does sean penn have a clue? – updated

Does anyone really care what he thinks??

No matter how hard Sean Penn tries to suppress the character, “Spiccoli” keeps coming thru

Terrific article.

Unfortunately, people are so busy trying to show how open they are, and are conditioned to having to prove how non racial they are, that they fall victim to stupidity.

Obumble and his minions spent millions of dollars and tons of time reminding the American people of just how racist they are. Reverse racism aside, because in their minds racism is only ever seen from white people, until we reach a point where political dissent and disagreement of ideas is seen as just that and not racism, nothing will change.

Penn is just another example of the political correctness of the day. If Robert Downey, Jr. can be black in Tropic Thunder, maybe Penn is just angling to play Obumble when they’re ready to sell the fantasy through movies.

AGiI, don’t even get me started so early in my morning. These Hollywood folks have no friggin’ clue. They get involved in a few causes and all of a sudden they are “activists” and in the know about politics and world events. Give me a f*cking break…excuse my French.

You should send this post to Mr. Penn. What a moron, calling attention to an “elegant” man for Prez who basically gave the GLBT community the middle finger when he did all the things you mentioned above AND having Rick Warren at his inauguration. Funny how Mr. Penn and his ilk look over these little details.

I don’t like the results of the Nov. vote but Americans exercised their right to decide what they want. The audacity of Penn to lecture those who supported the ban about their shame is ridiculous. And how dare Tom Hanks say that these people are un-American. Helllloooo, since when is voting un-American?? Honestly, I just wished these Hollywood actors would just STFU. Their thinking is, it’s our way or no way. Sorry, that’s not a democracy. And Mr. Penn can start by telling his buddy Chavez to start giving Venezuelans some human rights there…homosexuality is not even recognized there so spare me the sanctimonious bs.

Why would anyone take Sean Penn’s word for what is elegant? The man married Madonna, for crying out loud!! What sort of taste do you think he has? And don’t forget he is an actor. Actors are people who spend their working lives pretending to be someone else. The only question is who Sean was pretending to be when he said that silly crap. Again, why listen?

My now ex boyfriend and I watched the debates together and I guess Obots hear what they want to hear. We were sitting right there together when Biden and Palin discussed gay marriage and Biden said I guess there is no difference between us on that issue, yet later my ex would say, Obama does support gay rights and gay marriage. His daughter is gay so he thought I was a very mean spirited person to support candidates who “hated his daughter”. This is partly why we split up after the election and really disagreed alot from June. I just could not understand us sitting there together and hearing 2 totally different things from the same event. If it wasn’t bad enough that election 2008 was lalalooneyland, to talk to my own boyfriend made me question my sanity a number of times because I knew we’d sat for the same events, but he absolutely heard what he wanted to hear and did not believe me and what I heard to be true.

I hate Obama, just as he hates all of us.

Oh for God’s sake. The guy walks the walk:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-09-18-sean-penn_x.htm

I don’t listen to Penn and will never see one of his movies. Ever.

So actors, who are American citizens, should STFU and everyone else gets the right to speak? Interesting. I didn’t know that people gave up their First Amendment rights after being issued a SAG card.

I could care less what Sean Penn or most of hollywood thinks. The paper cup comment shows it doesn’t take brains to act.

As for gay marriage, marriage is just a piece of paper that is a great big bassle if things don’t work out. Lots of loving couples live together happily without it. jmo….

Woohoo! Thank you!

I couldn’t agree more. And I too this w/e sent off a letter about ANOTHER entertainer that is apparently speaking out of their BUTT, showing their ignorance and RUDENESS.

“Sheryl Crow also performed at the eco-friendly affair, but in between one of her songs felt the need to bash former presidential candidate John McCain.”Let’s hear it for Global Green! We have new President who will make a difference in the environment,” Crowe told the audience. “F**k John McCain.”

REALLY? Gee, The One who hasn’t done d!ck about the environment or Global Warming, except trying to increase it and using our tax dollars to get there. Who TWICE tried to push a tax funded Liquid Coal Bill, even against Environmentalists screams. And who says “I’m thinking about changing some lightbulbs with my two daughters”…a momentus occasion worthy of noting I’m sure!

And John McCain’s long record of being a friend to the environment and had a good policy I might add, also not worrying about backlash when he heralded Al Gore’s efforts saying, “If Mr. Gore says we can do it[achieve 100 percent energy from renewable resources in 10 years], then I believe we can”.

