitalization of Buddy Ebsen eventually ranged to the subject of his and Nancy Kulp’s “feud” when he supported her opponent in a political campaign. Though it was said that they liked each other personally, they fell out over politics.
What celebrity friendships (or genuine fondnesses) have endured despite political differences?
–I seem to recall that Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda were best of friends despite different political leanings.
–Charlton Heston and Gregory Peck always spoke highly of each other personally and professionally though they disagreed politically.
–Likewise, I’ve seen Heston declare Lynn Redgrave to be “the best actress alive,” and I’ve seen her speak fondly of him.
It occurs to me that (with the exception of Redgrave) all of the people I listed came of age in the 1930s/40s, when perhaps “decorum” meant more. Is such “gentlemanliness/ladylikeness” a thing of the past or are there examples to be found today?
^^^Didn’t Sinatra’s political leanings change gratly from the “JFK days” to the '80s? Were they friends before or after his lean toward more conservative views?
Arnold Schwartzenegger who has been declaring his intent for sometime to run as a Republican for governor of California is married to Maria Schriver, the niece of JFK. He said on Jay Leno once that whenever the presidential debates come on he goes down to the garage and watches them in his Hummer while she watches them in the bedroom.
^^^Sean and Allan are the only two right/left talking heads I can tolerate, and I think this is one of the reasons why; it seems to show that they grudgingly like each other. God, I used to hate Buchanon and What’s-His-Name (the guy who wrote the “Eight Is Enough” novel), because they seemed to vilely disgust each other and want to make it personal (which some may love; to each his own).
well, not big celebrities, but James Marsters and Emma Caulfield are good friends, despite the fact that he is slightly left of Nader and Caulfield is slightly right of Nixon.
Anne Coulter and Bill Maher. One’s an ultra-conservative, one’s an ultra-liberal. But they still settle their differences and “go clubbin’ during the weekends”, as Bill says.
Small nitpick: Lynn Redgrave is not particularly active in or outspoken about politics. It’s her sister Vanessa who’s a self-described Trotskyite. That said, Charlton Heston HAS worked with her in stage productions of “A Man For All Seasons,” and not only seemed to like her, but calls her the finest actress in the English language.
As for Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda, I remember seeing an interview with Henry’s daughter Jane in which she said that they were best friends the way two twelve year olds would be best friends. That is, when they got together, they never talked about anything serious, politics or anything else. When they got together, it was to PLAY! They’d fly kites, build model airplanes, and fool around like kids, without ever having any heavy conversations.
Beyond that… well, I’m not a celebrity, but I married into a very liberal family. My wife and my in-laws don’t agree with me on any issue of significance, but somehow, I’ve learned to adore them all anyway (and, oddly enough, they actually love me!).
Kurt Russell, a right-libertarian, is effectively married to Goldie Hawn, who I believe is pretty liberal. I’ve seen them interviewed together, and Hawn made a comment to the effect of, “I disagree vehemently with his political views, but I still love him.”
Jeff
Sir Rhosis you are right about Sinatra – I thought he was just friends with RWR – Once you rasied it, I learned that he actually started drifting right after JFK ‘dumped’ him … So he apparently was friends with Reagan by the end because he agreed with him politically, to the extent of chairing inaugural committees et al. — they were not just buddies.
I actually learned that yesterday but the thread had died and I thought “Why revive a page 2 thread to eat crow,” right? … but just my luck it came back so I’ll eat up.
jimmmy, no one should feel he has to “eat crow” in a thread of mine. Most of these things I only half-remember myself from perusing magazines and newspapers while waiting for my car to be tuned up or in doctor/dentist waiting rooms. I misremember and get my facts out of synch more times than not.
… but just my luck it came back so I’ll eat up.