Can your dislike of an actor's politics ruin a movie for you?

[Swede]

It's never been a problem for me.

[MissB]

1. I simply cannot stand anything with Ahnold in it.

So, yeah.

[u4ic]

5. Even if he was a flaming liberal

I couldn't deal with him in anything...:puke:

I don't know most actors political preferences; I rarely watch Hollywood stuff, anyway.

So...no for me.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

53. I agree with you.

I don't care if Arnold were a flaming liberal. I still couldn't watch him. He sucks.
Duckie

[leftofthedial]

2. I can't watch Charlton Heston movies anymore

[mduffy31]

9. I used to think that

...But the Ten Commandments is still one of my favorite movies of all time.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

55. Did you know he has alzheimer's and he's not doing well at all...

Health wise? I hate that evil, hateful mofo, but he's been going crazy now for the last few years.
Duckie

[leftofthedial]

60. as I could not for ronnie raygun,

I also can muster no sympathy for this asshole.

[graywarrior]

3. Yes. I just found out David Blaine supports Bush.

Can't watch him no mo.

[Tigress DEM]

25. Black Magician supports Bush? Or am I missing the sites?

Who is David Blaine?

[JohnKleeb]

4. Nah

If I were like that Godfather Part I would be ruined for me and that's my all time favorite movie. I really don't care personally what the actors politics are. I think it's immature to let it get to you, maybe that's just me so no. Now if a bad actor happens to be a Republican I'll have a hard time enjoying his movies but it's the same thing with a Democratic actor.

[liberaltrucker]

6. Nope

Tom Selic(sp) is a die-hard rightie,
but I loved "In and Out".

Plus, some of Ahnold's flicks are pretty
good.

[JohnKleeb]

7. Terminator was a pretty neat movie

I remember one time my brother and I rented it on the same exact day that terrible disaster happens. Needless to say it freaked me out big time because of how bizzare that conicdence was.

[liberaltrucker]

8. Life imitates art all too frequently

No reason, though, not to appreciate the art.

Ahnold, Heston, Selic, etc are very good actors.
That's all that matters, to me at least.
I'll argue politics with them in real life,
but when they're in the silver screen, they're
their character.

[JohnKleeb]

13. Indeed

Robert DuVall is another good actor who jsut happens to be a Republican. I like Mel Gibson's movies too, I did not see Passion but I really enjoyed We Were Soldiers.

[liberaltrucker]

17. I saw WWS with my brother, a Nam Vet

Two grown men left the theater in tears.
And we weren't the only ones.

[Metta]

10. Ahnold and Mel Gibson, no more.

To much person in the role. :thumbsdown:

[Tigress DEM]

44. But isn't it about the fanatic that seems to be written all over them?

Arnold wasn't great to begin with, but he seemed harmless.

Mel on the other hand seems a bit scary now. He was awesome in The Patriot as the father during the Civil War. I liked him in that crop circle movie too, but I don't know now. Even his Lethal Weapon stuff was cool.

I just don't know. Didn't go see the Passion for other reasons. I'm a Christian and it feels like someone said, "Hey they made a movie about your best friend or brother's death? Wanna go see it?"

[Metta]

59. Yeah, Arnold was always a cartoon and I liked Mel but I can't separate

my sense of him as a person from his roles. I also don't want any of my money going to him. I think he's validating lots of people's fears with his and his father's stances.

[bridgit]

11. not always, i like gary oldman, but the post above says allot...

:thumbsup:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

56. Gary Oldman is British....

He's a republican?

[liberaltrucker]

12. After reading and posting in this thread, I've come to the conclusion..

Those of you who can't enjoy or appreciate an actor
because of his/her politics are no better than the
righties burning Dixie Chicks CD's.

Personally, I don't give a rat's ass about an entertainer's
politics. If he/she takes me away from the world for a few
minutes or hours, more power to them.

Art is art, politics is politics.
Never the twain shall meet.

Flame away.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. My dear liberaltrucker!

I'm with you on this one!

Well put, sir!

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[liberaltrucker]

24. TYVM

:hug:

[VelmaD]

22. No flames but I gotta disagree...

It's just really hard for me personally to get lost in the illusion and "escape" knowing that part of the ridiculous amount I spent to see a movie (that's a completely different rant though) goes into the pocket of someone who will turn around and give it to people and causes that are actively trying to hurt me.

But that's just me and I don't expect other people to feel the same way.

[liberaltrucker]

23. I disagree with you opinion

But I'll defend to the death your right to express it.

Edited to add: When you fill up your gas tank, you can
bet a few cents of that is going to OBL.

We NEVER have control over where our money goes when
we spend at retail.

[Tigress DEM]

30. Actually, you can have more control over your money...

http://www.buyblue.org/?q=directory/alpha

You don't have to do this. I looked at it and got real depressed. But it's good to know how many companies out there DO care about America and aren't selling us out to the highest bidder.

