Another actor weighs in politically

August 8, 2003 9:12 AM

Steve Martin's take on WMD With a little stab to the left and a little stab to the right, it's good to read something funny. It's a NYT article but there's a Metafilter login I recall. Someone can tell us what that is? I think that this sort of entertainment is a better use for the hollywood set than this is.
posted by Red58 (13 comments total)

Login: mefi1 / mefi1.

Short and pithy and good.
posted by humuhumu at 9:24 AM on August 8, 2003

We're starting to see a little zip and celebrity (e.g. Dave Eggers) in the gray lady's op-ed pages. Not sure how I feel about that. It's nice to be entertained, but it might be nicer to hear some less well-known voices spouting some less well-known opinions. Might also be nice to read about Valerie Plame. But one mustn't expect too much in the way of guts and editorial integrity, must one? Baby steps.
posted by stonerose at 9:31 AM on August 8, 2003

*Half-chuckle*
He used to be so funny. "Is" jokes kinda were for a while, long ago. "WMD/Lying about threat" jokes just beg the question: why are we joking about this when we should be investigating/prosecuting?
*Sigh*
posted by squirrel at 9:46 AM on August 8, 2003

why are we joking about this when we should be investigating/prosecuting?

Sometimes, on a hot and humid Friday afternoon, it's just nice to snigger a bit. Let the prosecuting wait for some rain.
posted by humuhumu at 9:49 AM on August 8, 2003

It is refreshing to hear another celeb (though hardly funny here) support the conservative "vision" since we are so often told that all celebs are Lefties, liberals, virtual traitors.
posted by Postroad at 9:53 AM on August 8, 2003

stonerose, Martin is pretty often on the Times op-ed page, they use him kind of the way the NYer uses Woody Allen (i.e., he mails it in, they publish it without reading it).

Maybe there's a layout cue in the hard copy version, but I couldn't tell until the end that this was supposed to be Dubya talking. Anybody else?

Martin's a funny writer but needs a fresher subject.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 10:26 AM on August 8, 2003

Certainly, Red58, you wouldn't want to see an entertainer get involved with politics. After all, in our republic, politics should be handled by politicians and entertainment by entertainers.

And here I thought that one of the great beauties of America was that a man could immigrate here, leaving Europe and their sophistication behind, make himself into a world renowned actor, and cap it all off by joining the political process and running for elected office. Damn uppity Hollywood types, thinking that they're the same as Lawyers and Doctors in trying to do politics.

*phew* Thanks for setting us straight. </snark>
posted by swerdloff at 10:29 AM on August 8, 2003

supposed to be Dubya talking
stupidsexyFlanders, thanks.
posted by thomcatspike at 10:32 AM on August 8, 2003

It's good to recognize your skill set.
posted by Red58 at 10:33 AM on August 8, 2003

Is there really any difference in this day and age between a politican and performer? Aren't all of the prior very much, maybe wholly, the latter?
posted by xmutex at 11:43 AM on August 8, 2003

Yes, but TV and videotape both widened the audience dramatically and preserved a record of the performances. Cf. the 1960 Presidential debates.
posted by trondant at 12:12 PM on August 8, 2003

Was it supposed to be funny?
posted by salmacis at 2:11 PM on August 8, 2003

I am a wild and crazy guy.
posted by Outlawyr at 2:19 PM on August 8, 2003