James Hirsen
Tuesday, April 15, 2003

Gene Simmons may be best known for his makeup-wearing, tongue-contorting antics as part of the rock group Kiss. But there’s more to the guy than meets the theatrical eye.

Born Chaim Witz from Haifa, Israel, Simmons is highly educated and speaks four languages. He has some pithy statements on his Web site that others in the entertainment field might try reading.

On U.S. history, Simmons posts, “If you don't have the guts to stand up to injustice, where ever it exists (and that means stopping the Germans, the Japanese and the Italians in WW I and WW II ... or the Albanian Serbs in Bosnia ... or the tragedies that keep on occurring in Africa ... or even the Viet Nam War ... Panama ... North Korea ... the list goes on and on) ... One thing in common with all these events: AMERICA. America didn't stay and ‘conquer’ ANY OF THESE COUNTRIES.”

As for fellow libs in the entertainment biz, Simmons says that he’s “ashamed to be surrounded by people calling themselves Liberal who are, in my opinion, spitting on the graves of brave American soldiers who gave their life to fight a war that wasn't theirs ... in a country they've never been to ... simply to liberate the people therein.”

The rocker makes an appeal to those who hold fast to an appeasement mentality: “The answer to any doubters lies in watching Iraq's people dancing in the streets.”

I have to tell you, Simmons is a fellow musician. I had the chance to meet him several years ago at a number of venues where we both played. He always exuded an intelligence that his stage persona just didn’t reveal.

The Left Coast Report notes that now he’s demonstrating wisdom as well.

New York Gets the Willies

Bill Clinton has been on a musical tour of sorts. Several months ago he appeared in Los Angeles with the Rolling Stones. Now he’s taken the stage with Willie Nelson.

Maybe Clinton did so because Nelson is a guy who can have the effect of making one appear more youthful than reality dictates.

According to a New York Post source, when Clinton’s name was announced there were boos and yells. This didn’t sit too well with the Slick One. Apparently, the ex-prez got a bit perturbed and made a remark about “angry Republicans.” Didn’t you just know he’d find a way to blame the GOP?

A Clinton aide admitted to some booing but disagreed with what had occurred. The aide claimed that there was “so much applauding that he [Clinton] had to quiet them down so he could introduce Willie.” He indicated that Clinton “was not upset at all.”

Meanwhile, the Boston Herald reported that Bill and Hill are set to vacation this summer at a house in Martha’s Vineyard. The home will be supplied by enviro-maniac Ted Danson and his wife, Mary Steenburgen. Danson just bought his neighbor's old farmhouse for $3.8 million. Guess the Clintons will have their very own place to dance to inaudible music.

The Left Coast Report thinks at this point the Clintons could teach Kato Kaelin a thing or two.

Pistol-Packin’ Penn

Sean Penn's car, a black 1987 Buick Grand National, was stolen in broad daylight while the actor was having lunch.

The crime took place on a busy street a block away from UC Berkeley. Penn’s vehicle was found in Richmond, nine miles from where it was stolen.

Interestingly, a couple of Penn’s guns were missing as well. Yeah, that’s right. This “peace” activist had a permit to keep a semiautomatic and a revolver.

Inside the vehicle that was taken, Penn had a loaded 9mm Glock handgun and an unloaded .38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver.

The Left Coast Report wonders aloud … hmm … a Glock semiautomatic and an S & W revolver? These anti-war pacifists sure seem to have good taste in firearms.

Grammer Lesson

It seems Kelsey Grammer doesn’t mind going against the tide in Hollywood. He’s one of a small handful of celebrities who has openly supported President Bush.

Now he is using his television show as a vehicle to express appreciation to those who serve in the military.

The actor has a standing instruction to the staff of “Frasier” that families of military personnel or veterans who attend tapings will be seated where they belong – in the front row. Grammer has also made it a point to meet with guests personally.

The Enquirer reports that at a recent taping, two women in their 70s were escorted up to meet Grammer. When he inquired about which branches of the service they were from, they said, “We're soldiers in The Salvation Army.” Apparently not one to nitpick, Kelsey saluted the ladies and gave them some autographed pics.

