I seriously doubt that H.G. Wells had Iraqis in mind when he wrote this book.

For better or worse — certainly for worse — America’s polyglot, immigrant, democratic culture will never have philosophers or poets or epic-makers or deep thinkers at its pinnacle. What we get instead are actors who can make sexy in front of camera crews and pop stars who can cuss and play three chords at the same time.

Advertisement is propaganda. Only difference is the content. Orwell, among others, warned us to be on guard in that direction.

We’ve already been through the topic of the Goldberg book and didn’t get anywhere. The Right’s equivalent of Hollywood blowhards are in the pulpits — the Falwells and Dobsons. Should they be ignored, too? What goes deeper into America’s mind, the sermons of Billy Graham or the speeches of Teddy Kennedy?

You wrote:

“actors and filmmakers who know how to STFU when they’re not talking about acting or filmmaking.”

Why does it matter what these actors, directors and screenwriters say about politics? If they don’t have informed views on these issues, don’t take them seriously. That should be the standard everywhere. But they should still be able to say what they want. It just makes them look silly when they say this stuff.

The attacks on Hollywood-types doesn’t get us anywhere. Let them say their nonsense. It doesn’t hurt anyone. Goldberg’s book is trash and a pure waste of time and energy. As Jon Stewart grilled him the other night (watch the video here: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/07/13.html#a3919), our focus on the “influence” of Hollywood is completely misguided. Our real attention should be on those in Washington. They are the people with the actual power, whose opinions should be ridiculed when they get as ridiculous as this screenwriter (see the latest from the Congressman who wants to nuke Mecca and Medina). The latest political ramblings of Tim Robbins or whoever just isn’t important.

In that movie, Super-Liberals from Outer Space warned us to abolish war or they would exterminate us. Needless to say we didn’t listen, so they came back to finish the job. We showed them, though.

Now their discorporate spirits are stuck to Tom Cruise, and he’ll have to pay the Church of Scientology millions to have them scraped off. Which goes to show that sometimes people have to make sacrifices in order to save the earth. I guess. Anyway, that more of a moral than you generally get from a David Lynch film.