Before singing “Desperado” for an encore Saturday night, Ronstadt called Moore a “great American patriot” and “someone who is spreading the truth.” She also encouraged the audience at the Aladdin hotel-casino to see the documentary about President Bush."
So it appears she did more than just “dedicate” a song to Moore. She praised him as a “patriot” to a crowd that clearly didn’t agree, and she evangelized for his film. Most people in this country really do not perceive Moore as a truth-teller, and her condescending know-it-all attitude, which was virtually the same as telling the audience to “wise up” when it more than likely already felt wised up, was probably more than a little inflammatory.
Most of all, though, I think people are just getting fed up with entertainers trying to tell them how to think.
Having seen her act, I’d figure she would talk about being fat and her mother having a funny accent. Maybe if she talked about the weather she could be funny for once.
And Dale Earnhardt, Jr. urges his pit crew to see F-9/11 and all of a sudden hes got a contract that means he’s got to eat big vats full of greasy KFC, and next thing you know his car bursts into flames…
Greetings, esteemed one! Of course not. I don’t recall Heston’s being invited or hired to perform at a specific event and then using that occasion as a bully pulpit to espouse his views and/or talk down to his audience.
Heston did something I’ve said before on these boards that a celebrity should do if he/she feels passionately about a certain issue or political philosophy…namely get on board and work to create that which you think is right. I would have no problem, for example, with Linda Ronstadt running for public office and then using her position to advocate or work for the changes she thinks should take place. Or, as a more likely corollary to Heston, if she were to become the president of NOW,
But she seems to be one of many celebrities who would rather
Ahem…as I was saying: If she were to become the head of NOW or sign on as a spokesperson for the ACLU (an organization I’m not totally opposed to, by the way), I wouldn’t begrudge her whatever comments or views she would like to espouse.
But she seems to be one of many celebrities who only want to use their celebrity to gain their bully pulpit, and not actually put in the time and effort of working to create whatever it is they are in favor of. This creates the impression that they think we should all think as they want us to simply because they are such wonderful luminious people and we should all want them to be happy with us.
And it is this conceit, combined with lack of commitment, that makes many of us detest the efforts of these kinds of celebrities to influence our way of thinking.
Whether you agree with Moore’s interpretation of the facts he shows in his films, it’s dishonest to call him dishonest: he had F911 vetted by a team of lawyers and factcheckers, and all the facts in it are straight; it’s his interpretation of what’s behind the facts that you should take issue with.
In the first place.
In the second place, again whether you agree or not, Moore’s work is the very definition of patriotic: he sees his country, in his interpretation of the facts, being hijacked by a bunch of rich white men with a profit motive and a cavalier attitude toward American and Iraqi lives. His film–agree or not–is an extremely courageous act of personal patriotism.
Not true. There are many flaws with his latest piece of propaganda; That you dismiss them as ‘honest mistakes’ and whatnot does not wash away those flaws. And ‘team of lawyers and factcheckers’? Puh-fucking-lease. As always: Just because Moore says it is so does not make it so.
You guys are so precious when you think you’ve learned a new word! Now if only you had a clue what it meant. Ah well, one day you’ll be all grown up, then you may have a fucking clue what ‘patriotism’ and ‘unAmerican’ mean. I doubt it, but it could happen.
Michael Moore has been sued exactly once, for all his films, and he won. All anyone can “prove” is that their interpretation of the facts differs from his interpretations; none of his facts have been proven wrong. Ever.
And despite your misunderstanding, “patriotism” does NOT equal blindly accepting everything your government does without questioning or protesting; THAT’S unAmerican.
Oh sorry, I’ll rephrase. You’re fucking out of your fucking mind. Dedicating a song isn’t vandalism and dedicating a song is not “like” vandalism either. LR is not responsible for the actions of people she annoyed with her dedication.
Hey, SA! Why would you begrudge her the right to express her comments or views anyway? Why do we need to shush everybody?
I will admit that her interview seemed a little unusual. But she has been around for a long time now and is widely respected. I can’t point to anything specific that she has done lately in terms of activism, but aren’t you making an assumption that she hasn’t?
You are ascribing a conceit to her that she may not have and you have lumped her in with “these kinds of celebrities” as if that conveys who you are talking about.
Be honest with yourself. First of all, do you really know about the level of committment that celebrities make in their private lives? Secondly, what is it about dissent that bothers you so much? Do you really believe in freedom of speech or not?
WOW! Only sued once, eh? Well, since Ann Coulter has yet to be sued, I suppose you think she is a paragon of truth and honesty?
Sure thing, boss. Tell you what: Just keep on gulping down the glurge that Moore feeds you, and you will know precisely what being ‘unAmerican’ is all about.
Seriously, Brutus, although I honestly don’t think you can answer seriously; your demeanor on the board is pretty unrelentingly hostile and patronizing. But seriously, where have I ever indicated that I “gulp down Moore’s glurge”? I’ve called him a propagandist, and a polemicist, and I’ve disagreed with some of his interpretations. But I try to discuss his stuff with a clear head; you appear to be interested only in a black/white, binary, namecalling campaign against him. Call me a gulper, whatever; it’s you, I think, who tends to come off, in these exchanges, as irrational and disconnected; I doubt if anyone really takes you seriously on this topic at all.
Do a little further research; I did. I’ve read that website pointing out all the “deceits” in F911, and its rebuttal, and made my own decisions; I looked into who exactly vetted the facts of the film for him, and I’ve seen the film. The kind of rabid froth you’re spewing sounds an awful lot like it’s coming from someone who hasn’t seen the movie; am I wrong?
I do find it funny that so many conservative people think that celebrities are too forceful with their opinion. It seems the only celebrities who should be in politics, according to them, are terrible actors who want to be governor of California. Then, by some miracle, they are fit for political yapping.
Personally, I think Ms Rondstat got out lucky. With the financial history of the Aladdin, I wouldn’t put it past them to be so dramatic about this for the publicity. They’ve been teetering on the brink of bankruptcy since they “reopened” a few years ago. Perhaps this attention will get her some gigs at a few casinos where people actually go.