# Hollywood leans left: why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 19, 2006, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632 "2006-01-19T07:16:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/81 "2006-01-19T21:16:30Z")
As the “some” apparently being referenced, I’d just like to say that I do know the difference between Keynes and Stalin — a very funny line nonetheless! 😃 — and that there are increments between robber baron capitalism (which I submit is wrongly being called “laissez faire”) and culture purging communism. I did not mean to imply — and in fact did not imply — that to lean left, one must advocate that we all wear grey flannel and suck from a central teat. If we can set aside our caricatures of one another, we might be able to come to an understanding with respect to the OP. On the other hand, if there is indeed no difference whatsoever between left and right economic philosophies, then what we need to address is why there is a perception rather than why there is a leaning. And if we’re going to deny a difference in perception as well, then we may as well meet in some other thread. And with respect to what Sentient said, it was beneath him on every level thus far spun. That is not to say that he deserves no slack, because he deserves the maximum possible slack. I quite naturally dislike insults to people like my sister, whether they are cleverly constructed to be indirect or not. ---
**Author:** ![Serket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Serket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serket)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/82 "2006-01-19T22:05:02Z")
[List of conservative celebrities](http://celiberal.com/theRighties.php) ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/83 "2006-01-19T22:34:26Z")
> [@Serket](#): > > [List of conservative celebrities](http://celiberal.com/theRighties.php) Some of the justifications for putting some of those people on that list are … interesting. For example, if you look at the “here’s why” for Adam Sandler, you’d find that Al Franken could be included as well. Not saying that they are not all conservative - I don’t know. I do know the evidence is dubious for some of their selections. Just an observation. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/84 "2006-01-19T22:38:08Z")
IMO, the best and brightest kind of political film out of Hollywood is _Citizen Ruth,_ which lampoons the causeheads on **both** sides of a divisive issue (abortion, in this case). [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115906/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115906/) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/85 "2006-01-19T22:38:40Z")
> [@Serket](#): > > [List of conservative celebrities](http://celiberal.com/theRighties.php) I’m dubious about that list. I clicked on one of the “see why” links and got a list of celebrities who have served in the military. That hardly seems sufficient evidence to conclude that someone is conservative. I also clicked on the “see why” links for Ann Margaret and Billy Bob Thornton and they led to stories about general “support the troops” sentiments – Ann Margaret thanked a Vietnam Vet for serving the country and Thornton sent baby wipes to the troops after he had heard that some were needed. Again, no indication of general political sentiment. The “see why” for James Earl Jones led to a pre-war story about a talk that Jones gave in which he said that war is sometimes necessary and that he had supported the actions in Bosnia and Somalia and the first Iraq war hadn’t been finished. It doesn’t give an overall picture of his political sentiments; nor does it indicate that Jones would still express the same degree of support for the Iraq war. ---
**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/86 "2006-01-19T23:13:00Z")
Egads. I ask one little question in IMHO and next thing ya know, it’s a GD. Not quite what I bargained for. For any who read the OP and think, “what the hell kind of a proposition is that”, keep in mind that it wasn’t a proposition, it was an IMHO question. I think Hollywood (and a previous poster was right in thinking that I meant the actors themselves, though I was also considering much of the content that they deliver) tends to be left of center. I’m not going to argue it, I’m not going to support it. I never intended for this to be in GD, and I sure as hell ain’t prepared to defend my perception. Of course, being the open-minded person I am, I am willing to be convinced that I’m wrong. So, there were some interesting opinions in here, which is all that I was really after. I’ll continue to watch, though, just in case more interesting stuff comes up. You folks have fun! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/87 "2006-01-19T23:21:14Z")
