Christastrophe –
1. Picking a name that gratuitously insults a certain religion that is held by the majority of Americans is … illustrative.
2. Simon’s point was the social dynamics of Hollywood producing a toxic elitism. It was NOT “liberal vs. conservative” but rather elitist vs. populist.
Food for thought: Bono in Ireland was conducting one of his sermon/concerts and brought the show to a halt. He clapped his hands slowly and intoned “Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies.” Hush. A male voice booms out “Then f—ing stop doing it then!” Laughter and Laughter as red-faced Bono is aghast. They’re not worshipping him. They’re laughing at him.
In a nutshell, that’s Hollywood’s problem. Unlike the old-line Lefties like say, Dalton Trumbo, they HATE the people instead of view themselves as one of them. Not a Gaghan or a Clooney could make a Spartacus. They view themselves as the Emperor. Heck Gaghan can sit and give an interview in his Malibu mansion with Porches and Ferraris in the driveway and intone how “Communism is the answer” in a self-ridiculing moment of zen idiocy.
Roger’s point about how success in Hollywood means deliberate sacrifice of any human relationship based on genuine love and affection stands out. Hollywood’s version of love is a three-picture deal based on status, power, and connections.
It’s why love stories depicted on the small and big screen are horrid. Because fundamentally Hollywood cannot understand love.
