# Hollywood, just shut up already, no one cares about your political opinions **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 27, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310 "2003-01-27T19:31:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/41 "2003-01-28T08:05:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*Paulie shore is still smarter tahn Bush. \*\* I don’t know about that, but I suspect he’s smarter than people who make drive-by nonsequitur insults to Bush’s intelligence _ad nauseum_ and seem to hold to the misguided belief that anybody cares what they have to say. Pauly Shore milked his questionable talent and fad status into several movies of varying quality and revenue, probably managing to squeeze multiple millions of dollars out of his career. George Bush 43 managed to win the presidency almost solely on name recognition, despite several glaring flaws that got repeated media attention and drew active hostility from any number of prominent individuals. I don’t think either of those people is what I’d call “stupid.” So what have you done lately? ---
**Author:** ![Birds\_On\_A\_Bat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@Birds\_On\_A\_Bat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birds_On_A_Bat)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/42 "2003-01-28T08:57:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ivylass \* > **I haven’t heard of one celebrity today rushing down to the recruiting office to fight in Iraq.** Pat Tillman (former safety, Arizona Cardinals) quit football to join the Army. More specifically, he joined the Army to train as a Ranger. He has refused to give interviews regarding his decision, but many close to him believe 9/11 had something to do with it. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,57192,00.html](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,57192,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/43 "2003-01-28T13:39:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Jimmy Stewart was drafted. > [@](#): > > Pat Tillman (former safety, Arizona Cardinals) quit football to join the Army. More specifically, he joined the Army to train as a Ranger. He has refused to give interviews regarding his decision, but many close to him believe 9/11 had something to do with it. Thank you. I stand corrected. (Even though I’ve never heard of Pat Tillman.) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/44 "2003-01-28T13:54:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fred \* > \*\*[Jimmy Stewart was drafted.](http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/wwii/js.htm) \*\* According to [this site](http://www.jimmy.org/memories/content/demandingrole.html), he was underweight for the draft, but volunteered anyway. At any rate, Stewart was hardly a reluctant participant. He did, after all, rise to the rank of Brigadier General. ---
**Author:** ![Blackclaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e68b1a/32.png) [@Blackclaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackclaw)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/45 "2003-01-30T14:01:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by This Year’s Model \* > It is pointless and simplistic to bash a persons political opinions simply because of their profession. Now if you want to say that the opinion is bullshit because they’re liberal and you’re conservative, or vice versa, that is a kettle of different fish, and of course is perfectly valid. But saying you think they’re not worth listening to simply because of their profession is just dumb. > > If this thread is still active tomorrow, I’ll be back. Gotta go. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I think it is entirely fair to evaluate some of the worth of that opinion based upon a person’s background knowledge. If I offer an opinion on how to wire a house, it might be a good idea, but since I have no electrical knowledge, I highly advise you to check with an expert first. If an actor has a background in analyzing international relations, I’ll give what they have to say on world politics some weight. But I don’t see any reason Sean Penn’s opinion on world politics should garner any more news coverage (and thus hold more weight simply because it is broadcast) than the opinion of the local clerk at K-mart. I by the way have Master’s degree in International Relations. If Sean has any questions for me, I’m willing to talk. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/46 "2003-01-30T14:32:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ivylass \* > \*\*I wonder about the patriotism. > > During WWII Jimmy Stewart and others rushed off to fight for the Allies. > > I haven’t heard of one celebrity today rushing down to the recruiting office to fight in Iraq. > > I just hate all the media attention given to them just _because_ they are celebrities. As **Zoff** says, no one would give them air time if they weren’t famous. So what makes their opinions so newsworthy? \*\* Gee **Ivy** , I guess I’m not a patriot either. Maybe I should just turn myself into Sid and Marty Ascroft as I’m probably a terrorist. :rolleyes: Yes you hate the fact that the media gives celebs attention. The ‘media’ probably hates the fact that a professor or someone from say the Brookings Institute will not get ratings. If you would just limit your news consumption to NPR and channel 13 you and the media might be happier. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/47 "2003-01-30T18:52:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*Yes **innocent**. The Iraqi _people_ are innocent, regardless of the actions of Hussein, and even _Hussein_ has done nothing to the US. We have no grounds whatever for an invasion. This is purely a self-serving political act by a drug damaged, usurping, idiot man-child. Whatever happened to right and wrong, for fuck’s sake. This country used to is supposed to be a force for good. This planned invasion is no more justified than Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait or Hitler’s invasion of Poland. It is an act of pure, cynical evil. \*\* If you can’t tell the difference between the US today and Germany in the late 1930’s then you are beyond all hope. Only a complete fucking idiot would even make this comparison of the US leading a coalition into Iraq to remove Saddam from power and Hitler’s invasion of Poland. Well, don’t feel too bad about being such a fucking tool. [Nelson Mandela](http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/01/30/sprj.irq.mandela/index.html) agrees with you. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/48 "2003-01-30T19:08:27Z")
Yeah I was very impressed by Tillman’s decision. He literally gave up millions of dollars, and joined the army instead. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/49 "2003-01-30T19:11:59Z")