The Left Coast Report hopes this kind of gesture becomes a permanent fixture in Hollywood.

Not a Rosie Reception

Remember early in the war when the press reported that the coalition forces were running into surprising Iraqi resistance? Rosie O'Donnell recently experienced a bit of hostile resistance herself.

O'Donnell was to receive the Vito Russo Award at a fund-raising dinner for Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. The actress apparently defended Michael Moore’s anti-Bush Oscar rant. She engaged in some perfunctory Bush-bashing and claimed that the war was “killing Iraqi women and children.”

The New York Post reported that Rosie then heard some sounds that she probably never expected to hear from a gathering of this type: boos.

The Left Coast Report says it just goes to show that people from all points on the political spectrum understand that denigrating the commander in chief at a time when the bullets are still flying demands the appropriate response: a healthy dose of righteous heckling.

Truth and Consequences for Sarandon

Has appeasement activist Susan Sarandon ceased being a disciple of all things Hillary? Maybe for the moment.

Sarandon was asked by the hosts of ABC’s “The View” to comment on the U.S. senator’s support of the war in Iraq. Sarandon offered this remark: “Yeah. I’m very disappointed in Hillary.”

Sarandon’s scheduled appearance as a speaker for a United Way charity event in Tampa was canceled after organizers received complaints. When the actress appeared on a British show, “So Graham Norton,” one of her patented Bush-bashing episodes had to be edited out. And the Baseball Hall of Fame just rescinded a 15th anniversary celebration of “Bull Durham” that was supposed to include Susan and beau Tim Robbins.

Hall of Fame President Dale Petroskey, a former White House assistant press secretary under Ronald Reagan, wrote in a cancellation letter, “We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important -- and sensitive -- time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger.”

Sarandon told reporters, “I thought the best way to protect those troops is to keep them out of harm's way completely and to not put people into the hellish situation of war.” Do you suppose next that Sarandon will suggest that to protect firefighters we not put them into the hellish situation of fighting fires?

Robbins addressed the cancellation remarks in an open letter: “To suggest that my criticism of the president put the troops in danger is absurd ...” The actor/director then launched the usual attack on Petroskey’s Republican pedigree with these words: “Your subservience to your friends in the administration is embarrassing to baseball and by engaging in this enterprise you show that you belong with other cowards and ideologues in a hall of infamy and shame.” The Left Coast Report points out what the above incidents thankfully illustrate – freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.

Garofalo Buffoonery

ABC is being flooded with telephone calls, letters and e-mails. The network is in development of a sitcom with a controversial star – the annoyingly clamorous Janeane Garofalo. The premise of the show involves a “60 Minutes”-style TV news program, with Garofalo playing a producer.

Talk show host and NewsMax pundit Steve Malzberg says that Garofalo is happy about the complaints received by the network. “Boycotters are welcome to keep giving me tons of publicity,” the anti-war poster gal claims.

Meanwhile, Garofalo is so unpopular that Miss USA did not want to pose for pictures with her. The New York Post reports that as Miss USA Susie Castillo was being guided into a photo shoot with Garofalo, Castillo’s publicist cried: “Not with Janeane! Not with Janeane! [Miss USA] can't get caught up in her politics.”

Apparently, even after witnessing the overwhelming reception the Iraqi people gave the coalition forces, Garofalo refuses to apologize for her actions. “I have nothing to apologize for,” the comedic actress told Malzberg.

Back on March 6, Bill O'Reilly asked Garofalo, “If you are wrong… and if the United States - and they will, this is going to happen - goes in, liberates Iraq [with] people in the street, American flags, hugging our soldiers … you gonna apologize to George W. Bush?”

Garofalo replied: “I would be so willing to say, ‘I'm sorry.’ I hope to God that I can be made a buffoon of, that people will say, ‘You were wrong. You were a fatalist.’ And I will go to the White House on my knees on cut glass and say, ‘Hey, you and Thomas Friedman were right … I shouldn't have doubted you.’”

The Left Coast Report believes when Garofalo wished to God that she would be “made a buffoon of,” it looks as if she got exactly what she wished for. Now about that apology …

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

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