I do try to support my local businesses that aren't connected to chains because at least then the money stays here.

Companies that don't screw their unions.

It just makes sense. We can't control everything, but we can do a little better here and there. Eventually it adds up.

[liberaltrucker]

34. Gotcha!

Link bookmarked



:thumbsup:

[Tigress DEM]

40. It is interesting though.

Some of them surprised me.

I kind of thought FedEx would be Blue and UPS Red, but they are both Red.

I also thought Yankee Candles was Red because I see them in Hallmark stores, but apparently not.

Starbucks AND Caribou - both blue! Thank Goodness.

[Tigress DEM]

28. No flames, but it's one thing to make a choice....

another to demand people agree with your choices and toe the party line like the right wing does. The reason you can't compare us to rethugs is that we have retained grudging respect for individuality and differnece of opinion is expected by DEMS.

You want to keep the two separate, fine by me. I'll do what I do and as long as you respect that, we're cool.

I tend to emphasis the opposite reaction. Support those you feel comfortable about.

George Clooney. He was a cute guy with a smart alek grin and although he was good in his movies, it wasn't until Good Night and Good Luck that I really, really felt I'd like him from now on probably.

Now I never had truck for the Dixie Chicks before their mouth off, but knowing that they have some real opinions would make me more inclined to not switch the channel if they came on.

I bought Pink's new album "I Ain't Dead Yet" because she has "Dear Mr President" on it. I like that song, the rest is not exactly my style, but it's ok.

Music and acting have been political since they began. It's just a new age where the actors can stand up and be very different from their roles.

[liberaltrucker]

45. Agreed

It appears we pretty much see eye to eye on this.
Art and politics have been intertwined since Civilization
began. But, realistically, it shouldn't be so.

Why should I not enjoy the performance of an actor, poet,
singer, painter, etc, just because I disagree with his/her
politics? I'm a far, far left liberal. Perhaps I see things
too much from that perspective.

[Tigress DEM]

51. Part of it is presentation.

Those who respectfully voice their opinion don't necesarily rub me the wrong way. I got a Repub here who actually had a town hall and listened to us even though we were nearly an angry mob. The pRes was only doing phony baloney town halls and this was the nearest we'd gotten to the administration. Some people here say he just did it for political purposes, but he seemed to give a damm about his base and getting re-elected, so I'm just watching to see if his voting meets with his talking or not.

I have friends of all stripes and am actually more of a moderate DEM in my own estimation, but because the right moved so far it's hard to say where I fall in that spectrum any more.

If someone is trying to ram it down the public's throat through their medium, I can choose not to watch it or listen.

Had enough of some people to last me a lifetime. But I don't usually think about an actor's politics unless I really like their politics and I can't think of an actor that has spewed rw views that would have been on my list of favs anyway.

Of course, like Yackov Smirnoff says, "I bet you never thought of it that way."

"You will now."

[laheina]

31. You know, a fine actor

is a fine actor, regardless of his or her political leanings. But they are actors, and I even wish that Sean Penn would shut his pie hole sometimes. :hide:

[liberaltrucker]

49. Yeah, even those on our side go over the line at times

:hide:

[fishwax]

35. I think there's a big difference b/w "not enjoying" and trying to silence

I agree with you in one respect: an entertainer's politics don't generally bother me, unless there is a political message to the art/entertainment, in which case I consider it fair game.

But I think there's a big difference b/w someone who might say "I can't watch Charlton Heston movies anymore" and someone who says "I think we should burn prints of Ben Hur in order to make a political point.

:)

[realisticphish]

14. nope

ditto with musicians, comedians (assuming they stay away from politics), etc.

If they suck, they suck. If they're good, they're good :shrug:

[liberaltrucker]

15. I don't agree 100%

Some comedians in the Clinton era had some damn funny
Clinton jokes. Sometimes we gotta lighten up and laugh
at our own humanity.

[realisticphish]

16. well, i'm speaking generally

clinton jokes were funny. Once. maybe twice, maybe even three times. But eventually, it's just irritating

[liberaltrucker]

18. Good point

It did get kinda old after awhile, but
at least WE have a sense of humor, unlike
the rethugs.

[realisticphish]

19. oh yeah

you would NEVER find most pukes laughing at any bush jokes. it would be a sacrilege to them

[maveric]

21. Any film with the name Ron Silver in the cast list.

Ah-Nold
James Woods
Mel Gibson
Bo Derek
Steven Baldwin
to name a few.

[NMMNG]

26. I don't give a rat's patooty

I don't even know the political affiliation of most actors, or care.

[liberaltrucker]

27. Good answer!!!

You win the $1M prize!!!!!

