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NEW YORK - Grim-faced celebrities and musicians with mournful tunes set the tone for the all-star, international "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon, which raised more than $57 million, preliminary figures showed.
The telethon featured two hours of desperate pleas for an even more-desperate nation, but it ended on a hopeful note, with a buoyant call for Haiti's revival by native son, Wyclef Jean.
"Enough of this moping man, let's rebuild Haiti, let's show 'em how we do it where we come from!" Jean shouted after singing the slow song "Rivers of Babylon," with a Haitian flag around his neck.
I don't get it, do you? No, not ALL conservatives hate Hollywood, but I have come across many bloggers who do. Why would they think native son Wyclef Jean or any of the celebrities would have an ulterior motive for volunteering to help Haitians in this disaster? Some people in this country use their celebrity status to actually do GOOD works. These Hollywood stars and the musicians, among many others, have huge hearts, they are caring and giving people. It's a shame those who ridicule and make fun of celebrities have nothing better to do with their time. Maybe they could volunteer, give of themselves to help the less fortunate.
I say, thank God we have Americans who give so freely, celebrity or non-celebrity. So, the next time you want to make fun of Hollywood, remember you are making fun of GOOD and CARING Americans!
31 comments:
The information here is great. I will invite my friends here.
Thanks
I have a sneaking suspicion that is sarcasm anon. we will see huh?
Actually, Sue, conservatives don't hate Hollywood--they hate Liberals in Hollywood, since conservatives elevated a Hollywood star to the presidency, didn't they?
More Hollywood types seem to be Liberal rather than Conservative, and I think that is where the jealousy comes from. I'm guessing if glamorous, popular Hollywood stars embraced conservatives, they would not be so against them, since conservatives seem to not mind stars like Jon Voight and the guy whose name escapes me, the one who supported McCain in the last election, were welcomed enthusiastically for their support of conservative candidates.
welcome Shaw, your first visit here, I appreciate your comment!!
I believe the guy you're referring to is David Carradine. If I'm wrong someone please correct me :-)
I think it has to be jealousy, why else would a group of people so blatantly hate others who are so generous? Oh well!
Chuck Norris
I think it has to be jealousy, why else would a group of people so blatantly hate others who are so generous? Oh well!
Same reason you guys hate conservatives ex: Jon Voight and Chuck Norris, Bush,Brown,Palin,Bachman,Huckabee,
Romney,Regan,Jindal,Christie,McDonnell and all the rest.
Although I am sure your reasons are "legitimate" for hating them.
Sue: I don't hate Hollywood or those who work there. Secret is, I always wanted to be an Actress! Sshh...
I think it's wonderful that these performers selflessly get together and use their talents to raise money for those in need. Last I heard the amount was $60 million! Like wow! What charity can do that in 2 hours and I'm not knocking charities, they are great, but if Hollywood is able to help, by golly, LET THEM! And if you don't want to donate to them, then call The Red Cross.
I think anyone doing anything good with their own money and talents should never be badmouthed, so I can't defend knocking these stars for this telethon.
As the token conservative, I will try to sum the "Hate Hollywood" thing:
They mock our values. Its always the Christian or conservative as the butt of the joke in the movies and on TV. All conservatives are uptight crypto-nazis while the cool, hip and successful are all liberals. We know that's not true...
All conservatives and Christians are not hypoctites. If trying and failing were considered hypocritical, we'd all be guilty of the charge.
Hollywood has not made even one movie celebrating our military since 9/11. Hate on Bush all you want, but can you at least give props to the extraordinary heroism of the young people who fight these wars?
The more prudish among us would even say that Hollywood sets a bad example and is dragging our culture into the sewer. It takes a lot of money to live an irresponsible lifestyle. Rehab and teams of lawyers to keep you out of jail don't come cheap. Ordinary people who try to emulate that simply find themselves behind bars, life destroyed.
Also, many of us don't like being preached to about global warming by people living in mansions, driving fleets of big cars, and flying around in private jets. I don't begrudge them their success, I just wish they would shut up and leave the rest of us alone with our pickup trucks and bbq grills.
Finally, it's rather rich to hear millionaires like Bruce Springsteen or Michael Moore blather on about greed. What makes a musician millionaire morally superior to a millionaire who made her bones owning a chain of McDonalds?
I don't hate Hollywood, but I take them with a grain of salt. Give a person money, some adulation and a podium, and they can't help but bore the shit out of everyone with their self-important opinions. It's human nature.