In regards to Nelson, I’m sure Colin and Condoleezza would agree that Bush is racist. :rolleyes: There are plenty of valid reasons to attack Bush, however, that one is not. ---
**Author:** ![Trob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Trob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trob)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/50 "2003-01-30T19:30:06Z")
## quote: Originally posted by Munch ## She’d love it if news networks like CNN didn’t call her up for these types of interviews and instead called Noam Chompsky and other people who are much more well versed in her brand of politics. This is the scariest part. If Garofalo really said this it just shows how far off base she is. Noam Chompsky is a Red. Not a Liberal not a Pinko but an out and out Communist. I have read his drivel and it has nothing meaningful to contribute. So I think we can safely write Janeane off as the pinhead that she is. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ace_of_Swords)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/51 "2003-01-30T19:59:49Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by cainxinth \* > \*\*\*\* Or… I’m not a politician but I play one on TV_\* > > [On Iraq, Janeane Garofalo Fights to Be Taken Seriously](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47534-2003Jan26.html) > > This morning, like all mornings I woke up, showered, brushed my grill, and pulled up the headlines before class, and what do I see? Yet another Hollywood celebrity posing as a political wonk. I appreciate that they want to put their media exposure to some good use, but frankly I don’t want their help. I have to disagree with you, **Caxinth**. Innumerable gob-smacked Americans take their lessons from Celebrities on a daily basis. Why should we restrict star power to pushing the latest Ab-Blaster and the Watkins-Atkins-Pushkins diet? More power to Hollywood if they attempt to weigh in on issues that matter, since, as you rightly point out, they have more weight in the power of public persuasion than our mumbly-mouthed president. Why complain when they use the power that _the public_ grants them, for serious issues instead of trivial ones? God bless 'em, that’s my take. I’d take a dozen more Susan Sarandons, but they can’t all know their stuff cold – but even so, they get the public interested in the subject. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/52 "2003-01-30T20:22:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trob \* > \*\*Noam Chompsky is a Red. Not a Liberal not a Pinko but an out and out Communist. I have read his drivel and it has nothing meaningful to contribute. \*\* You can’t have paid much fucking attention to his books if you can’t even spell his name right. It’s Chomsky, dimwit. Also, if you had read his work as you claim, you would know that he has always been extremely critical of communism in its Soviet and Eastern European manifestations - not only Stalinist communism but Leninist and Trotskyist communism. Further, you would also know that he is a self-identified anarchist, or, to use another term that he often uses, libertarian socialist. He traces his political influences to Enlightenment classical liberals like Wilhelm von Humboldt and to modern anarchists like Rudolph Rocker, as well as to John Dewey and Bertrand Russell. I’m not saying you have to agree with everything he says, but at least make sure you have something “meaningful to contribute” instead of spouting such “drivel.” ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/53 "2003-01-31T05:17:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ace of Swords \* > **Why complain when they use the power that _the public_ grants them, for serious issues instead of trivial ones?** Because they’re celebrities, and not elected officials or people that would be considered experts on the given subject. It’s one thing if they use their popularity to try and get people to buy Coca-Cola (which I actually disagree with as well), but it’s something else if they use said popularity to try and make their opinions more valid then they actually are. These people should not be using the sway they hold over some people due to their looks or ability to tell jokes or whatever to try and influence governmental policy. They just aren’t qualified. I’m not saying they shouldn’t have opinions, nor am I saying that their opinions are arbitrarily less worthy than the average person’s simply because they are famous. What I’m saying is that even though they are famous their opinions are not any more worthy than the average person’s and due to the irrational influence they can hold they don’t have the right to get on a soapbox and dictate what we should or should not do, at least not without much better credentials then the average celebrity. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310/54 "2003-01-31T07:54:45Z")
I agree with **Asylum** And, as a Dem, I feel the ideological backing of someone like Sean Penn or Streisand or Woody Harelson trivializes the issues my party is focused on. Just as I’m sure some republicans don’t necessarily like having Jerry Fallwell speaking on their behalf. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-just-shut-up-already-no-one-cares-about-your-political-opinions/151310.md?page=2)