# What actors can you not watch for ethical reasons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239 "2003-08-23T22:59:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/21 "2003-08-24T05:48:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alma \* > \*\*Do you have a cite for this? I’m not doubting you, I just haven’t heard about it and I couldn’t find anything with google. Thanks. \*\* Here’s what I found: [Jones](http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/15/actor.arrested/) was arrested on child pornography charges. From [here](http://www.stopchildmolestation.org/pages/diffephebophile.html): 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. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/22 "2003-08-24T06:08:53Z")
I can’t watch Tom Cruise or John Travolta since I found out they are Scientologists. I don’t care how important it is, doing all those experiments on bunny rabbits and little monkeys just isn’t right. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/23 "2003-08-24T06:18:21Z")
I don’t watch 99% of stuff out there, just for selfih concerns of mental contamination/clutter. I have no illustions that there’s a direct (or even indirect) financial feedback loop, mind. Just personal filters and time constraints, y’understand. **Woody Allen** creeps me out on a personal level but fortunately his schtick got moth-eaten about 15 yrs. ago. No loss or conflict there. I’m rather a fan of old movies, though not nearly in **Eve’s** league so even old-but-real scandals sail past me. Call me shallow, call me uniformed, but unless slammed across the front teeth w/ a mallet, I pretty much accept performances at face value. Dreadful people can be apt artists. Appreciating the output doesn’t translate into endorsement all aspects of the flawed humans who produced it. To be honest, most times I just want to view the end product. I’m shallow and careless that way. That said, I still hope Leni Riefenstahl is roasting in her own opportunistic, indulgent corner of hell. Veb ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/24 "2003-08-24T06:49:41Z")
**Cholo** No it isn’t flawed logic. John Wayne was a rather outspoken supporter of the Vietnam War. To me that is rather hypocritical of him to support putting America’s youth in harm’s way when he turned away when it was **his** turn to serve. I think a person can be a 150% super-patriot without ever serving in the military. However, don’t go praising an unpopular war when you dodged your chance to serve in a popular war. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/25 "2003-08-24T07:14:55Z")
Isn’t Kirstie Alley a Scientologist, too? That doesn’t stop me from watching movies or television shows with her in it. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/26 "2003-08-24T12:07:22Z")
> [@](#): > > That said, I still hope Leni Riefenstahl is roasting in her own opportunistic, indulgent corner of hell. Riefenstahl is still alive, so you have a little while longer before you can begin “hoping.” ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/27 "2003-08-24T12:20:00Z")
There’s a new book out about Frau Riefenstahl… I was sorely tempteed to buy just to see how the author spun her life… but the thought that she MIGHT get a penny of the proceeds stopped me cold. _shudder_ I don’t like Mel Gibson. But most of that is he is getting a bit old to be Wonderman. And he is a jerk. But hell if jerkdom was a criterion then I’d probably NEVER watch a movie… There are several musical artists I’ll only buy used CDs of… just don’t want Axl Rose getting any of my hard earned cash! ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/28 "2003-08-24T12:50:02Z")
Mickey Rourke - IRA terrorist. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/29 "2003-08-24T13:17:38Z")
There are plenty of actors whose views on particular issues make me respect them less, but it’s never crossed my mind to boycott their films for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/30 "2003-08-25T00:01:38Z")
[Jeffrey Jones](http://www.hollywood.com/news/detail/article/1721398) plead “no-contest” to the charge of hiring a 14 year old boy to pose for sexually explicit photos. Re: John Wayne- his PLAYBOY interview (May 1971) was one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever read. The next month’s interview was with Albert Speer, and parts of the two are interchangable. Among other things, the Duke didn’t believe that women and black people were quite ready to be able to legally vote yet. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/31 "2003-08-25T00:27:50Z")
**sampiro** Thanks for the info about John Wayne. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/32 "2003-08-25T00:31:06Z")
Michael Moore. Lately, his “social voice” (for lack of a more drawn-out description) seems to be emerging from his posterior. Joan Rivers, for her general nastiness as well as the creepiness factor. And while I don’t actively avoid their films, I do make it a point to laugh every time I see one of the actors/actresses from the “I’m leaving if W. is elected” bunch. Same with the Scientologists, except that I roll my eyes instead of laughing. ---
**Author:** ![Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caesar_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/33 "2003-08-25T01:27:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*There are plenty of actors whose views on particular issues make me respect them less, but it’s never crossed my mind to boycott their films for that reason. \*\* It’s the same for me. I’ve just always separated the characters of an actor/actress from the actor/actress themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/34 "2003-08-25T06:45:08Z")
I’m surprised no one has mentioned O.J. Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/35 "2003-08-25T07:05:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Early Out \* > \*\*I’m surprised no one has mentioned O.J. Simpson. \*\* Yes, i find the Naked Gun movies much less funny now. I don’t know if this counts, but i won’t watch Roman Polaski movies anymore. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/36 "2003-08-25T07:13:34Z")
Pretty much the only celebrity I can’t watch is Barbara Streisand, but that’s primarily because I’m always afraid that my head will melt. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/37 "2003-08-25T10:52:37Z")
I’ve always liked Jeffrey Jones & was amazed I was able of enjoy MOM & DAD SAVE THE WORLD the other day in spite of his bad behavior. Yes, yes! I admit! I like M&DSTW!!! ---
**Author:** ![Rainbowthief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Rainbowthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rainbowthief)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/38 "2003-08-25T11:14:18Z")
Other than in exteme cases like Leni Riefenstahl, it seems awfully judgemental to boycott an actor or filmmaker’s work because of “ethical reasons,” or at least for the ethical reasons most people have listed here. I have to admit, though, that Mel Gibson is a tempting choice because I find him to be an arrogant, intolerant and ignorant religious zealot, but the real reasons why I don’t watch him is I think he’s a weak actor and a very poor director. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/39 "2003-08-25T12:00:44Z")
Woody Allen, for the reasons mentioned above. His general creepiness always creeped me out, and the whole Mia-Soon Yi thing was too disgusting for words. Though I don’t like the OP’s accusations of Mia being “a psychotic woman scorned.” She had tried to end the relationship, but he wouldn’t go. And there was plenty of evidence that Woody’s actions towards his adopted daughter Dylan were inappropriate. The weirdest part was when the judge offered Woody visitation with his bio-son Satchel, and Woody said he wouldn’t see the boy if he couldn’t see Dylan. I think Jerry Seinfeld has the same creepiest as Allen. I wouldn’t be surprised at anything he might do in the future. ---
**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:** [August 25, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239/40 "2003-08-25T13:56:59Z")
I prefer to boycott actors because they’re crap actors, or because they make crap movies. For example, while i think Mel Gibson’s politics suck, and that he’s a blithering idiot, the reason i don’t watch his films anymore is that they suck. I can’t even recall the last decent Mel Gibson movie i saw. Note that this works the same for actors whose politics i agree with. While i might think Alec Baldwin’s dislike for George Bush is pretty good, i’m still not going to go out and watch his movies because i don’t find him to be a very compelling performer. I’m afraid i just can’t understand people’s need to conflate an actor’s personality or politics with his or her on-screen performance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-can-you-not-watch-for-ethical-reasons/197239.md?page=3)