THE LEFT COAST REPORT
A Political Look at Hollywood
Headlines (Scroll down for complete stories):
In his supposed quest for peace, Woody Harrelson wrote a column in 2002 about a hypothetical presidency of his own.
According to Harrelson's article, which was published in the U.K. Guardian, a Harrelson administration would cut the defense budget in half and close all nuclear power plants.
In other words, if Harrelson were president he would ensure that we would lose our superpower status and guarantee that we were completely and utterly dependent on foreign oil.
Harrelson reportedly said, "The war against terrorism is terrorism. The whole thing is just bull****."
His quest for peace might be better pursued closer to home.
Recently, as he left a Hollywood celebrity hotspot, the actor-activist allegedly assaulted a photographer.
The Los Angeles Police Department is conducting a criminal investigation into the incident.
The star of "People vs. Larry Flint" was leaving the nightclub, Element, when the assembled paparazzi began to take a few photographs.
Harrelson purportedly asked one of the cameramen, Josh Levine, to stop snapping. He then walked over, put his hand on the camera and again asked Levine to stop.
As a fight broke out between the two men, another photographer who was present shot some pictures of the altercation.
Levine has filed a criminal complaint against Harrelson.
Harrelson's publicist told TMZ.com, "Unfortunately, this is not the first or last time the paparazzi have provoked an incident with a celebrity. Mr. Harrelson is evaluating all of his legal options against the photographer."
2. New and ‘Improved' Superman Motto
Political correctness has apparently caught up with the Man of Steel.
Screenplay authors Mike Dougherty and Dan Harris think that Superman ought to use his powers to benefit the entire world rather than just America.
The revised slogan of "Superman Returns" is "Truth, justice and . . . all that stuff."
What makes the redacting of "the American way" notable is the fact that the writers were very respectful of other Superman traditions like Perry White saying, "Great Caesar's ghost," inclusion of the phrase, "Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! it's a plane! it's Superman!" John Williams' super-familiar score and Lois Lane and company's inability to recognize the superhero when he had glasses on.
The comic book, original TV series, and Richard Donner movies were unapologetically patriotic. The TV show ended with the American flag and Superman's cape both gently fluttering in the wind.
The last time Christopher Reeve appeared onscreen as Superman he apologized to the president of the United States for being away for too long (a few days; five years in the latest release).
Superman is such a super part of the American culture and modern folklore.
The Left Coast Report believes the revised slogan is the manifestation of a misguided type of political correctness, which conveys the message that love of country is somehow wrong.
3. Los Angeles Politicians in a Lather Over Fund-Raiser
The fund-raiser was intended to raise money for the purposes of spaying and neutering pets.
One prominent restaurant chain was part of the fund-raising package intended to financially assist spay and neuter programs at Los Angeles Animal Services.
Some members of the L.A. City Council characterized the event as degrading to women.
Councilwoman Jan Perry said the attempt to be creative in telling pet owners to sterilize their animals "crosses the line."
Perry also said, "I don't think it projects a good image for the city of Los Angeles."
It's not clear which "good image" Perry was trying to protect.
It just so happens that the name of the event also discloses the name of the restaurant chain - "Hooters for Neuters."
4. Pirates of the South China Sea
Instead of filing lawsuits against college students who download tunes from the Internet, the record labels are finally suing a real piracy culprit.
Yahoo! China will be sued by record labels for copyright infringement, so says the International Federation for the Phonographic Industry.
About 90 percent of all recordings in China are illegal with sales of pirated music worth about $400 million annually, according to record industry officials.
In addition, a Motion Picture Association study concluded that 93 percent of all films sold in China are pirated.
This costs film studios $2.7 billion worldwide.
Funny thing is, though, studies also showed those who watched the pirated Chinese films were hungry for more a half hour later.
5. Fasting for Peace, Hollywood-Style
Some left-leaners in Tinseltown believe they have found a way to promote their antiwar cause without skipping a gourmet beat.
Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, and Ed Asner are a few of the Hollywood celebrities who believe they can wage a hunger strike and get compassionate credit while having someone else do the fasting for them.
Now that's the kind of hunger strike a limousine liberal can embrace.
A ragtag group of protestors led by Cindy Sheehan recently kicked off a "Troops Home Fast" (THF) hunger strike to protest the Iraq war.
"This war is a crime," Sheehan told some cheering protesters. "We represent millions of Americans who withdraw their support from this government."
For added drama the assemblage ate their last meal of curry, white rice, and beans in front of the White House. Sheehan said she would drink only water throughout the summer.
Diane Wilson, who as an environmental activist engaged in several hunger strikes, would not set an end date to her personal fast.
"My goal is to bring the troops home. I don't know how long I can fast, but I'm making this open-ended," Wilson said. "I plan to take this as far as I've ever taken anything in my 58 years. I fear our future is at stake, and I'm ready to make a major sacrifice."
Not exactly so for hunger strikers of the celebrity kind. The THF Web site posted a list of "long-term fasters," which included Sheehan, Wilson, and Dick Gregory. But it also listed Penn, Sarandon, Glover, Asner, singer-songwriter Willie Nelson, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, and congresswoman and purported cop-slapper Cynthia McKinney as "other fasters."
According to the event's sponsor, CodePink, "other fasters" may work as a relay team from one to another. The THF site calls this option a "rolling fast," where each faster takes one day of the hunger strike.
Penn might need to pass his fast-baton to someone else while he readies himself for his screen role as former White House counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke in the film version of Clarke's book "Against All Enemies."
Interestingly, New York Times best-selling author Maj. David Rozelle told Human Events that while Penn was over in Iraq he "tried to conduct interviews on the streets and portray himself as this sympathizer and they had to send in troops to bring him out because he was being attacked."
Penn might think about dedicating his rolling fast to the members of the U.S. military who, while he was trying to conduct those interviews, literally saved his butt.
The Left Coast Report points out that they didn't do it by giving up pizza.
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