…well, I wrote to Stop Global Warming Fund (friend and paid for Sheryl to romp around to colleges with Laurie Binder in 06′) and Global Green USA who put on that preOscar bash.

…of course, I couldn’t relay my message directly to Sheryl as she has no way to comment or contact her on her website.

These folks should learn to keep their mouths shut. Especially when they live in alternate universes and don’t pay attention to reality.

Well, I do wish Reagan would have STFU.

Why should Sean Penn be prevented from expressing his opinions, anymore than anyone here should be? I don’t get it. I don’t get why people get so irate about Sean Penn, or Barbra Streisand, or any other entertainer saying what they think, whenever, or whereever they like. They don’t give up their right to free speech when they decide to become an actor.

Penn’s got as much right to express his views as I do–if I had a public platform to do it, I’d damn sure say what I thought.

I disagree with you AGII, sorry, luv ya, but disagree on this one.

But, yeah. Obama lied about support for Gay rights, and he did it out of pure political expedience. It’s disgusting; but what’s worse, is people who talk a good line about equal rights for blacks–hello? Black Caucus, are you hearing me?–but they don’t want to extend the same rights to gay people, because their CHURCHES are bigoted religious zealots.

Shame on them. But not on Penn, who supports Gay Rights and took the opportunity to say so, even if he’s pandering on Obama, which he is.

Shame on Obama; shame on black voters who support Obama, but don’t support CONSTITUTIONAL EQUAL RIGHTS for ALL.

rant over. carry on…

I think American voters associate attractiveness and the ability to speak well as honesty and goodness. They and the Hollywood crowd so badly wanted an opposite to Bush that they allowed themselves to be lead by an innate bias to believe those who are charismatic are intelligent and honorable. I think they assigned how they feel about themselves onto Obama and once they identified him as having those characteristics, they were unwilling to bend any. Just like they have decided Jindal is uncharismatic and unattractive based on one speech so therefore to be marginalized as unimportant or worthwhile.

I am always astounded by how many bigamists, crooks who rip off old people, swindle people in illegal business investments and child molesters or sexual predators are attractive and charming. How many times do we hear afterwards “he couldn’t be a XXXX, he was so charming and trustworthy”. They have to be charismatic and know how to verbally woo and seduce their victims in order to get their trust so they could then take advantage. They know that the majority of people do not investigate let alone doubt those who seems good looking, charming and smart. They let them in their houses and watch their kids and invest their money and access their bank accounts and take care of their sickly parents and so on. But for some reason, even knowing that pychotics can be some of the most charming people out there, Americans continue to believe superficial talk and appearance of someone is more important than their actions and past behavior. And even when there are doubts, many people still refuse to believe their gut feelings and act on it because they want to give the benefit of the doubt too often.

I don’t know much about what kind of representation the LBGT community has as far as lobbying goes. Is there an LBGT PAC? Something similar to AARP that puts out a newsletter, updates, website?

Political clout is what they need. Until they re-group and organize, their voices will be squelched.

Hey DCMediagirl. That last line of that article is interesting. He says he would support the candidate who would end the war…I wonder how he feels about the four permanent airbases and the 50,000 security forces (as opposed to combat troops) left there? Sorry, but Sean has his blinders on. He refuses to see what Bam Bam truly is. A huckster.

But, as I also have been saying in my many communications to the former groups I may have been a member of and contributed, they are making me save a lot of money and time now.

…Like NRDC, 350, etc, who now wish to play politics and call out certain people improperly and WRONGLY, how can they call themselves activists or fightig for causes when they protect one and accuse another.

…my fav, now NRDC wishes to demonize Gov Palin for polar bears, when it usually is the President setting policy that they USED to cry out for your responses to “the Bush administration”. But now its’ “thank president Obama” and damn Gov Palin. Wow, who knew Governor Palin trumped the president and Federal mandates.

…And then, when a state problem comes up, it’s “please tell them to stop……….in Montana”….I’m sorry, where is the demonizing of Montana Governor (Democrat) Scweitzer? No? But, all hell and fire to call out Governor Palin for something she doesn’t even have control over, huh?

They now have to rely on Obama promoters for money, because my wallet has been glued shut for them.

Sean Penn, as an individual, may walk the walk, true. But Obama does not. As the writer points out why does Penn overlook what Obama did versus what he said?