Yeah, I had the same thoughts. Supporting the troops doesn’t make you a conservative, and a bunch of those listed are on there for that reason only. However, I just became a bigger fan of Adam Baldwin (“Jayne” from Firefly/Serenity). Following the ‘here’s why’ link lead to a firefly chat board where he’s a participant. Clicking on his name and looking at his user profile has a list of his favorite quotes: > [@](#): > > “The truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it; ignorance may deride it; malice may distort it, but there it is.” – Winston Churchill > > “Theories can be devastated by facts but they can never be proved to be correct by facts.” – Thomas Sowell > > “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” – Thomas Jefferson > > “Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.” – Lord Byron > > “The only statistics you can trust are those you falsified yourself.” – Sir Winston Churchill > > “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” – Joseph Addison > > “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” – Groucho Marx > > “Intellect loses its virtue when it ceases to seek truth and turns to the pursuit of political ends.” R.H. Bork > > “Other people’s opinion of me is none of my business.” – A.B. (anonymous) Anyone who favorably quotes Thomas Sowell and Robert Bork is definitely a conservative or a Libertarian. Unfortunately, he must not be getting a lot of work - he’s got 13,000 posts on that board since November 2002! ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/88 "2006-01-19T23:21:36Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > Not saying that they are not all conservative - I don’t know. I do know the evidence is dubious for some of their selections. Just an observation. I agree, and I think [this list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Republican_celebrities) is probably a much more accurate one. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/89 "2006-01-19T23:29:41Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > IMO, the best and brightest kind of political film out of Hollywood is _Citizen Ruth,_ which lampoons the causeheads on **both** sides of a divisive issue (abortion, in this case). [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115906/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115906/) Great movie, and for the reasons you give (not to mention the good acting and hilarious script). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/90 "2006-01-19T23:34:30Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > However, I just became a bigger fan of Adam Baldwin (“Jayne” from Firefly/Serenity). Following the ‘here’s why’ link lead to a firefly chat board where he’s a participant. Clicking on his name and looking at his user profile has a list of his favorite quotes: > > > [@](#): > > > > “Intellect loses its virtue when it ceases to seek truth and turns to the pursuit of political ends.” R.H. Bork !!! I don’t see how any good can ever come of anyone seeking political ends **without** the aid of intellect! ---
**Author:** ![Linear\_Crack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Linear\_Crack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linear_Crack)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/91 "2006-01-19T23:44:51Z")
> [@Serket](#): > > [List of conservative celebrities](http://celiberal.com/theRighties.php) Any party that includes Kathy Ireland is one awesome party. _looks for the drool smilie_ …aww shucks 😃 -LC ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/92 "2006-01-20T05:09:25Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > !!! I don’t see how any good can ever come of anyone seeking political ends **without** the aid of intellect! I think you missed the point of the quote. I read it as a critique of sophistry. Using your intellect to construct arguments sans facts, for political purposes - something we’re probably all guilty of from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/93 "2006-01-20T05:23:48Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > None of those movies are “liberal” or even especially political. Your cartoonish and inaccurate descriptions suggest to me that you have not seen any of them. You clearly have no idea what any of them are about. The fact that YOU can write that “Syriana,” and “Good Night and Good Luck” are not political suggest to me that 1. You have a hell of a sense of humor, something you’ve kept well hidden up to now (I wanna party with YOU, Dio!). 2. You lean so far left that left-wing propaganda strikes you as mere common sense, and you can’t see any political content at all. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/94 "2006-01-20T05:28:50Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > The fact that YOU can write that “Syriana,” and “Good Night and Good Luck” are not political suggest to me that > > 1. You have a hell of a sense of humor, something you’ve kept well hidden up to now > (I wanna party with YOU, Dio!). > > 2. You lean so far left that left-wing propaganda strikes you as mere common sense, and you can’t see any political content at all. Tell me what’s politically partisan about either one of them. Do oonly liberals like Edward R. Murrow? Is anti-McCarthyism a “liberal” poistion? What’s partisan about anything in _Syriana_? I don’t even remember it mentioning political parties. Those kinds of divisions are seen as basically meaningless in that movie. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/95 "2006-01-20T13:24:39Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > One may be courteous to one whom one considers a dumb fuck. Thank you for your thoughts. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/96 "2006-01-20T17:00:51Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Tell me what’s politically partisan about either one of them. Do oonly liberals like Edward R. Murrow? Is anti-McCarthyism a “liberal” poistion? I’d really like to hear an answer to this question, like you, because in my experience, the only people who have objected to “Good night and Good Luck” are the far right wing, usually accompanied by something about how horrible communism is. It gives the implicit sense that McCarthy was a hero to them. Without a specific criticism otherwise, I can only assume that to be the case(or some claptrap about cloony being a leftist, which still doesn’t address the question). ---
