# Will any of you boycott 'Mystic River' because Sean Penn kissed Saddam Hussein's ass? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 17, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047 "2003-10-17T16:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dragline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@Dragline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragline)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/1 "2003-10-17T16:22:10Z")
I’m thinking I will pass on this movie because of Sean Penn’s (and Tim Robbins, for that matter) doofus attempt to interfer with the Iraq war. It’s not that I’m for the war so much, but a private citizen has no business encouraging a potential/likely wartime opponent. I’d like to see his career go in the toilet as a result - am I off base? ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/2 "2003-10-17T16:50:54Z")
Boycott shmoycott. When did the facists make it illegal to have a differing political viewpoint? I have seen, and liked, John Wayne films and films with Charlton Heston, even though I think they are right-wing political idiots. If you are going to fact check every actor, singer, author and artist before you decide if they meet your superior moral standards, it sounds to me like you are going to be stuck watching Dukes of Hazzard for the rest of your life. ---
**Author:** ![konzar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac8455/32.png) [@konzar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/konzar)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/3 "2003-10-17T17:02:45Z")
Penn IS a real jackass. But this country needs a whole lot less boycotting. Where I work staff members are currently boycotting 3 restaurants for various political reasons. Does this make sense. In a free country like ours, we should be able to have differ views but still interact. all these boycotts are just stupid. on another side, I read the book MYTIC RIVER and it was by far the author’s weakest (and I’ve read all his books). if the reviews are true, i interested in seeing the film just to see how you make a great film form a poor novel. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/4 "2003-10-17T17:07:15Z")
Some of my favorite actors hold viewpoints that I feel are crocks of shit. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/5 "2003-10-17T17:39:45Z")
I’m not depriving myself of what, what I hope will be, a fine film because some of the actors’ viewpoints differ from mine. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/6 "2003-10-17T17:46:33Z")
Great idea, **Dragface**! Then we can also boycott every Arnold Schwarzenegger movie and the movies and tv shows of every actor who supported him because they subverted the democratic process in California! And Aaron Sorkin, too, just because of _The West Wing_ on general principles! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/7 "2003-10-17T17:49:32Z")
Yeah, and you too **Dragline**! ---
**Author:** ![HumanStromboli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@HumanStromboli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HumanStromboli)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/8 "2003-10-17T17:52:59Z")
Of course not. (I boycott enough movies that suck; I tend to try to go to ones that look good.) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/9 "2003-10-17T18:01:28Z")
No. I won’t go see it because the previews give me no idea what it’s about. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/10 "2003-10-17T19:25:51Z")
Actually, if you must go with a silly idea like boycotting movies for political reasons, wouldn’t it make more sense to boycott the films that endorse the views you dislike? Demmycrats would boycott action movies like **Die Hard** and **Bad Boys,** because they encourage the use of vigilante-style violence to resolve problems (not to mention the stereotype of blacks + weapons = killaz). Repugnicans would boycott movies like **Erin Brockovich** and **The Hulk** for portraying corporations and the military as evil. But then, they probably already boycott everything from Hollywood as part of the Evil Liberal Media Conspiracy™. 😉 If there’s any hope, everyone would boycott Adam Sandler movies on general principle. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/11 "2003-10-17T19:43:32Z")
Well, if he does that in the movie, I’d rather not see it. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/12 "2003-10-17T19:51:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by konzar \* > In a free country like ours, we should be able to have differ views but still interact. all these boycotts are just stupid. In a free country like ours, we should be able to choose not to give money to someone who we don’t agree with. That said, I intend to see _Mystic River_, as it has gotten excellent reviews, despite the fact that I think Sean is an ass. I don’t consider him quite asinine enough to boycott. On the other hand, I refuse to pay money to see any Roman Polanksi movie, as he is a child rapist. (which I view as slightly worse than being a liberal. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/13 "2003-10-17T21:06:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*On the other hand, I refuse to pay money to see any Roman Polanksi movie, as he is a child rapist. (which I view as slightly worse than being a liberal. 😉 ) \*\* And yet the Academy awarded him an Oscar for _The Pianist_ last year. I wonder if his Oscar was better received by Hollywood crowd than the Honorary one received by Elia Kazan in '99? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/14 "2003-10-17T21:34:34Z")
This thread is more about politics and boycotting than it is about a motion picture performance, so I think I’ll just move it to a more appropriate forum. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/15 "2003-10-17T21:35:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DMark \* > \*\*If you are going to fact check every actor, singer, author and artist before you decide if they meet your superior moral standards, it sounds to me like you are going to be stuck watching Dukes of Hazzard for the rest of your life. \*\* Well, that wouldn’t work. John Schneider is an outspoken conservative Republican, and Ben Jones, who played Cooter, is a liberal Democrat. So, one way or the other, you can’t watch that either. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/16 "2003-10-17T21:43:23Z")
Is Saddam going to be in the movie? If not, then who gives a shit what Sean Penn thinks or does? He’s an actor, and a good one. His political views have no impact on his ability to deliver a convincing performance, and calling for a boycott of his movies does nothing more than reinforce the idea that his opinions have genuine weight and importance because of his celebrity status. Go see the movie, or not, but make your decision on the merits of the film, not the merits of the people employed to make the film. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/17 "2003-10-17T21:46:17Z")
I usually waffle before I’ll see a Scientologist’s movie, because the actually money I’m paying will actually go toward their payments to the “church,” but that’s usually moot: neither Tom Cruise nor John Travolta has made a film I’d care to see recently. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/18 "2003-10-17T22:03:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*In a free country like ours, we should be able to choose not to give money to someone who we don’t agree with. > > \*\* swell - where’s my refund from the feds? 😉 that said, what you choose to do w/your $$ is your business - but may I ask, did you check the philosophical leanings and beliefs of everyone else in that movie? Everyone in every movie? how on earth do you have the time to go to movies in the first place? Until I’m convinced that, for example, “only” liberals worked on this or that project, (and since in the US it’s illegal to discriminate based on political ideology in employment, it’ll be tough to do), I find these types of arguements silly no matter who is making them. Refuse to buy Dixie Chicks cd’s 'cause you don’t like their music, but refusing 'cause Natalie dissed the pres and/or Toby also takes $$ from the others working on the project, no matter what their views are. So, if your gripe is that you don’t want **your** dollars going into so and so’s pocket 'cause you don’t like their political beliefs, remember, you may be punishing people with exactly your same beliefs at the same time (and the reverse is also true - Toby Keith probably has some one on **his** projects who has different beliefs). Especially at the movie level. good grief, do you have any idea how many people work on a movie? Sean/Tim are only two of the actors (and there’s 4 main parts -did you check out the politics of Clint, Kevin and Kevin as well???) ---
**Author:** ![carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrot)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/19 "2003-10-17T22:18:29Z")
Y’know, “kissing Saddam Hussein’s ass” is a pretty harsh description. Got any evidence that Penn said anything nice about Hussein? I mean, just saying that someone belongs in [“Bellevue or a meat grinder”](http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=30450) doesn’t preclude some ass-kissing taking place, I guess. So I’m sure, **Dragline** , that you’ll be right along to justify that “ass-kissing” comment. I don’t like Sean Penn, but this just smacks of accusations of “anti-Americanism” from the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047/20 "2003-10-17T22:21:07Z")
from what I’ve seen, avoiding the movie looks to be a good idea. The trailer’s I’ve seen are dull. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-any-of-you-boycott-mystic-river-because-sean-penn-kissed-saddam-husseins-ass/208047.md?page=2)