The very person he appears to be praising about gay rights doesn’t support full right for gay people.

Walking the walk means telling the truth. It seems Mr. Penn has a selective memory.

Sean Penn as opposed to the President of the United States? Come on now.

for many people marriage is a lot more than a piece of paper. and many people do live happily without it, but i think people have the right to be married if it is important to them. especially when hetros can get married and divorced as many times as they want…

and for some people, it is important to them to be married, because of their religious beliefs.

That’s ‘rights for gay people’.

Actors are chameleons who make their living pretending (successfully or otherwise) to be someone else – arguably a form of deceit. The fact of their celebrity doesn’t make them wise.
They have the same right to their opinions as anyone else – but we are fools if we take them any more seriously than office loudmouth.
Actions speak even louder than words, look at it this way: Sean Penn was duped by a con man and is still so self-delusional that he thinks Obama is both elegant and blameless.
From my POV he just looks pathetic.

Thank you mountainaires. Just the point I was trying to make earlier. I couldn’t agree with you more.

“Actors, as Americans, have the right to express their political points of view. And we have the right to separate their views from their roles, or not. Personally, I wish they would keep their mouths shut, because I really hate it when one of my favorite actors says something dumb like, “I’ll collect paper cups off the ground to make his pathway clear” or other such nonsense.”

I think I said the same thing you did. My point is, not that he is speaking out, but that he is *condemning* one group of people, but excusing Obama. I did not say he doesn’t have the right to speak out, I said he DOES have the right. I said that I wished they wouldn’t sometimes, because i hate when i hear them say something really stupid, like Halle Berry did about picking up cups for Obama, that were in his path.

“So, Sean Penn supports gay marriage, and speaks out for equality, fine. I agree.

But I have a huge problem with Penn excusing the President, who is guilty of the same “hatred”. Instead of Penn telling the President to reflect in his own shame, and telling Obama his beliefs equal hatred, he calls Obama elegant.”

Obviously Sean Penn is promoting his latest movie about Harvey Milk by saying he believes in gay marriage, etc., etc. when he actually is just another bigoted “Obama” fan who doesn’t practice what he preaches. Rather like the movie star who attended the “coronation” wanting to protest Rick Warren’s presence for her gay brother but who didn’t want to “disrupt” the celebration so she decided to wear a tiny little ribbon no one would notice. I guess when you live in a fantasy world you have fantasy beliefs also.

(Wow! That also explains the obtuseness of the Obamas! He thinks he’s royalty and she thinks she’s a model!!)

And I do believe I said that in the first paragraph…

It’s not just a piece of paper. It’s a legal contract that recognizes the rights of both parties. I had way too many friends who died in the 80s whose partners not only had no right to inherit but weren’t even allowed to visit their sick loved ones in the hospital since they were not recognized as “immediate family”. This gross injustice is at the heart of the gay marriage issue.

I was being snarky, DC. Many conservatives slam actors saying they need to stick to acting and stay out of politics forgetting that their greatest hero was an actor. And not a very good one.

Sean Penn is an idiot.

He talks about rights here..but then hops on the next plane to show support for the longest ruling totalitarian regime in our hemisphere: CUBA

He also thinks highly of that dictator wannabe Chavez

He is a complete hypocrite

Amen to that. I will boycott Sherly Crow now, too. I am saving so much money not donating to anything/anyone political and not seeing so many movies or buy CDs from idjits! I will be fine in the Depresssion that we are already in folks!

Obots are ignorant as I mentioned in my earlier posts.

You probably shouldn’t watch the Oscars then…or you could record it and fast forward over any parts you don’t like. Sean Penn is a human being, an activist human being, and he can talk about things he cares about in the settings that an actor is in. I’m all for raising awareness and changing things that need to be changed. Go Sean.

right on candymarl!

For someone who had the courage to speak out against the war and Bush. He got awfully spineless when civil rights and Obama are the subject.

Which actually reflects more poorly on him then his other stunts.

It seems intentional and I suspect Penn blames those bitter racists for Obama being forced to take this cowardly stand.

In other words, it’s not Obama’s fault he can’t support gay marriage…it’s ours.

dang it! you took the words right out of my mouth!!!!! are you stealing my thoughts again?

he can talk about things that he cares about, but it pisses me off when he criticizes a group of people, and then praises another, for believing the SAME THING.

