August 15, 2003

Are you wondering how we managed to have techinical problems on Thursday night? Haven't you heard about the blackout?!?!

Oh.

Yes, we are in Los Angeles.

Okay, I admit it. I stayed out too late after a screening and my brain is too damaged right now to write a coherent column.

So, if you missed yesterday's late column, it is here. If you need to go to the movies before I can write something of depth in the morning, go see American Splendor for God's sakes. If you want to see a showdown between two horrifying creatures who battle to the end, Uptown Girls isn't really that bad. (Well, maybe it is.) And if you really want to know who wins the showdown between Freddy Vs. Jason, it's like the old "How much does it cost?" gag. If you have to ask "who wins?" to have a good time at this one, you can't afford to go.

I'll write a real column this morning, before I get to have lunch with one of my very favorite people, go to see Lost in Translation a third time, and and close out the day with a Mike Judge/Don Hertzfeldt animation show. Some days, I do love my life.

And now, for your amusement, three takes on yesterday's column that could be defined as "Left," "Right,' and "Center."

READER OF THE DAY: JOHNNY E writes: "I shall approach this as a conservative who finds The Daily Show with Jon Stewart just as valid a news show as Fox News Sunday or ABC's This Week with Clinton's Ex-Staffer due to the truth behind the humor.

Staunch Lefties tend to portray Staunch Righties as monsters under the bed who will devour your children and push your old people off cliffs. Then there's folks like Michael Savage and Ann Coulter, which many Righties would just as soon have go away, as they are turning more and more into caricatures of a Leftie's worst nightmare of a Rightie. I'm glad Pat Buchanan is now on the outside looking in. I wish Pat Robertson would retire to hermit-hood.

Bill O'Reilly finds five or six topics every single day that "outrage"
him. Haven't seen that much manufactured emotion since the audience shots in Glitter.

You'll notice with Arnie that his opponents don't even hide anymore
that they're peddling sleaze. "Well we have plenty of dirt on him, "
they said, and a different smear story has leaked daily. There was
that guy Mulholland from the DNC who warned Arnie should fear
assassination. Where are the pro-Davis ads?

When it comes to Hollywood speaking out, it seems like a lot of stars
only talk about loving their country when they're trashing it. "I love
living in a free country where I can say this country sucks." Doesn't
exactly make the heart swell with pride. The poster boy for this
mentality is Michael Moore, who could've changed the title of "Bowling
for Columbine" to "America Sucks" for international distribution.
There are several accounts in that movie that are dishonest, deceptive
or untrue, all for the purpose of making America look worse, whether
intentional or not. And had he been honest, he still could've made a
powerful movie. As Duvall might say, that's what sticks in my craw.

The more Lefties say Bush "stole" the 2000 election, the more many
voters want to re-elect him. The rules were the rules, and Gore tried
to change the rules because he didn't like the outcome. Were the
situation reversed, Bush would've conceded around Day 2, and Lefties
would have celebrated that the Constitution works.

Bottom line: Arnold is going to win, and whichever Democrat emerges
from the fray will give Bush a run for his money. Lieberman won't get
the Democratic nomination because he's too conservative. Sharpton,
Graham, Moseley-Braun and Kucinich won't because they're too small-time or too liberal. I used to think Dean was too liberal but I see him having a realistic shot as a straight-shooter, as Kerry seems too posh, Edwards too young and paid-for, and Gephardt still has the air of loser about him since he could never regain the House. But Bush is in trouble. Cheney as a VP running mate won't be the advantage it was in 2000, Powell leaving in 2005 frightens many people that the White House will only get more hawkish, and the longer an American soldier dies daily in Iraq, the more likely Bush joins his dad as a one-term president."

THE HEIST writes: "A problem I've noticed with my fellow lefties is that they can't let go when they know they are right.

The 2000 election is one example. The country has let it go. It is not a winning issue. Beating that drum gets no one elected. Yes, there were some fishy practices going on. But like fish most people don't want to have to deal with it unless it is are well prepared and ready for mass consumption. So let someone write a detailed book and if its popular, speak on it. Otherwise, let it be.

But when lefties know they are right it becomes a mission until everyone knows they are right, without accepting the fact that some people will choose to disagree without ever actually paying attention. "Re-trenched" is a good way to put it. Its a non-starter. Beating those old worn drums does far more harm than good.

The Clinton impeachment: let it go people. I think Bill Maher uses it the best and only references it when it comes to issuing a laundry list of things the Republican right has 'undertaken' to undue elections. Even then its not the kicker on the list, not anymore.

There are issues, real issues, on which a Democrat can run and win. But "the war" isn't one of them.

The recall election was summed up for me in a headline for the San Diego Union-Tribune the day after Arnold announced: "Boxer out - Arnold in". It was like announcing to the entire country that they need not take anything from California seriously anymore. U.S. Senators were opting out while soon to be airbrushed mega movie stars were gearing up."

And finally, this from NOT THE FAT BOND: "what are YOU talkin' 'bout? you went way off point...

first, ah-nold is far from a sure thing, no matter how much traction he gets in the first few weeks after his announcement. there's always excess euphoria in the beginning - give it a couple of weeks. when the novelty wears off, arnold could easily bury himself by refusing to make a substantial statement of any kind, or by saying the wrong thing. the voting population is actually smarter than you think. yes, we all buy what they sell us when it comes to movies, but that's not the case in elections. anyone who says arnold is a lock at this point runs a serious risk of looking like a fool come election day. just calm down - i know he's on the cover of time, but it's the first week. sheesh!

and saying his politics have nothing to do with his candidacy is sort of nonsensical. certainly, his celebrity is the reason state conservatives are salivating - they can smell the traction, as you call it. liberals would be too if he were running with the left. but the fact remains that he is a conservative action film actor representing republicans - this is noteworthy, since hollywood traditionally embraces liberal causes and have been ridiculed for such lately, thanks to post-9/11 misplaced patriotic fervor. this is the point finke is making. your excessive response is overkill. finke isn't saying that arnold's campaign is the best thing that could possibly happen to democrats, only that liberal Hollywood, and liberals in general, may be able to find its/their voice again now that republicans embracing arnold will be viewed as hypocritical.

i agree with finke. so what if rush or any other public pundit never persuaded an election. this is good for all of us - it is good for free speech. tim robbins was told to stay away from a cooperstown event because his anti-war rhetoric, and i paraphrase, "put our troops at risk." that is a disgusting statement by someone who clearly does not understand or value freedom. to think that an American could be accused of harming soldiers by expressing political discontent in 2003 is unbelievable to me. leave it to conservatives to always roll back the clock on progress. now that so many are rushing to embrace a fat head like arnold, an actor who's status is no better or worse than robbins or penn or anyone else, we may be able to make up some loss ground."

E ME: Blackout or bad movies?

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