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hanrow

Website: Jerry's Home

	May 2008
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Hollywood legend Charlton Heston dead at 84

This has been making the rounds of the InterTubes, but, it's taken me this long to post anything because, well, I don't know what to write. If there's anybody who epitomizes the conflict an artist has between their work and their politics for me, it's Heston. I don't know if he was that great an actor, but, he certainly commanded charisma and presence, in a way I think only James Earl Jones does, and thus was somebody who was always a pleasure to watch in a movie. Even if the movie in question was Omega Man, for example.

But, on the other hand, I found his views on gun control irresponsible at best, and downright abhorrent at worst.

All that being said; artists should have the right to speak out, and, if they want to take advantage of their platform to do so, let them. I've never, ever held with the idea that people in the spotlight need to divorce their politics and philosophy from their profession (be it sports, acting, music, etc.) It's up to each one of us to decide how we want to deal with the situation, accepting the reminder that the world is complex, not some simple black and white scenario. I think taking the easy way out by pretending everybody else in the world believes the same things we do does a disservice to the intelligence of the people of the other viewpoint and to our own intelligence.

Tags: entertainment, politics - general

Preserve the Staircase

People are trying to gather online signatures for this petition to try and prevent the final approval of the sale of The Staircase. I can't sign this, because of a potential conflict of interest situation (I'm currently working with a different group, who has made a commitment to a different process), but, if you can, go ahead and sign the petition...

Tags: entertainment, politics - general

Media and Vulnerability ...It just seems like there are an ever growing number of people, particularly those in the media, who want to encourage people to find what they think is the worst of people. Their most vulnerable side.
Hopefully at some point this will change. That vulnerability will stop being currency and be a private matter that we all respect as a universal trait.

I applaud this, but I also know this element will always be a part of our media. (Look at some of the stuff published in the 1800s for common consumption -- pretty scary stuff.) It's because there will always be too many people out there who, for one reason or another, can't feel good about themselves by lifting themselves up. They can only feel good about themselves when they push other people down.

Tags: entertainment, philosophy

Of all the telemarketing phone calls that you would expect to come across, one by the Barenaked Ladies sits pretty low on that list.

But, today, while screening, I got this message: For Ships and Dip Alumni

*blink*

And, apparently, there are still rooms for people who want to spend a week at sea and just enjoy really, really freaking good music. It's pricey, but, if you love BNL (or any of the other groups on the ticket), a music festival at sea is the best way to enjoy it, I think. But, you can go back to January and read the Florida entries to hear me go on and on about how fabulous the whole thing was. (8-)

Tags: entertainment

A couple of short things from the notebook and other places... ( An entertainment grumble... )

( A little amplification on fear... )

( Another way to deal with fear... )

Tags: entertainment, happy list, philosophy