He thinks those who voted for Prop 8 are a bunch of rednecked right wing loonies, and those that voted for obama are wonderful liberal open mided people. Little did he realize or acknowledge is that Obama and those who voted for Mr Elegant in California DON’T support gay marriage. He called one group hateful for not supporting equal rights, but neither does Obama. THAT is my issue.

I don’t want to watch the oscars and have to listen to someone who doesn’t know what the hell he is talking about try to take a political stand, but completely ignore facts.

Yep!

Why does he feel the need to bring other topics in to what the gathering was all about, the movies and their work in them?

Well, if you were also thinking about Sonny Bono slamming into that tree while he was skiing only days after he voted against a bill that protected old growth forests, then I’d say yeah, we may be on some weird mind meld thing.

Right – and of course when the actor is Bruce Willis or Ahnold or Patricia Heaton their views are welcomed and encouraged. It’s tiresome.

I do agree they have the right to say what the want, and we have the right to not listen, or not go see their movies.

I agree with your standpoint on him condeming one group and excusing Obama, and that’s what bothers me too about doing it at the Oscars. If he wants to get a blog, get a blog! I doubt for one minute that his speech (or anyone’s speech) in that type of venue will EVER change one person’s stance on these types of issues. We know that there is a problem in this country with gay people not having equal rights. Sean Penn’s complaining at the Oscars isn’t going to make people “see the light” or anything.

I guess I’m just still pissed about Hollywood getting a bailout. Yeah, he has the right to say what he wants, and I have the right to bitch about it!

I forgot about Sonny…thanks!

i also don’t like it when they speak out sometimes, because they ruin their msytique as an actor. i think some have done a lot of good, but when they get too controversial or say stupid things, such as Penn above, I find it really hard to want to spend the $52.50 it costs to go see one of their movies. And i hate that because i LOVE movies. But you are right, they have a right to do it, and we have a right to complain if they do or don’t.

i think it is great to fight for equal rights, or help people in N.O. or whatever, but to call a group of people at the OScars hateful, but ignore the obvious, I don’t like, at all.

Oh and in answer to your other question, when will he start going after Obama? Well, that leads in to why I ask that he not bring politics in to this moment, and also gives a clue about how he will be with this president.

It seems we are seeing major hypocrisy by Hollywood. They are ignoring or not paying attention to what he actually does, because Penn had to make special note of electing an “intelligent man” ??? , but this “shout out” came after many decisions and policy opposite of what he claimed and campaigned on. SO??????? Double standard, hypocrisy or they really don’t pay attention?

Sheryl Crowe – mistress of Lance – then gets cheated on by Lance. Karma!

Didn’t her mother tell her “once a cheater, always a cheater?”

She sings about all she wants to do is have some fun on the Santa Monica blvd – so why the interest in politics? snark…

And I also have a problem with people talking about being green & caring about the environment & equating it to global warming.

Oh and Penn, like many others who are now going out of their way to pay homage to “The One” who flip flops, he makes it sounds like the second coming the way he did that and Penn refused to support Obama previously? He was supporting Kucinich and declared loudly he would not be supporting anyone that was not looking at ending the war ad Obambi voted against it twice.

January 2007 he delcared “if you do not support a binding resolution to end the war, we will not support you”

???

All actiing for the actors?

He married MADONNA and look how well that turned out, he is not a great thinker.

I have no problem with any actor/actress for speaking out. I respect the fact that these people who could use their free time to simply enjoy their spoils in the most hedonistic ways choose to use their time and funds to involve themselves in the causes they deem important. And they have the right to speak out that all citizens have. It is just that their celebrity gives them a much larger forum to do so.

The problem with Penn was the idiocy and hypocrisy in his remarks. And probably what bothers most of us at NQR is that few people realize that the “elegant” President agrees with Prop 8 and his supporters who came out in droves pushed it over the top. Penn is a smart guy who knows this, but chose to use the Academy Awards to continue to push the Obama myth instead of calling on him to lead the next time around.

At least the members of the Academy got over the hompophobia that shut out Brokeback Mountain from all the major awards (save best Diretor) in 2005

I agree – I used to love Mel Gibson until he got all drunk and spewed his hatred of Jews.

I mean really – he’s got tons of money and more kids than the octomom – get a limo or his own driver!!!

He was pretty much “ewww” to me after that.

