# Sean Penn brings personal photog on rescue mission
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [September 5, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193 "2005-09-05T13:16:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/61 "2005-09-06T01:51:22Z")
> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> Where’d I say that?
>
> What I was implying was that Connick’s motives, while possibly self-involved, were not as transparent as Penn’s are. Connick’s career began in and is heavily influenced by the New Orleans jazz scene. He’s participated in New Orleans activities throughout his whole life.
You didn’t say that, but you were an asshole about Penn being there. If Penn is there to document and help, then the only difference is that Penn isn’t from there and came in a few days after Connick, who’s also there to document and help. If Penn shouldn’t be there because he didn’t arrive immediately and isn’t from there, then no other civilian should be there. That’s what it sounds like to me. If you’re singling out Penn, why is he any different from anyone else there who’s there to document and help?
---
### Author:  [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/62 "2005-09-06T01:56:33Z")
> [@Padeye](#):
>
> Sean Penn may not be the only self serving jackass celebrity but the fact that there may be others does not make him less of one.
I’d bet that the only thing that makes him a “self serving jackass celebrity” is because he’s an outspoken liberal. If it were a Bushista you people would be falling all over yourselves calling him a hero.
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### Author:  [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/63 "2005-09-06T02:08:22Z")
> [@Equipoise](#):
>
> then no other civilian should be there.
And here we agree, to a point.
The press is not considered “civilian”. Medically trained people there to help are not considered “civilian”. Penn is neither. Granted, neither is Connick, but I’m quite sure that as a native, he has more of an idea where in the city he can do the most good. Where do you get that he showed up with his personal camera crew, by the way? Just curious. I hadn’t seen that.
I guess I’m thinking back to something my mom told me when I was a kid. The kitchen was a mess, and she was trying to clean it up. I asked “What can I do to help?” She said “Stay out of the way.”
Movie stars with no connection to the area should stay away and let the people trained to help help. If they really must do something, organize a fundraiser or something, and try not to make it seem self serving.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/64 "2005-09-06T02:10:46Z")
> [@Equipoise](#):
>
> I’d bet that the only thing that makes him a “self serving jackass celebrity” is because he’s an outspoken liberal. If it were a Bushista you people would be falling all over yourselves calling him a hero.
I don’t think that the opinion that Penn is a “self serving jackass celebrity” divides as strictly along party lines as you think. I think he’s an idiot, to boot. I’d be very pleased if he’d restrict his political activity to giving donations and schmoozing at fundraisers.
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### Author:  [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/65 "2005-09-06T02:13:00Z")
Thank God the boat sprung a leak _before_ they tried to put any kids in there.
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### Author:  [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/66 "2005-09-06T02:13:09Z")
> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> And here we agree, to a point.
>
> The press is not considered “civilian”. Medically trained people there to help are not considered “civilian”. Penn is neither.
He’s a member of the press, writing an article for Rolling Stone.
> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> Granted, neither is Connick, but I’m quite sure that as a native, he has more of an idea where in the city he can do the most good. Where do you get that he showed up with his personal camera crew, by the way? Just curious. I hadn’t seen that.
I have no cite. I said that based on the fact that I’ve seen him on TV numerous times in the past several days. Maybe he doesn’t have his _own_ camera crew, but he seems to be followed by one all the time, and I’ll bet they take up a whole lot more room than the Rolling Stone photographer.
I love Connick btw. I don’t think he’s a selfish prick.
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### Author:  [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/67 "2005-09-06T02:17:00Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#):
>
> I’d be very pleased if he’d restrict his political activity to giving donations and schmoozing at fundraisers.
You think he shouldn’t speak his mind on political matters as a concerned citizen of the United States?
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### Author:  [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/68 "2005-09-06T02:20:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> He’s a member of the press, writing an article for Rolling Stone.
😃 You think that makes him a member of the press? I have my very own firstbaseman’s mitt. That doesn’t make me a New York Met. 😉
He is a guest contributor, not a member of the press. The guys and gals who spent years in college to actually _earn_ their press credentials feel the same way, but that’s just a guess.
> [@](#):
>
> Maybe he doesn’t have his own camera crew, but he seems to be followed by one all the time
Things like this happen when a “Favorite Son” returns home in a city’s time of need. You can’t blame Connick for this.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/69 "2005-09-06T02:21:17Z")
> [@Equipoise](#):
>
> You think he shouldn’t speak his mind on political matters as a concerned citizen of the United States?
He can if he wants. As I said, I think he’s an idiot and I’d be pleased if he didn’t.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/70 "2005-09-06T02:29:29Z")
You might have noticed that (as with Ground Zero) every fucking politician that goes down there is a complete whore the the cameras, including the Chimp in Chief. At least Sean Penn is not on the public tit and at least he doesn’t set up fake food stations then tear them down when they turn the cameras off.