I'm also not a boycotter. My favorite musicians are big time lefties (Pearl Jam, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, South American folk singers...). I love them and appreciate them for their musical genius, I just don't put much stock in their non-musical output.
Silver Fiddle that was a great reply.
Can't argue with that.
thanks lisa, I hate it when I start a comment and can't hold it til I go check out a question I have. Chuck and Carradine kinda look alike right?
Pam, exactly right! There is a certain conservative I'm basing this post on but won't say a name of course. This blogger is forever bashing actors for the work they do. When a group can raise millions why bash them?
(was it Charlies Angels??)
Silver you do make some legit points but I do not find truth in liberals mock conservatives values because I'd like to think we have the same values. It's just that you don't believe us when we say that. I did say not ALL conservatives were guilty, I'm always careful to add that.
I'm not really much of a movie watcher, but to show our troops bravery in these wars is something we all can agree on.
I can't find one reason to blame Hollywood for our culture in the sewer, that's going a bit far. I'm sure you can name as many conservatives in the news recently with less then stellar behavior.
Preaching is something your side does alot of too, with lots of hypocrisy.
But all in all silver we do have the same taste in music! Thanks for commenting, I really appreciate your candor and come back again!
well they both do/did martial arts.
lisa I forgot to say, I don't hate any of those people, I just go a different route.
the bloggers I refer to in my post DO say they HATE Hollywood and actors.
Oh okay. Maybe they just hate what they do and say but not the actual people you think?
Sue said: (was it Charlies Angels??)
Funny you should ask THAT! I DID get a telephone call from Jay Bernstein who was Farrah's agent! Can you even believe it! I was only 24 at the time. I'll write about it one day.
Wow, lisa, are you back on your meds? You're actually sounding rational today - congrats.
I think conservatives tend to dislike celebrities for two reasons: they are mostly liberal and they dislike the morals that they portray in the movies. Remember that conservative group (I think they were out of Utah) who were splicing out the bad parts of movies that they objected to and then reselling them? That kind of stuff.
lisa is right - it is Chuck Norris. He even campaigned with McCain a couple of times. McCain even gave him some sideways glances at some of the stuff he was saying - and he chose that doofus Palin - so you know that was some crazy shite coming out of his mouth. Chuck is 70 and I think he's been kicked/punched in the head too many times, so I'll cut him a break. Carradine died of auto-erotic asphyxiation in a closet of a hotel room.
Hollywood, animals, the environment, normal people, poor people....
Frankly, I don't give a hoot in hell where the money is coming from - as long as it's good and going to a good cause. If it's bad and going to a bad cause - like the lining in a politician's pocket - I have serious problems.
Good post, missy.
Maybe some residual from the days of HUAC and the Black List. In one of Ann Coulter’s books she called Joe McCarthy “an American hero.”
Amazing to me the on-screen talents of celebrites like Barbra Streisand, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon cannot be separated from their political leanings, which they, as individuals, have a right to express.
I suspect a lot of this anti-Hollywood emotion comes from the mouths of Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity, who love to teach their viewers to hate.
Both of whom, by the way, fly in private jets.
BJ
I think one reason that many conservatives tend to dislike Hollywood goes back for decades. In the 1950's the Hollywood blacklist , which itself was linked to events of earlier decades, put a lot of people out of work in Hollywood, and put a serious rift between the government and the entertainment industry.
The popular link between Hollywood and 'anti American activities', which remains to this day, particularly in the older generation, combined with the fact that Hollywood's pretty morally loose to begin with, all spells a situation that most conservatives wouldn't be appreciative of.
And most of all, they're a lot of liberals with a lot of money.
:)
Sue~ Here's what my fuckin' rethug sister said over on my FB Wall in response to my post condemning Fox News for not airing the telethon...
"I love that the liberals hate Fox News. It's one of the things that makes me smile. BTW, check the ratings. 'Nuff said.
Good grief. Watch your blood pressure everyone. What's with all the angst? Here's the thing. The Christian folks (including me) who watch Fox have already contributed through their churches or charities of their choice. They don't need the Hollywood Limousine Liberal crowd to tell them to do that. And I don't think the absence of one station among dozens hurt the bottom line of that telethon. I personally don't like to watch those hypocritical hollywood leftists toot their own horn, so I was glad for the choice."
And my response to fuckin' rethug sister...