I can’t speak for everything in Sean Penn’s head but he only grudgingly endorsed 0bama at Cannes in 2008.

“Asked if he would be joining other Hollywood A-listers in pledging support for Obama, Penn gave him a less than ringing endorsement and warned that he has an awful lot to live up to.

”I don’t have a candidate I’m supporting and I’m certainly interested and excited by the hope that Barack Obama is inspiring,” he said, but went on to accuse him of a “phenomenally inhuman and unconstitutional” voting record.”

And now he wants the White House to do a private screening of MILK. I don’t know if it will happen but I’m glad he’s calling for it.

did you ever consider that he heard the truth and not you….. hmmmmmmmm

Exactly. Sean Penn is an idiot who has confused his role for his life. Happens to lots of actors these days.

If Harvey Milk was alive today, Pres Elegant WOULDN’T even be in a photo with him.

I totally agree with you about this. I do think though that it isn’t fair that you HAVE to get married to have those rights. I’m not married, so my boyfriend wouldn’t be immediate family, etc…

he started off supporting Dennis Kuncinich.

Oh, so Sean wants to tell the truth at Cannes – and then lie to us at the Oscars about him being an “elegant” president.

hahahaha!!! good one! LMAO!!!!!!!!

Oops! I thought moonette was joking!!!

Read what I wrote, they should have the same rights as straight people living together.

I hate to point out the obvious but the majority of gay people are not religious and believe me, I know.

I will too….no more Crowe.

Sean Penn is an actor getting an award for a good performance. Whether he knows it or not he is saluting “elegant” Obama for the same thing.

“I’ve stated my opposition to this. I think [Prop 8 is] unnecessary. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage. But when you start playing around with constitutions, just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that’s not what America’s about. Usually, our constitutions expand liberties, they don’t contract them.”

I have no problem with that statement. He has his personal views concerning non-traditional marriages, but doesn’t favor changing a state’s constitution so as to impose those views on others. In the matter of something so personal as adult relationships, it’s an attitude that I generally endorse.

hahahaa

obama does not support equality for all, and sean penn gave Obama a pass.

Good article, Sara. I’m glad you wrote this. Besides the laughable “elegant man” remark, there were IMHO two striking dynamics occurring during Penn’s acceptance speech:

1: He forgot to mention his wife, Princess Buttercup, when he was thanking everybody. She sat there, elegant and beautiful, glaring at him from the front row. Sean really didn’t need to look to The White House for an example of true elegance.

2: Sean and Mickey used to both be Hollywood bad boys, and there they both were, contending for best actor. But who’s really badass now? There’s Sean, receiving the award for playing Harvey Milk, worshipping at the shrine of the Elegant Man. And Mickey is sitting there, as scruffy as ever, losing for playing a broken down wrestler. When Sean self-consciously acknowledges Rourke, Mickey blows him a kiss. Ha!!!

great post, Sarah.

thanks all!

Wasn’t the “elegant man” remark really code for “black man”?

Stupid remark, indeed!

Face it…The One could be caught on tape participating in gay bashing, and the Obamabots would claim he was trying to help. IE: [Obamabot] He didn’t drag him behind the car because he hates gays, be was pulling him away from all those mean non Obama voters who hate gays!…

Pean should have thanked his wife, Robin, especially since these past couple of years he’s had a bit of a middle-age crisis. I believe he left her for a while to sow some very wild oats. But apparently Robin has taken him back. They have a few kids, I believe.

BTW, Pean made a very rude remark about Madonna’s recent divorce, which was very inelegant of him. (Okay, I know she supported BO, once he took the nomination from HRC, but still…). According to Madonna, he literally tied her up during a fight and left her there for hours. Pean sure has a problem with strong, successful women. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that he is a c!@K-s#@!king Obot. And, yes, he can be a jerk about politics too.

It looks like someone’s handle is self-descriptive. There’s no evidence that Sheryl Crow was involved with Lance Armstrong while he was married. Armstrong and his former wife filed for divorce in Sept of 2003, and he started dating Crow in the “fall” (by most accounts, if a couple has FILED for divorce, they are very unlikely to reconcile, so they are free to start seeing other people). So your “mistress” comment is incredibly insulting, if not outright libelous.
Incidentally, Crow’s last CD contained a song, “Diamond Ring”, which most people took as an account of what led to her break-up with Armstrong (“Diamond ring, diamond ring, f***s up everything”).
As to the “fun on Santa Monica Boulevard” comment, that song is only 15 years old. (You might also consider she was “leaving Las Vegas” even before that.) But bear in mind that Bruce Springsteen sang a lot of songs that had no political edge to them, but that didn’t keep some idiot conservative fans from being shocked in the last few years at how “political” Springsteen has been recently. The same guy who sang “Streets of Philadephia” is the same guy who was asking “Rosalita” to come out tonight and describing how he was “Born to Run”.