If I had it

:shrug:

[NMMNG]

33. Tease

;-)

[liberaltrucker]

36. Hey, I bought a Powerball ticket

Ya never know.

:crossedfingers:

[NMMNG]

42. That's good

Because my Mega Millions ticket didn't pay off last night. x(

[Floogeldy]

29. People are free to believe as they wish.

It is called "liberty."

I would not let an actor's political beliefs interfere with my entertainment.

[Spider Jerusalem]

32. No, I'm not that much of a narrow ideologue.

I can only shake my head at the people who are...it's that sort of mentality that led to blacklists back in the late '40's and early '50's.

[Tigress DEM]

37. Question, do you find yourself checking out Indy movies more?

That was kind of why I started because there was a time back when the media was fully propogandized and the MSM movies were just DRECK that I started checking out more movies outside of the "new release - you must watch this" list.

So it comes more as a point of supporting what can actually BE better movies.

One thing though, I did wonder with all the coverage of Tom Cruise will it make it weird to watch MI3? I think I want to go, I liked the others, but his face has been put up there so much with his insane in the membrane stuff that it might be hard to shake. But I don't know what his politics are. Scientology could be either way.

[JohnKleeb]

39. Cruise is a Democratic donor

Meh I don't care he's still a weirdo.

[Spider Jerusalem]

43. I tend to watch more independent/foreign film...

than mainstream Hollywood product; that's because most mainstream Hollywood product is garbage with little redeeming artistic value, designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator in order to sell the most tickets...but I don't really think it's got much to do with 'propaganda'. Hollywood film is an excellent representation of American culture as a whole in some ways, really; it's a commercial product that's usually made to be no better than the bare minimum that it has to be to sell; it's frequently an inferior rendition of something that was already done better either in another country (cf. Wings of Desire vs the Hollywood remake City of Angels) or in another medium (V for Vendetta being a good example); it's generally all surface and no depth...really, I think the state of Hollywood's output is more an indictment of American culture than it is representative of any particular shift in the political winds.

[liberaltrucker]

38. Touche'

I love the music of Charley Daniels, althought I
strongly disagree with his politics.

Damn, he can make that fiddle sing!!!!!

[Tigress DEM]

41. Yeah, "Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a classic.

Course, I have begun a somewhat irritating habit. I listen to the music and then if a commercial comes on, I switch out. I suppose a lot of people would find that annoying, so if I have passengers I usually turn the music off and conversate.

Still if I really liked Country Music I would have to buy the CD's because otherwise I'd be yelling at the radio or turning it off after the songs all the time.

I don't like being marketed to in general. My attitude toward sales pitches is, "Don't you tell me what I want, show me what you got and I'll tell you if I want it."

Getting to be a stubborn cuss in my middle age.

[liberaltrucker]

46. Get XM

No, I don't work there, just a satisfied customer.
I got it for AAR, but there's lots of commercial free
music channels.

[Tigress DEM]

47. Hubby has it.

[liberaltrucker]

50. Cool

And you're not a stubborn cuss.
At least not anymore than the rest
of us old farts.

:rofl:

[Neoma]

48. Sometimes.

*cough* Yeah actually it does.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

52. NO....

I think that if you're judging a person based solely on their politics, that is small minded. I'm not just a liberal. I'm a wife, I'm a comedy freak, I'm a history buff, I love animals, I'm a daughter and a really good friend...even to people I don't see eye to eye with politically. I can watch a movie with someone who is a known republican and never have a problem with it, unless the acting or writing is just bad and completely stupid. Hell, my favorite author is a republican, Patricia Cornwell. It doesn't bother me at all.
My cubbie mate at work is my biggest example of being friends with someone who is republican. We fuss and argue, but I will still go get her lunch or grab her work off the printer while I'm there. And she will do the same for me. I know there are exceptions, but I'm not going to stoop to a conservative's level and be rude to people because they may not see eye to eye with me politically or theologically...
I am better than that.
Duckie

[mrbill]

54. two words - chuck norris

n/t

[Mutley]

57. Only in extreme situations where I just can't stand to look at a person.

[Harley Quinn]

58. Only if they make it part of the movie!

Mel Gibson, best example. Loved Braveheart, the Patriot (both historically inaccurate, but very cool). Not one for romantic comedies, so didn't seem some of the others before Passion of the Christ, but not because of Gibson. I just don't like the genre! But when Passion came out, all of a sudden the dude from Lethal Weapon became a pseudo-messiah! I might have gone to see Passion if the director/producer/creator wasn't a smug, self-righteous, hypocritical ass who insisted on being plastered on every media outlet touting his own righteousness. I just got sick of it.