**Author:** ![Serket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Serket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serket)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/97 "2006-01-20T18:45:36Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Tell me what’s politically partisan about either one of them. Do oonly liberals like Edward R. Murrow? Is anti-McCarthyism a “liberal” poistion? Here are some reviewers who thought “Good Night and Good Luck” was too liberal: [liberal propaganda](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808702700&s=&rvid=7-260912&i=9&spl=&ys=VYt36cKEXNwHT0mgc7dPEA--) [Pure Propaganda and B-O-R-I-N-G!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808702700&s=&rvid=255-567639&i=15&spl=&ys=KGhu76ilCQumGIBg0mlugg--) [Since when is Clooney Michael Moore?? READ THIS!!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808702700&s=&rvid=255-583370&i=18&spl=&ys=le_ac.LE0dbQum0CIm1aYQ--) > [@](#): > > What’s partisan about anything in _Syriana_? I don’t even remember it mentioning political parties. Those kinds of divisions are seen as basically meaningless in that movie. [Movie Review: Syriana](http://www.townhall.com/opinion/books_entertainment/reviews/TimObryhim/178638.html) [WORST MOVIE IN YEARS!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808631296&s=&rvid=255-599901&i=13&spl=&ys=c1ARQUKCInXwXSGRko.qBA--) [This movie is a piece of TRASH!!!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808631296&s=&rvid=255-600121&i=15&spl=&ys=gC_CASFiOnZXcKvgQxELPQ--) [THIS IS NOT A DOCUMENTARY !!!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808631296&s=&rvid=255-600345&i=22&spl=&ys=LVxcJ9vcU.WRHT6o3Yv4ag--) ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/98 "2006-01-20T19:08:32Z")
We’re quoting people who spell “sympathize” **“sympasize”** ironically, right? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/99 "2006-01-20T19:11:06Z")
> [@Serket](#): > > Here are some reviewers who thought “Good Night and Good Luck” was too liberal: > > [liberal propaganda](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808702700&s=&rvid=7-260912&i=9&spl=&ys=VYt36cKEXNwHT0mgc7dPEA--) > > [Pure Propaganda and B-O-R-I-N-G!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808702700&s=&rvid=255-567639&i=15&spl=&ys=KGhu76ilCQumGIBg0mlugg--) > > [Since when is Clooney Michael Moore?? READ THIS!!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808702700&s=&rvid=255-583370&i=18&spl=&ys=le_ac.LE0dbQum0CIm1aYQ--) > > [Movie Review: Syriana](http://www.townhall.com/opinion/books_entertainment/reviews/TimObryhim/178638.html) > > [WORST MOVIE IN YEARS!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808631296&s=&rvid=255-599901&i=13&spl=&ys=c1ARQUKCInXwXSGRko.qBA--) > > [This movie is a piece of TRASH!!!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808631296&s=&rvid=255-600121&i=15&spl=&ys=gC_CASFiOnZXcKvgQxELPQ--) > > [THIS IS NOT A DOCUMENTARY !!!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808631296&s=&rvid=255-600345&i=22&spl=&ys=LVxcJ9vcU.WRHT6o3Yv4ag--) :rolleyes: All of these seem rather to reinforce **HPL’s** point, above. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632/100 "2006-01-20T19:16:03Z")
> [@Serket](#): > > Here are some reviewers who thought “Good Night and Good Luck” was too liberal: > > [liberal propaganda](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808702700&s=&rvid=7-260912&i=9&spl=&ys=VYt36cKEXNwHT0mgc7dPEA--) > > [Pure Propaganda and B-O-R-I-N-G!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808702700&s=&rvid=255-567639&i=15&spl=&ys=KGhu76ilCQumGIBg0mlugg--) > > [Since when is Clooney Michael Moore?? READ THIS!!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808702700&s=&rvid=255-583370&i=18&spl=&ys=le_ac.LE0dbQum0CIm1aYQ--) > > [Movie Review: Syriana](http://www.townhall.com/opinion/books_entertainment/reviews/TimObryhim/178638.html) > > [WORST MOVIE IN YEARS!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808631296&s=&rvid=255-599901&i=13&spl=&ys=c1ARQUKCInXwXSGRko.qBA--) > > [This movie is a piece of TRASH!!!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808631296&s=&rvid=255-600121&i=15&spl=&ys=gC_CASFiOnZXcKvgQxELPQ--) > > [THIS IS NOT A DOCUMENTARY !!!](http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/dfrv?mid=1808631296&s=&rvid=255-600345&i=22&spl=&ys=LVxcJ9vcU.WRHT6o3Yv4ag--) I didn’t ask for a list of reviews. I asked what was politically partisan about either movie. You have failed to anwer that question, but thank you for playing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-leans-left-why/340632.md?page=6)