Ditto

Sean Penn has been voicing his political opinions for a while now. But both sides ridicule him on a constant basis. The left wants to like him, but they find it hard to do so. He always gets his facts wrong and has no idea what is going on. To the left, getting facts wrong isn’t so bad, but usually no one knows what the hell he’s saying.

Well, you can watch the you tube clips, you could see who heard truth, although I am sure bots will just decide they were edited, LOL!

I don’t think he’s particulariy likeable so the left don’t necessarily know what to make of him sometimes.

Thanks about the information on Sheryl Crow. I’m not really a big fan of hers but most definately are even less so because of what she said.

Also, Matt Damon and his slams against Palin. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I really loved those Jason Bourne movies but I guess I’ll have to boycott him like I’ve done with Oprah, the Perez Hilton website and all the others that endorsed or pumped up Obama and gleefully spread slurs about Hillary and then Sarah Palin.

What surprised me is how many gay and lesbians jumped on the Obama bandwagon when history showed he had done absolutlely nothing for them while in public service. Once again, good looks and charm can bamboozle anyone.

That’s just the magic of all things Obama — everyone hears what they want to hear.

I heard and saw Joe Biden look straight into the camera and say that he and Barack did not support gay marriage. He looked like he would rather be anywhere but there, but he said it.

Not sure what anyone else heard.

I won’t look at or listen to Barack, so don’t know what he ever said, but my impression is that he has not come out in support of gay marriage.

He also support Israel AND Palestine, and lions AND antelopes, and wolves AND caribou, and he’s pro-choice AND really the most pro-life president (according to Time).

Hey, Moonette,

how is life in lalalooneyland anyway?

It’s called the Human Rights Campaign or HRC and they’ve been pretty much useless for YEARS!!!

And forget about them. They swilled enough kool-aide that would drown the most thirsty camel. Hence, they’ll never see a dime from me in this lifetime.

It seems Mr. Penn has a selective memory.

Oh yeah, Candymarl, AND selective hearing. Great article, AGI! I always tune out when actors are talking, but it’s a good thing you were paying attention. They should not get away with this kind of hypocrisy. “Elegant” indeed!

I lived in Cuba many years and I know that many artists visited the island. It is easy to support a country like Cuba and Venezuela when you do not have to live there. He lives a very comfortable life and if he helps in any way when there is a natural disaster or if he donates some money for charitable causes I beleive that is the least he can do. Why can they not acknowledge all the good our country does around the world and not trash it.

You completely missed my point. He said people who voted for the ban should feel ashamed. In that sense, maybe he should bring that all the way to the top and tell his “elegant” prez to feel ashamed. C’mon, if he’s going to use that forum to shame someone, do it all across the board. The fact that he picks and choose who he’s lecturing to is bullshit. Same with Hanks. Criticize if you will, but don’t tell folks who voted the way they did as un-Americans.

I’m thrilled that all the Hollywood celebs who backed the Twizzler can now happily pay their new huge tax increases.
They must be so very happy–I know I am.

“Actors, as Americans, have the right to express their political points of view.” – AGI

The author didnt say actors cannot express their rights to political free speech. In fact quite the contrary. She just says (I paraphrase) its a shame that they do so everywhere, all the time, and that 99% of them sound exactly the same.

OMG! That is the most cogent thing I have heard in a long time.

here here.

So what do you think of Val Kilmer running for office in New Mexico or somewhere?

Good point, I’m a Linda too, My wallet is going to be “glued shut” for them as well. I will not renew my membership.

Oh jeez…when I think of Sean Penn I still conjure up the image of Fast Times at Ridgemont High. LOL!

Well you are wrong about Obama hating gays. My best friend (who is gay) worked as an assistant for Obama for 7 years in Illinois and could have gone with him to Washington when he became Senator. During that time NOTHING Obama said or did indicated he had anything against gays at all – quite the contrary.
For him to come out for gay marriage would have been suicide during the primaries or general election – are you kidding me??? Did Hillary or Biden favor gay marriage? Nope, same as Obama.

