Kids and parents love the highly-successful series of “Shrek” movies, starring Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers and many others. “Shrek the Third” opens May 18, and that means the cast is on a promotional tour. Several cast members gave an interview to Michael Ordona for the Tribune Newspapers, which own the Chicago Tribune and the LA Times, and disclosed that “Shrek 4” might continue a relatively recent Hollywood trend.
The trend in children's movies has been propagandizing them, usually about environmental issues, and it looks like the the upcoming “Shrek 4” will be no different, especially if Diaz has anything to say about it.
Cameron Diaz wants “Shrek 4” to involve an eco-friendly story line about a threatened swamp environment. Fellow cast members Myers, Julie Andrews and Amy Poehler are also in the below interview excerpt where Diaz revealed her propagandist goal (emphasis mine):
Q. Do you think being in a "Shrek" movie gives you a certain kind of "cred"?
Andrews : I've got grandkids. As they say in Variety, "I rate tall." I really do. "Granny's in 'Shrek.'"
Poehler: It was amazing, speaking as someone who's a freshman in the college of "Shrek." I was so pleased to be a part of something that will last forever and ever.Diaz: [Audiences] really invest in it. They just love this film. I love it when parents are always, "This is Fiona." And kids look at me like [makes a face of total bewilderment].
Andrews: And don't think they're not going to be impressed by the messages.
Q. I wonder if they might in the future slip in other issues -- curbing dragon emissions. ...
Diaz: That's something I've been on Jeffrey's ear about, that the swamp possibly could be in danger.
Andrews: Why not? What better way to get a message across than with something that's so funny?
Diaz: Well, hopefully, there'll be a planet in four years.
Myers: You know, Jeffrey's bought a planet somewhere. I'm staying real close to Jeffrey, man. I wanna be on that rocket.
That's what we need, more propaganda in kiddie movies. Considering Diaz' past statements, maybe she's not the best person for the movie's producer and DreamWorks Animation CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg, to rely on for advice about environmental issues.
Diaz starred in “Trippin',“ her eco-tourist “reality” show that was criticized by the right and greens for admiringly chattering on about the quaint ways of the third-world inhabitants who apparently, if you ignore the high infant mortality rate, low life expectancy and lack of education or medical care, they lead the lives that even an actress who makes $20 million a picture and owns several homes can envy.
She admired how the residents of an indigenous village in Bhutan lived so close to the perfection of a low-impact life (such as no transportation, running water or electricity) happily exclaiming that one of the poorest countries measures their wealth “not based on dollar amount but on gross national happiness.” That's easy to say when you need a financial advisor to manage your investments.
She then praised Bhutan for retaining 72 percent of its forests and for not cutting it down to grow silly stuff like crops for food, "That is so awesome. I like Bhutan...[it has] maintained a careful balance of Old World tradition and modern convenience." Again, glib words coming from a woman with a personal chef and a free Xbox.
After a visit to a remote Chilean village, she criticized the decadent American lifestyle, “It's kinda gotten out of hand how much convenience we think we need.” She probably said that right before texting her personal trainer on her BlackBerry to meet for a Jamba Juice later and then chartering a jet to fly her to her Hawaiian vacation home—all while listening to Sheryl Crow on her iPod...but it's OK, she shops at Whole Foods and drives a Prius when not chauffeured in a fleet of SUVs. Good thing she's around to advise Katzenberg on ecological issues. She's not a hypocrite, because, like, she really, really cares.
Two hilarious eviscerations of “Trippin' “ at Blackfive and Villainous Company from 2005.
Contact Lynn with tips or just to let her know what you think at-- tvisgoodforyou2 AT yahoo DOT com (replace the “AT” and “DOT” with a “&” and a “.” before emailing.
