Politics, Hollywood Style

It was a hardly a surprise that some of the Hollywood crowd could not resist taking a few digs at President-Elect Donald Trump at last night's Golden Globes Awards. After all, they have just been beside themselves over Hillary's loss to Trump. The main attack came from Meryl Streep, but Viola Davis had a few choice words as well. As Trump does have a knack for leaving himself open to criticism, let's see if any of these critiques are legitimate.

Viola Davis: "There is no way that we can have anyone in office that is not an extension of our own belief system, so then what does that say about us?" How incredibly arrogant and narrow-minded. As soon as Obama first said he wanted to bring "fundamental change" to our country, I knew that he was not an "extension" of my belief system. Either Ms. Davis thinks most people believe exactly as she does (maybe) or she believes people with contrary views are simply not worthy of holding office (probable).

The Golden Globes are sponsored by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Said Meryl Streep: "You and all of us in this room really belong to the most vilified segments in American Society right now. Think about it: Hollywood, foreigners and the press." Let's break it down. First, I disagree with the entire premise. I believe that Republicans are actually more vilified. (See the 7/29/16 post discussing the personal attacks on this writer.) On a regular basis I see verbal assaults on Republicans and conservatives in TV shows and movies. Almost daily, I can see the written assaults on Republicans and conservatives in the mainstream media.

Additionally, it is not all foreigners who are vilified. It is terrorists who come here with the intent to kill Americans who are vilified. And people who come here illegally are not vilified just because people on the right believe that immigrants should come here legally. As for the press and Hollywood, if they want more respect from the public, then stop insulting half the country and start reporting the news fairly. See above paragraph.

Streep: "We need the principled press to hold power to account, to call him (she refused to say Trump's name, childish) on the carpet for every outrage. That's why our Founders enshrined the press and its freedoms in the Constitution." She goes on to ask those present to support "the Committee to Protect Journalists, because we're gonna need them going forward, and they'll need us to safeguard the truth." To borrow a phrase from SNL's "The Church Lady": "Now isn't that special." Exactly when did the press hold Obama to account during the last eight years? Where were all the articles about the "Imperial Presidency," when Obama said he would act if Congress did not - as if he had the power of a dictator. Obama said he had a pen and a phone; he did not seem to care much for the Constitution.

Where was Ms. Streep and the rest of Hollywood when Obama improperly and inaccurately attacked conservative media (Fox News and conservative talk radio). Where was Ms. Streep and the rest of Hollywood when Obama and Holder went after Fox News reporter James Rosen, and his family! So, this Committee to Protect Journalists, along with Hollywood, is going to "safeguard the truth?" What truth would that be? The same "truth" we regularly hear from the left wing's media/Hollywood propaganda machine? (This blog has regularly written about media bias.)

Streep was most distraught about Trump's alleged mocking of a reporter's disability. Trump denies it. Listening to Larry Elder on talk radio today, he said that the jerky movements Trump made have been made by Trump both before and after the run-in with the reporter. Apparently, Trump has a tendency to make those jerky movements when he is mocking someone whom he believes is not giving a straight answer. Mocking someone's disability, if true, is highly inappropriate. Mocking someone for evasiveness is another matter. And clearly, neither a presidential candidate nor a president-elect (especially a president-elect) should engage in mockery.

Trump, being Trump, was not able to control himself; he simply could not refrain from replying to Streep - when restraint was called for. Trump then proceeded to Tweet that Streep was "one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood." Except, she's not. She is widely considered to be the premier actress of her generation. Trump Tweeted that he was attacked by someone who "doesn't know me." Well, he better get used to it, as thousands of reporters and others in Hollywood (who will also not know him) will continue to attack him during the next four years. It comes with the territory, and he would be wise to follow the example of George W. Bush in that regard.