The Guardian Gets It Right On Hollywood Elites Entertaining Troops in Iraq

December 24th, 2005 8:58 AM

In a somewhat sad but, unfortunately, true article, the UK Guardian Unlimited ran a story written by the Guardian's Jamie Wilson Titled: "Stars turn backs on America's troops in Iraq"

Wilson/>/> goes on to directly charge that today’s Hollywood/> elites cite "danger" as well as an "anti-war stance" as to what keeps celebrities away. Wilson/>/> also cited, perhaps a bit too distressingly, that the "Show now depends on Christian hip-hop groups."

The story depicts how American troops have been entertained throughout the years by some of the greatest Hollywood/> legends in American history, including Bob Hope, John Wayne, and the Marx Brothers--all supporters of the wars and troops of their day.

Today, the troops have to settle--in my opinion--with the less-than-stellar talents of such "leading Hollywood/> lights" as: 

Robin Williams, who is vehemently anti-war and anti-Bush, but has learned to "keep politics out of the show after he did a few jokes about Bush's brainpower at a base in 2003 and got a chilly reception." 

50 Cent, a rap group that is also anti-war and everything else, and basically thugs under a Sony record label.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is a star, but is now everybody’s favorite "celebrity" governor from California/>/>

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, who may constitute a need in Iraq/>/>, but can hardly be thought of as "Stars." 

Having said this, the above are still willing to go to Iraq/>/> and Afghanistan/>/> to give of their time and talents.  But Jamie Wilson laments that "It is a far cry from the days following the September 11 2001/> attacks, when some of the biggest names in show business, from Jennifer Lopez to Brad Pitt, rallied to the cause."

Yes it is.  Wilson believes, as told to him by such war circuit stars as Wayne Newton, that the reason for the no-shows in Iraq also have much to do with the fact that "9/11 is so far removed" from the consciousness of people.

There is a vast amount of truth in this, but in Hollywood/>/>, it is much more likely that the reason most "stars" don't come out to shine is because of their over-engrossed hatred for George W. Bush.

Though Wilson could have done a better job cataloguing the Hollywood left's many egregious statements against President Bush, the war in Iraq, and the United States in general, at least he managed to state unequivocally that today's Hollywood "Stars" are uncaring and out of touch with our troops, and the country's values and priorities