James Hirsen
Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2003

Could it be that NBC cares more about publicizing a new TV show than it does about duping the electorate? Well, a week before midterm elections, the network ran a series of spots that were indistinguishable from real campaign ads.

The fake campaign for the network's midseason drama "Mister Sterling" was apparently an attempt to lure in politically minded viewers. But now it actually looks as if it was just another sneaky way of promoting a program that's designed to give the Hollywood take on what politics ought to be.

"Mister Sterling" is being touted as a "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"-type series. Barbra Streisand's stepson, Josh Brolin, plays a reluctant politician who's supposedly an independent, compassionate, stand-up guy who ends up in the U.S. Senate.

The series has a strong connection with NBC's earlier foray into broadcast subjectivity, "The West Wing." Lawrence O'Donnell, producer and writer for the fictional Pennsylvania Ave. drama, is billed as executive producer and creator of "Mister Sterling."

According to the Boston Globe, he's "the heart and mind behind this television tale of an idealistic freshman California senator, William Sterling Jr. (Brolin), a compassionate political independent thrust into office when he is appointed to replace a recently deceased Democratic senior senator." Word has it O'Donnell's written every episode of the show.

A little reminder. O'Donnell was a top adviser to former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and, at a later date, chief of staff of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Perfect political credentials for Tinseltown.

The Left Coast Report says, let's see. Bab's husband, James Brolin, guested on "The West Wing" and stepson Josh Brolin's starring in "Mister Sterling." Will we be seeing "Yentl on the Potomac" anytime soon?

The Cinematic Senators

Looks like one retired senator and two sitting senators are all set to play Confederate officers in a Civil War movie that opens next month.

Phil Gramm, a former member of the upper chamber, and Senators Robert Byrd and George Allen will appear in "Gods and Generals."

The movie is said to center on Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, and Union commanders Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and Winfield Scott Hancock.

Robert Duvall's been cast in the Lee role and Jeff Daniels has the Chamberlain part. Jane Fonda's ex, Ted Turner, is the production's real-life financier.

In a cameo appearance, Byrd plays Confederate Gen. Paul J. Semmes, a Georgia plantation owner and banker.

The Left Coast Report notes that there's no word yet on whether Byrd's character is a future member of the KKK or uses the "N-word" and fails to apologize.

Madonna's Bird's-Eye View

Madonna may be having second thoughts about an activity that she and spouse/director Guy Ritchie have enjoyed.

Both are bird hunters. But they're also followers of the Kabbala, a mystical Jewish belief system.

Women's Wear Daily, which apparently covers more than just what women wear, reports that Kabbala teachers have been trying to scare Madonna and Guy out of their firearms.

Spiritual guides have told Madonna that, if the hunting continues, the souls of thousands of game birds will return and haunt them.

Now there's buzz that Guy's growing impatient because Madonna wants him to lay down his arms. So says the New York Daily News.

The Left Coast Report wonders if some Kabbala followers worship at the altar of the gun control lobby.

Zeta-Jones and Douglas Are in the Hood

Catherine Zeta-Jones and her ripened half, Michael Douglas, have been busy building a new home in Wales.

The residence is purportedly in an area that's named after Sen. Joseph Leiberman, called The Mumbles. The location is very close to Swansea, where Zeta-Jones was born.

Zeta-Jones and Douglas have not exactly been acting like Mister Rogers. In fact, they've ticked off their neighbors before even moving in.

The couple has changed the plans of their new abode from two stories to three. The opulent design overlooks a bunch of other properties, and neighbors are especially disturbed about the number of windows. As one said, "We will lose our privacy -- it will be like living in a goldfish bowl."

The Swansea Council approved the plans and indicates that the proposed structure "is considered suitable for the site."

The Left Coast Report supposes that Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, like so many of their Hollywood buddies, are champions of peace, harmony, sensitivity and cooperation, except when it comes to their mansions.

'ER' Actor Walks the Dog

Goran Visnjic is on the cast of "ER." His character, Luka Kovac, is a Croatian doctor who came to America after the violent death of his wife and children.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently kicked off its first anti-fur campaign in Eastern Europe with some roadside billboards. Its display panels feature Visnjic and his pet dog.

Ironically, Visnjic's dog is stuck with the insensitive name of Bugsy. So far PETA has not commented on the brutality of tagging a pet with a gangster's name.

On the PETA billboards, Visnjic is shown holding his pooch. The accompanying slogan reads, "If you wouldn't wear your dog, please don't wear any fur."

PETA spokesman Michael McGraw told the Associated Press that billboards would also be displayed in the city of Split. Comments were sought from the townsfolk but apparently they'd all left the scene.

In addition, McGraw said the billboards would be followed by a leaflet distribution campaign, during which activists would target dog-walking fur-wearers.

The Left Coast Report thinks, when the sheep find out, they may have a beef with all the poodles in L.A. that are prancing around in wool sweaters.

McClouding the Issue

These days Dennis Weaver, star of past TV hits "McCloud" and "Gunsmoke," is promoting alternative fuel sources.

Weaver and wife Gerry set up a nonprofit environmental group 10 years ago to study how the needs of the economy and the environment could be reconciled. Their group is called the Institute of Ecolonomics Easy for them to say.

In a speech, Weaver said, "I want people to become aware of the importance of relating to the Earth, to become aware of what we're doing to it now."

Then he got into some doomsday stuff. "Scientists are telling us in no uncertain terms that we are now in the process of destroying what we have."

He went on to say that "we have the technology to make a veritable Garden of Eden in this place we live."

Conspicuously absent from his statement were three important words to all liberty lovers – free-market solutions. But he does appear to practice what he preaches. In 1989, the Weavers built a home in Ridgeway, Colo., from materials that included recycled tires and aluminum cans.

The Left Coast Report suggests that "MTV Cribs" check out whether Weaver has a recycled beer can bonus room.

Eyeballing Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is on location in New Zealand. The actor's shooting a new film called "The Last Samurai," and his P.R. people are getting a real workout.

It seems that some local workers are involved in the production. But according to the World Entertainment News Network, they've been ordered to avoid making eye contact with the top gun.

Allegedly, executives on the new movie have insisted that anyone working on the project must have a provision in their contract that prohibits looking Cruise in the eye.

The Left Coast Report believes if the report is accurate, Cruise should put an end to the Hillary approach to employee relations.

The Left Coast Report is put together by James L. Hirsen and the staff of NewsMax.

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