I have trouble watching any movies with Jeffrey Jones since it was revealed he was an ephebophile and Michael Jackson almost physicall repulses me, though I don’t know if it’s his appearance or what I know about him. Otherwise, I try not to conflate the artist and the art.
I fell almost guilty though for not boycotting Woody Allen movies (she wasn’t his daughter or even his stepdaughter and I think the allegations of child molesting were the actions of a psychotic woman scorned), though the fact I love his movies might flavor the opinion.
I’ve known and or worked with people who refused to watch anything with the Beatles (drug use, 'bigger than Jesus" comment, etc.), Sammy Davis Jr. (his fliration with Satanism), Roseanne Barr (the “National Anthem” debacle), Frank Sinatra (comments on organized religion), Charlton Heston (right wing political views), Johnny Depp (drugs), Elton John (openly gay), Ellen Degeneres (I think she’s Turkish or something), the Dixie Chicks (the Iraq thing), Jane Fonda (Hanoi), and Vanessa Redgrave (comments about “Zionist hoodlums”). Is there anybody you can’t watch because of their personal life or views?
I can’t watch Michael Pare’ because I already saw a movie he was in called Instant Justice and I have already decided it’s the worst movie I ever saw. If I saw another Pare’ movie I might have to change my mind, and I just can’t ethically do that.
Ethically? Nobody. Having said that, I’m dubious about watching Bowling For Columbine despite being roughly at the same end of the political spectrum as Moore, purely because of what appears to me to be atrociously simplistic logic and inflammatory rhetoric. He comes across as either sloppy or deliberately trolling, neither of which makes me feel inclined to watch his films, however much I might agree with the end conclusions.
I won’t watch or listen to Eminem because of his homophobic shit and his general stupidity. Hey Marshall? The reason you don’t use the word “nigger” is the same reason people are upset that you use the word “faggot.”
John Wayne - by now many posters are familiar with my “Wayne disdain”. He played the soldier, sailor, marine, pilot, etc in the movies but never served 1 day in the military. Okay the movies are not reality - but heck - don’t try to carry it into real life (as he did). On top of that, don’t start spouting any right wing 150% American propapganda if you didn’t want to serve your country, when you had the chance. Don’t take my word for it, read Cecil’s column: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_004.html
OR visit this geocities site that has more to say about John Wayne and contrasts him with Audie Murphy: http://www.geocities.com/internet_web_surfer_dude/
(That site also contains the Cecil Adams’ link)
One thing the site doesn’t mention - if John Wayne was such a “fired-up I love America” citizen, why didn’t he join the military in 1926? He would have been 19 then. None of that “I had a family to support” stuff back in 1926.
General conservative background or obnoxious behavior makes an artist less interesting to me(John Wayne, Pat Boone, Frank Sinatra, etc. etc.), but I generally won’t boycott. since I believe the first amendment applies to all, but I have made exceptions:
Anita Bryant
Eminem
I’ll avoid Michael Jackson due to general creepiness.
Also artists who are known scientologists or mormons, I can avoid.
I know some folks who are boycotting Roman Polanski for having sex with an underage girl. Most of these people have young daughters.
friedo
We weren’t fighting any war in 1926. My point is that John Wayne is considered the archetypal American (and he probably thought so too). Since he had that mentality, why didn’t he serve his country in 1926? As you can see in Cecil’s column, John Wayne was almost too old for WW2, had a family to support, etc. Fine. What was stopping him from joining the military in 1926? Wouldn’t this super-patriot be extremely anxious to go into the armed services? So why didn’t he join in 1926?
wolf_meister, thanks for that link. Bong was always a hero of mine and I’ve been looking into what Murphy did and have come away awestruck.
Countering Wayne’s lack of service we have Brig Gen Jimmy Stewart (bomber pilot, Air Medal, DFC), Leslie Howard (shot down while on a mission to decoy the Germans from the plane carrying Churchill), David Niven (commando), Jackie “Uncle Fester” Coogan (glider pilot in invasion of Burma), and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr (commando and helped organize the Navy Seals). Even Audrey-effing-Hepburn was a courier for the Dutch underground and she was just a little kid. Wayne was a weasel.
And friedo, in 1926 we were fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.
Buster Poindexter (AKA David Johanesson). Don’t know what it is about him (though he seems to be an arrogant ass), but I never liked him when he was on SNL. The guy absolutely sets my teeth on edge and I can’t stand even 30 seconds of the guy.
By that stretch you are condemning any and all “archetypal” Americans that didn’t serve in the military for whatever reason…especially in times whenever there hasn’t been any conflicts! Just because a person is a “super-patriot” and they didn’t serve, is that to be held against him or her? How can you justify that? I love my country but I didn’t serve right after high school due to the fact I had other options and there was no pressing reason (ie: war). I wish I did but I can’t change that now. That goes for MILLIONS of Americans not including many past presidents.
What are you, mad at Robert DeNiro and Joe Peschi because they aren’t real mafioso?
I find I can not watch Alec Baldwin in ANYTHING since his “Stone Henry Hyde/I’ll leave the country if George W. is elected” double salvo.
I also find Julia Roberts and Janeane Garafolo unwatchable for the same type of reasons.
They are all free to express their opinions, however, they can’t seem to get past the whole “Republicans are evil and what more need be said” type of argument. I’m all for the exchange of ideas, and, indeed have been proven wrong on occasion; but don’t generalize and then expect the public not only to agree, but to hang on your every word as if you were some sort of political analyst in your spare time.
Chris W
PS This rant has been brought to you by the letters R and D and also by the number 7.
Here’s what I found: Jones was arrested on child pornography charges.
From here: An ephebophile is someone who prefers boys that are post-pubescent. Nowhere in the CNN story does it mention the word. Then again, it’s possible that, in the eyes of the law, there’s not a distinction.
I can’t stand to watch Joan Crawford since i found out she was a child abuser. I dislike her so much it overrides the plot and whatever character she was playing. If I had it in my power to erase her from film history, I would do it in a heartbeat.
Also Troy McClure. The fish thing. Plus he married Selma. Which is worse? I dunno.