But if he made another interesting historical drama and could stop himself from slapping "look at me, I'm king of the Christians" over every trailer and interview, I'd go.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

61. Ish with Vincent Gallo

I wish I didn't like Buffalo 66 and The Brown Bunny so much because he's such an appauling little wanker. This is a compilation of quotes I pulled out a few weeks ago for something else:

There was that incident last year where he was selling his sperm for a million adding:

"Mr. Gallo maintains the right to refuse sale of his sperm to those of extremely dark complexions. Though a fan of Franco Harris, Derek Jeter, Lenny Kravitz and Lena Horne, Mr. Gallo does not want to be part of that type of integration.

In fact, for the next 30 days, he is offering a $50,000 discount to any potential female purchaser who can prove she has naturally blonde hair and blue eyes. Anyone who can prove a direct family link to any of the German soldiers of the mid-century will also receive this discount.

Under the laws of the Jewish faith, a Jewish mother would qualify a baby to be deemed a member of the Jewish religion. This would be added incentive for Mr. Gallo to sell his sperm to a Jew mother, his reasoning being with the slim chance that his child moved into the profession of motion picture acting or became a musical performer, this connection to the Jewish faith would guarantee his offspring a better chance at good reviews and maybe even a prize at the Sundance Film Festival or an Oscar."

He's currently offering his services as a male prostitute:

"No real female will be refused. However, I highly frown upon any male having even the slightest momentary thought or wish that they could ever become my client. No way Jose. However, female couples of the lesbian persuasion can enjoy a Vincent Gallo evening together for $100,000. $200,000 buys the lesbos a weekend. A weekend that will have them second-guessing."

On Buffalo '66 he said this about Christine Ricci:

"It was OK when she wasn't drunk on the set. I think she's an alcoholic - it was either that, or she was on cough syrup the whole time. I don't like her. She's an ungrateful cunt. But it was OK. She's basically a puppet. I told her what to do and she did it."

and:

"(Whilst filming) She lost 17 pounds, and that was because I only let her eat one whole pizza pie every day."

and of Chloe Sevigny (who's in The Brown Bunny in a somewhat infamous scene):

"Chloe Sevigny, who when she's not drunk and posing in movies is busy out spreading Harmony Korine's herpes."

Some thoughts on life:

"And I've always loved Richard Nixon. And the wonderful and classy hero Ronald Reagan and his beautiful wife Nancy. The underrated genius Governor from New York State George Pataki, Rush 'Howard Stern could only dream of being as good as you' Limbaugh."

"Marijuana and socialism were the evils of the twentieth century."

"Just because my last name is Gallo and my parents are from Sicily, don't think I relate to those monkeys."

"How much cheese, tobacco, caffeine, wine and sugar can one filthy, French person shove into their bodies in one day?"

etc, etc, etc.

[philosophie_en_rose]

69. What a vile pig!

Makes me really wonder about anyone that would hire this racist, sexist prostitute.

[ScreamingMeemie]

62. If the actor is doing a good job...It shouldn't matter. For they are not

playing themselves. That is the point of acting.

[pitohui]

63. no

many entertainers have something wrong w. them, maybe politically but often in their personal life, happy people do not strive and claw to get to the top, it takes a major need to prove oneself to go through what is necessary to do that -- and self-doubt is often linked w. bad behavior or attitudes

in another field, look at someone w. great politics like picasso, a great artist, a great power for peace, but in personal life simply a terrible terrible human being

you just have to enjoy achievers for what they have achieved (or not) and put aside other stuff while enjoying their work or you'd be left w. damn little to enjoy

[Zomby Woof]

64. Not always

James Stewart was a vile right-wing scumbag, a pro-McCarthyite witch-hunt participant, along with his pals Walt Disney and John Wayne...

But I will always enjoy 'Vertigo' and 'Rear Window'.

[Ivan Sputnik]

65. Not if he/she is a good actor

who can get me to "believe" in the character. As long as I can suspend disbelief, it doesn't matter to me.

[philosophie_en_rose]

66. It can, but only if the actor plays him/herself. (i.e. Tom Cruise).

Tom Cruise is a one-note hack. His scientology-spewing is not endearing, and I don't really separate it from his so-called acting. After all, he just plays himself.

Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee are also scientologists who presumably believe in the same scientologist mythology. But their characters are not about them as people - or about scientology - and I enjoy "My Name is Earl" regardless of their personal practices.

In essence, if an actor is only playing himself or herself, I'm not going to bother to separate their character from their personal lives. That's their job as (alleged) actors.

[billyskank]

67. Nope

[billyskank]

68. My dislike of their acting can

[barb162]

70. It affects me a bit, but won't "ruin" the movie

[joeprogressive]

71. Yes, and here is why

Simply put, we are right. When the repubs boycotted the Divie Chicks because they spoke out against Bush, it was their right to do so but they looked ridiculous because the Dixie Chicks spoke the truth. The rw'ers spew lies and are on the wrong side of almost every issue so we should boycott them at every opportunity if we want.