By the way, how do we know the photog wasn’t hired to take pictures of the city rather than Sean?
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### Author:  [@Daisy\_Mae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daisy_Mae)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/71 "2005-09-06T02:32:49Z")
> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> 😃 You think that makes him a member of the press? I have my very own firstbaseman’s mitt. That doesn’t make me a New York Met. 😉
>
> He is a guest contributor, not a member of the press. The guys and gals who spent years in college to actually _earn_ their press credentials feel the same way, but that’s just a guess.
>
> Things like this happen when a “Favorite Son” returns home in a city’s time of need. You can’t blame Connick for this.
When the New York Mets invite you to their ballpark to join them on the field, then your ignorant comparison will make a lick of sense. Until that time, you’re making yourself look worse and worse. Jesus christ, look at how you’re here fighting about the intentions of someone trying to help (selfish reasons or not) during a disaster. What kind of person does stuff like that?
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### Author:  [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/72 "2005-09-06T02:39:48Z")
> [@Daisy Mae](#):
>
> When the New York Mets invite you to their ballpark to join them on the field, then your ignorant comparison will make a lick of sense. Until that time, you’re making yourself look worse and worse. Jesus christ, look at how you’re here fighting about the intentions of someone trying to help (selfish reasons or not) during a disaster. What kind of person does stuff like that?
You know something, you’re right.
Let’s send every single person of varying degrees of celebrity to New Orleans to help out, whatever our motives are. You know, the ones with no training whatsoever. I’m sure the already depleted resources there would be glad to accomodate them.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/73 "2005-09-06T02:41:37Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#):
>
> You might have noticed that (as with Ground Zero) every fucking politician that goes down there is a complete whore the the cameras, including the Chimp in Chief.
I’d be pleased if they’d shut up too.
Except for statements like, “I want to see 5000 cases of water and MREs at the Superdome by noon!” Which, considering the massive fuckup this has been at all levels of government, I would expect to see happen anytime, now that nobody is there.
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### Author:  [@Daisy\_Mae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daisy_Mae)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/74 "2005-09-06T02:49:58Z")
> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> You know something, you’re right.
>
> Let’s send every single person of varying degrees of celebrity to New Orleans to help out, whatever our motives are. You know, the ones with no training whatsoever. I’m sure the already depleted resources there would be glad to accomodate them.
Taking this to west hell are we? Honestly, you’re hopeless. I can’t imagine looking at the world through your eyes. For all the bitching you’re doing, I hope the size of your donation was considerable.
So bitch on bitcher man, obviously this is something you feel so strongly about… Sean Penn’s mere presence in NO is so offensive to your obviously upstanding moral fiber that you must take your absurd comparisons and run with them until there’s no one left to argue with. Then you’ll win! YaY for you!
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### Author:  [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/75 "2005-09-06T02:52:31Z")
good grief - are people really so shallow as to judge the worthiness of help based on the politics of the offerer - especially when you’re not the recipient? guess so.
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### Author:  [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/76 "2005-09-06T02:53:12Z")
> [@Daisy Mae](#):
>
> Honestly, you’re hopeless.
…and yet you’ve picked apart everything I’ve said. Who’s the hopeless one?
Eagerly awaiting more of your argument for arguments sake.
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### Author:  [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/77 "2005-09-06T02:53:35Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#):
>
> You might have noticed that (as with Ground Zero) every fucking politician that goes down there is a complete whore the the cameras, including the Chimp in Chief. At least Sean Penn is not on the public tit and at least he doesn’t set up fake food stations then tear them down when they turn the cameras off.
>
> By the way, how do we know the photog wasn’t hired to take pictures of the city rather than Sean?
He takes the same amount of space that could be utilized by someone in need of rescue either way.
---
### Author:  [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/78 "2005-09-06T02:54:30Z")
That last post of mine was stupid.
I apologise, **Daisy Mae**.
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### Author:  [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/79 "2005-09-06T03:05:02Z")
> [@wring](#):
>
> good grief - are people really so shallow as to judge the worthiness of help based on the politics of the offerer - especially when you’re not the recipient? guess so.
Yeah. Strange, innit?
God I feel slimy just being involved in one of these threads. Hail to the liberals here who can put up with this kind of petty bullshit day in and day out.
---
### Author:  [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2005, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sean-penn-brings-personal-photog-on-rescue-mission/320193/80 "2005-09-06T03:16:14Z")
> [@Equipoise](#):
>
> I’d bet that the only thing that makes him a “self serving jackass celebrity” is because he’s an outspoken liberal. If it were a Bushista you people would be falling all over yourselves calling him a hero.
His political views never entered into my opinion of him regarding this incident.
If it will make you feel better go ahead and pit a republican self serving jackass celebrity. I have no doubt you’ll be able to find one who deserves it.
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