He is a politician, but you know that…and his remarks to Gavin Newsome about posing in a photo with him were said jokingly – (even though he probably did not want to be associated as being pro-gay marriage at that time)- I have this as a fact. Newsome played this for all it was worth during the primaries as he was a Hillary supporter throughout.

You really need to get the facts right – rather than just saying your opinion as fact. sometimes you Obama haters are just wrong – and you need to be called on it.

When did Obama march against gays and expound hate on them?? Just because he is not for gay ‘marriage’ does not equate to hating gays or ever working against equality for them. Marriage IS a religious thing and should stay there. Unfortunately, we don’t see a civil union as the real thing…but it certainly should be. then those that want the religious blessing of their union can have it at the church.

Your blaming the African American population of California for the passing of Proposition 8 really has no merit – that was put out there by angry people. If African Americans, by and large, are not in favor of gay marriage, that is their right. Again, its mostly the Christian churches that promote the anti-gay marriage stance. And just because many African Americans voted for Prop 8, that is a reach to say they are responsible for its passing OR that Obama is responsible because these same people voted for him.
I have two gay sisters, three gay cousins and two aunts/uncles who are gay – several of them are very active in Gay politics in Chicago and California. their opinion is we have much bigger fish to fry than Obama asking Warren to give a prayer at the inauguration – we have faith that Prop 8 will be overturned and soon and no one in the gay movement (at least that I know) has ever blamed Obama for Prop 8.

Obama believes a marriage is between a man and a woman, as do Hillary, Biden, Dodd…really, how many of today’s politicians have come out FOR gay marriage?? Gavin Newsome? Look what a pickle he got himself into – he’s now regarded as a joke (even though I like the guy and admired his stance on granting gay marriage years ago).

I really think you should stop generalizing so much – there are some instances when a fact or policy should be taken in its context. Other than not supporting gay marriage, I don’t know where Obama does not support equal rights?

anyway, who cares what you think about Sean Penn??

I’ve seen your remarks where you support Rush Limbaugh and Sara Palin – they are against gay marriage – how could you support anything they say, wouldn’t that make you a hypocrite??

wow-how typical. anyone who expressed a positive opinion on Obama is poison to you, is that it? how open-minded is that???

Can’t you just go to a movie to enjoy it – ignore the person(s) playing the role – that all they are, actors.

Like when reading your post you’re just a person and what you say is not important. You’re just a minion in the light of things?

OK got it Janice.

Many are very open minded here see your very closed.

when i think of him I remember him hitting the press now I guess he is patting them on their back for getting his man elected.

Funny how the world turns

Name one.

Playing games?

No that is what you do.

NEXT~

When did the Academy Awards show become a forum for political opinion? When Marlon Brando declined his Oscar in protest of the treatment of the American Indians, it was an embarrassing moment not because of his advocacy, but because it seemed out of place in that setting. George C. Scott declined his Oscar for his roll as Gen. Patton and afterward said it was a “meat parade” and he refused to participate. If actors have strong beliefs about politics or a particular issue, they have a right to speak their piece, but I don’t watch and haven’t for a long time. Even if I agree with some on certain issues, they come across as self righteous and self absorbed. I once saw Tim Robbins on a late night talk show and he came across as an inarticulate advocate and not particularly knowledgeable.

Janice, why did Obama refuse to participate in any Gay Pride Parade, ever? Why has he associated himself with people who believe homosexuality can be cured or is a sin against God? Why has he changed his mind about DADT in the military even though many people in the military from generals to enlisted men said they would support full rights for gays to declare their sexual orientation? Bill Clinton fought the congress and military for full rights, but he had a Republican congress. Obama has no excuse for doing nothing. About Newsome. Have you ever seen a picture of him with Obama? Apparently it wasn’t a joke. Not every one who dislikes Obama is a hater or Republican. I won’t even go into his silence on sexism during the campaign against Hillary since that is OT, but the evidence of his duplicity on GWB’s policy toward illegal wiretaps, faith based initiatives, renditions and his plan to leave fifty thousands troops in Iraq (which the Republicans love) can’t be ignored. I am a good old fashioned liberal, not a new PROGRESSIVE, and I’ve been around politics long enough to know BS when I hear it. How many lobbyists or former lobbyists does he have in the White House now? He is nothing more than a flim-flam man and Sean Penn is not a good judge of elegance if he believes a man who loves rap music and gangsta hand signals reflects true distinction and class.

