Surprise, surprise. A number of Hollywood folks are coming out these days as, well, not-necessarily-knee-jerk-Bush-bashers. And the most eloquent of them, to me, has been Jon Voight.
Now screenwriters have their prejudices against actors – and I’ve certainly been guilty of them on occasion. Truth to tell, we’re jealous. In the Hollywood pecking order they have all the power. Hardly anyone goes to see a Roger Simon movie and not that many even go to see a Robert Towne movie. So among ourselves we writers like to disparage actors as pretty boys who mouth our words, etc., etc.
Well, I want to say right now neither I nor any other writer I know wrote Jon Voight’s words for his speech at a Washington Republican fundraiser earlier this week and many of those words are pretty smashing – and, of course, superbly delivered. He speaks directly from the heart: “I will try to get as many of my Hollywood peers to join me in helping put the Republicans back in the White House. And I will continue to fight to protect the truth of our Constitution. I will never be silent and no one can threaten me in any way or stop me from speaking what I know and believe to be the truth. There are lots of people in show business who believe what I believe.” (video here).
I’d also like to say something about Jon the man: I had only brushed up against him on a couple of distant occasions until my recent avatar. Now we have been together a few times, including for several days at the Durban II conference in Geneva, when we were both face-to-face with Ahmadinejad. Putting it simply: Voight is precisely the kind of person you would like to have with you in a foxhole. And I’m lucky – because, in a large sense, he already is.
(MORE: Interesting interview with Voight in the Washington Times here.)
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18 Comments
1. straightman:Sure, people go to see a movie because Robert Towne wrote it. Chinatown, The Last Detail and script doctor work on Bonnie and Clyde is enough currency to last a lifetime.
Jun 10, 2009 - 9:28 am 2. Lightnin' Hopkins:He is truly a man amongst little boys and also a fine actor.
Jun 10, 2009 - 9:31 am 3. Anita Hope:The words out of Jon Voight’s mouth give us hope that there is hope for sanity to rebound from the disasterous path we are on. As an Independent , I
Jun 10, 2009 - 10:07 am 4. Arthurstone:only look forward to the possibility that he will become the true spokesperson for a more sensible party that cares more about this countries freedom and Constitution than their Bank Account’s. Socialistic control of our country is the beginning of the end, and freedom does not exhist in this form of
government, Control Is not Freedom.
The fact that the auto industry has contol over what agencies can continue in business is real control and since Washington is allowing further job loss due to these closures, we will see continued homes go on the auction blocks and more need for welfare & food stamps in the middle class sector. It is hard to understand why government is allowing this force of control when the agencies seem to be paying the corporations for even the brochures advertising their products, etc.. Both Chrysler & GM have stated they will form new agencies under one roof so to speak, does this mean they will have control and is this not again Socialism rearing its ughly tenticles,
It seems the words of Jon Voight need to be heard loud and clear around the world for all to fight for Democracy.
Ummmm.
In no sense (larger or smaller) are you and your new best friend Jon Voight sharing a foxhole.
As evidenced by the endless military metaphors many on the right toss off I know how important the epic struggle between ‘Real Americans’ and ‘Liberals’ is to so many non-veterans, but playing a soldier on the screen really doesn’t count.
Jun 10, 2009 - 11:15 am 5. Nancy Lopez:Arthurstone #4, it is quite amusing to see an anonymous Internet commenter calling Jon Voight and Roger Simon cowards. Thank you for my laugh of the day.
Jun 10, 2009 - 11:24 am 6. Nancy:I met and watched Jon Voight during the GOP Convention in MN last fall and came very impressed with him. Spread his speeches far and wide. I hope others in Hollywood will speak out (and come out) for the truth and the constitution.
Jun 10, 2009 - 11:34 am 7. Lightnin' Hopkins:Uh-oh. Chickenhawk alert!
Foxhole references are a common way to describe admiration for people you respect, Arthur – this figure of speech has been used by people all across the political spectrum for many decades. Get over it.
For the record, I’m sure you are a ‘Real American’, so you can get over that too, lest you think anyone is ‘questioning (your) patriotism’ (another favorite gotcha ‘outrage’ regularly trotted out by self-righteous progressives).
Jun 10, 2009 - 11:44 am 8. R Greenlee:As a wise man once wrote:
“He seems to be oblivious to the basic criticism of Hollywood types using their celebrity to opine in front of TV cameras on every issue du jour – why them?”
Jun 10, 2009 - 2:21 pm 9. Fred:A Hollywood actor’s political opinions have cachet? Oh, wait that’s because we agree with him.
Jun 10, 2009 - 3:13 pm 10. Terrye:I respect the man for saying what he believes. Not many would do that if they had something to lose.
Jun 10, 2009 - 3:35 pm 11. Rhod:I’m a combat veteran and so are my three sons. Military service confers nothing upon a man except presumed evidence of a certain willingness to fight and die, if called upon to do so.
Not everyone with military service will (or did) measure up to this standard, and lots of those who never served will – and do every day.
In re the foxhole metaphor, it simply means that one would trust another to stand up when the stakes are high and the chips are down. There’s no doubt that I’d trust Roger and Voight at such a time.
Jun 10, 2009 - 4:17 pm 12. AD:We of the Right find no utility in questioning the “Patriotism” of those on the Left, as they have difficulty in defining it themselves.
Jun 10, 2009 - 4:22 pm 13. David Thomson:But, it is much more realistic to question their sanity.
“A Hollywood actor’s political opinions have cachet? Oh, wait that’s because we agree with him.”
It matter not a whit what one does for a living. We only care if the individual is knowledgeable—when they speak their mind. One of the most astute presidents was Ronald Reagan, a mostly self educated man. Jon Voight has thought long and hard about the issues of the day. He realizes the values of Western Civilization are worth preserving. I thank Voight for going public. It’s probably going to cost him.
Jun 10, 2009 - 6:39 pm 14. Barry Dauphin:Perhaps Voight can go on Letterman and ask, “What’s a 62 yr. old pervert doing making sex jokes about a 14 yr. old girl on national television just because he hates her mother…. oh you meant the 18 yr. old? and that makes it OK how?”
Jun 10, 2009 - 8:42 pm 15. Alex Bensky:Barry, can you imagine the storm that would have been raised if Rush Limbaugh had made a remark about the rape of Chelsea Clinton?
Nothing to add to the comments above, but it’s time for a reprise of the old joke: The starlet is so stupid that she slept with the writer.
Jun 11, 2009 - 5:54 am 16. Ted:There’s no storm because Letterman, although rude and tasteless, never made a joke about a 14 year old girl. Watch the Top Ten List on YouTube.
Jun 11, 2009 - 9:07 am 17. Barry Dauphin:There’s no storm because Letterman, although rude and tasteless, never made a joke about a 14 year old girl.
And it’s not to cause a “storm” to make that joke about an 18 yr. old…how exactly? BTW, the issue is all about rude and tasteless. “Rude and tasteless” = offensive. That’s what the “storm” is about, crossing boundaries. And he was referring to the daughter who went to the Yankees game. He migt have thoguht it was Bristol, but it wasn’t. I wonder how hyper lefties would react if he made the same joke about feminist icons like Gloria Steinem, Naomi Wolfe, etc. And they’re not even teenagers.
Jun 11, 2009 - 10:58 am 18. Barry Dauphin:hopefully bold corrected
Jun 11, 2009 - 10:59 am