"It's a known fact millions of people like me had already contributed before the telethon. The Haitians will never have enough money. And since Fox news is so high in the ratings, they could have reached out to millions more people if they would have aired the telethon.
Gotta love it when haters disguised as Christians display their true colors in a public forum for all to see."
WOO!! Go Karen!!!
Both of whom, by the way, fly in private jets.
BJ - you act like they are flying all over the world crying about Global Warming.
Someone commented upthread that Hollywood mocked Christian values.
I looked at the last dozen best pictures and here are the winners staring with last year's:
Slumdog Millionaire
No Country for Old Men
The Departed
Letters from Iwo Jima
Good Night, Good Luck
Crash
The Aviator
Million Dollar Baby
Lord of the Rings, Return of the King
Chicago
A Beautiful Mind
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
I've seen all of those films and do not recall one of them mocking Christians or Christian values. And I don't recall any Christian being the butt of a joke in any of those films.
A lot of time this presumed injury is in the mind of the person who claims it.
In fact it would be box-office suicide to mock any religion, but most especially Chritianity, since a majority of Americans claim to be Christian and would stay away from such a film.
I do recall that Mel Gibson made a movie about Jesus and it was a huge box office success. So really, the claim that Hollywood mocks Christians is, IMHO, not based in fact.
I'd really like to see evidence of a Hollywood movie that mocks Christians
Hollywood has not made even one movie celebrating our military since 9/11.
"In the Valley of Elah" is a very good film about the Iraq War.
Hollywood sets a bad example and is dragging our culture into the sewer.
Not any more than certain politicians who have mistresses in Argentina or who tried to pay off their mistress's husband. We can find bad examples that drag our country into the sewer even in religious organization--the kind that covered up sodomizing children.
Hollywood is an easy target, but it certainly doesn't have a strangle hold on being the only place where people act stupidly.
Pam that's pretty cool, I can't wait to hear more!
Hi Lisa G, I do remember now the death of Carradine. Weird wasn't it?!
Mike, yes just a few things from the list!
Leslie and BJ, thanks for commenting! Coulter is a... I better not go there.....:-)
welcome Satyavati! Yours and BJ's point, the blacklist, is a good one. In this day and age I don't like the analogy Hollywood actors are morally worse than the rest of the country. And if you refer to the Jane Fonda story, well, I won't go there either so as to not offend my conservative friends. Also I think the young-ish bloggers I refer to in this post are just jealous of the Hollywood elite and their celebrity, I don't think it goes deeper, they aren't capable of taking it deeper.
Karen, your response to rethug sister was right on! The other night on Huckabees show he had as a guest the Fox reporter who cried on camera in Haiti. Anyway, Huckabee said he was SO PROUD of Fox for their great reporting in Haiti. We all know Fox spent very little time showing Haiti on their programing in the first few days. I am not sure whether their time picked up later in the week since I don't watch.
thanks for commenting and for my new visitors Shaw and Satyavati. Hope you come back!
Agree Shaw! Yes politicians (on both sides) have their share of corrupt and just plain stupid people, AND of course the religious examples always seem to be forgotten when there is talk of morality. Hollywood pales in comparison.
Thank you for opening the door to a Hobbit from another planet. Although his poetic presentation a fortnight ago was lost in the ethernet, he posted something this evening which might bring the mugwumps a taste of humility.
Frodo still thinks there is a small tear in Springsteen's eye.
Too bad Chuck Norris can't sing.
I had not intended to make another comment until I read Shaw’s best picture list and was reminded what a great American art form film is.
The Religious Right practically buried what, IMHO, was one of the best films ever made: Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ.” This film had everything that makes a movie truly great.
At the time of its release, a group of protestors were marching in front of Blockbuster Video, and I rolled the car window down and asked, “What’s wrong with that movie?” and the idiotic woman carrying a sign said, “They made Jesus a homosexual.” I had already seen the film and could only surmise she was referring to “The Judas Kiss” scene. It was apparent that she had never seen the movie and was only repeating what some preacher had told her. The sheer ignorance of the incident made me cry.
Had fundamentalist Christians not listened to Jerry Falwell and to their “preachers,” they would have discovered the movie’s message was what a great sacrifice Jesus made.
The late film critic Gene Siskel called Scorsese’s film the greatest movie ever made.
The mob mentality which censored this movie continues to exist today, sadly.
BJ
BJ that is such a telling story and shows the ignorance AND sheer laziness of those who follow like sheep instead of finding the truth for themselves. Its sad and stupid!!
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