mountainaires, I strongly support the right to free speech and try to practice by giving my opinion whenever possible. I like Sean Penn as an actor. He has given some really awesome performances. The problem with events like the Academy Awards, they are not exactly pro first amendment. The people in the show business who are conservative have no voice there and opposing views are not welcome there. So you have a large, influential, wealthy and privileged group of people with a forum and a large audience, but can you imagine someone that night saying something about Obama’s lies and lack of experience? They would be booed off the stage if not hung from the nearest rafter.

Janice, Prop 8 may well be overturned by the courts yet it is a fact 70% of African Americans voted for it and it could have been defeated if Obama had been more forceful in his opposition. What shocks me somewhat is that your relatives would be ok with Rick Warren being chosen to give the invocation at the inaugural. This is a man who believes their entire life is a sin and a lie. No respect, no dignity honored, no sensitivity for them or for women since the Rev. Warren is also against the right to choose. This blind adoration/worship is a danger to all of us. No matter what he says or does will be accepted by his apostles. The inconsisties and lies of presidents (and congress people) have to be recognized and they have to be called out or we will not survive as a free country. This is what the founders expected of us, not blind devotion.

margarita, do you think Sean Penn raised awareness at the Academy Awards ceremony? He could have used different words to bring understanding of the man he portrayed in the movie. He makes a living based on his ability to act and his brief commitment to issues addressed in his movie of the week. After Dead Man Walking, but he and Susan Sarandon were outspoken about the death penalty, but they have a short attention span. By the time their movies are released on video, their activism has ended. It’s the issue du jour and forgotten in a few months.

anyway, who cares what you think about Sean Penn??

You obviously do, since you’re running around this thread, defending Penn and Obama…

I enjoy movies, but actors are typically idiots.

I’ve lived in gated communities with perfectly healthy actors who need assistants/assistance to do EVERYTHING.

Just like PEBO, they don’t write their own material – or raise their own kids.

Their children go to private schools, they eat in private places (unless they wish to be seen), they have help to do things most people wouldn’t even think about doing.

They read lines that other people wrote. They pretend to be people they are not. They act.

You couldn’t force me to watch the Oscars.

I addressed the blogger’s comments in a limited way because I took issue with the idea that he shouldn’t be allowed to speak in a forum that is part of his professional activities. I also think the idea of silencing him because you don’t agree with him is not what we’ve all been talking about for so long. We have to be able to listen as well as speak. But, unfortunately, I see people trashing him for marrying Madonna and other stuff that is only meant to belittle him. That was my issue…he can speak…and no one has a gun to their head and is forced to listen. The blogger spoke here and is entitled to her opinion about the content of his words.

Personally, I don’t care if actors and actresses have a short attention span. At least some are saying something and trying to do something. Many do nothing at all. It’s all so hard to get anything done and/or changed, you know?

and i never said he doesn’t have a right to speak. i said just the opposite. I even said I agreed with what he said about equal rights. But, like you and I both said, I have a right to take issue with what he said. I also just expressed my preference that he would not inject his hypocritical politics at a place like the Oscars. Because, being a news junky, I don’t watch the Oscars for political, one sided commentary.

MY ISSUE with him was his hypocrisy in criticizing people who don’t approve of gay marriage, and then complimenting Obama – someone who DOESN’T approve of gay marriage.

No one has a gun to my head forcing me to watch the Oscars, but Hollywood is rich because of people like me – Fans. And if they want to start pissing off all their fans, and people tell fans to quit watching the Oscars, they are going to end up broke and out of work. I watch the Oscars to celebrate the great films that I enjoyed, and paid to see. And then to have to be subjected to a stupid statement by Penn, such as the one he made, ruins the show…at least his five minutes worth.

He praised american for electing an elegant man president, in a competely un-elegant manner. he could have done much better, and he could have/should have, if he is condemning some people, included Obama in that list, not praised him.

[...] speaking, of course, of President Obama. Recently, my friend, American Girl in Italy, had a post on Sean Penn’s Oscar Acceptance speech in which he spoke of how thrilled he is to live in a country that would elect such an [...]