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Disney Sticks with Mel Gibson James Hirsen THE LEFT COAST REPORT A Political Look at Hollywood Headlines (Scroll down for complete stories): 1. Disney Sticks with Mel Gibson The Walt Disney Company has indicated its firm support for Mel Gibson's upcoming epic, "Apocalypto." Disney execs undoubtedly saw what I did when viewing the movie, which Gibson co-wrote, produced and directed. It's a highly entertaining film that's part "Road Warrior," part "Braveheart," with a highly original setting and story. The movie will have audience appeal, particularly in the coveted 18 to 25 age group.
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The suits at Disney see "Apocalypto" overcoming the recent coverage of Gibson's DUI charge and anti-Semitic remarks, for which he has apologized profusely. Disney spokesman Dennis Rice told Reuters, "If it's a good movie, people are going to see it. One of the great things about Mel Gibson is that he is a great filmmaker and he has a proven track record." Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations for Disney, acknowledged that controversy will be a factor in marketing the Gibson film. "I don't know how that cannot be a factor," Dergarabedian said. "His personality has come into play . . . but if it's a good movie that will hold it in good stead."
2. Adoptee's Father Accuses Madonna of Libel As the facts came out about the hasty adoption, which separated an only child from a destitute Malawian father, Madonna found herself under fire. So what did the material girl do? She sought refuge in the arms of daytime TV's high priestess, Oprah Winfrey. In a TV interview with Lady O, Madonna led the public to believe that Baby David had been abandoned by his family. "No one from his extended family had visited him since he arrived," Madonna told Oprah. Yohane Banda, little David's father, told the London Daily Mail that this was "a lie." "I visited David many times, too many to count." Banda said. Evidently the baby was also visited by his grandmother, and the child's Uncle Profera "saw him almost every day, sometimes twice a day." Even more upsetting to Banda was Madonna's claim that his wife and other children had died of AIDS. "She never went for an HIV test and she died in Zambia at her parents' house, so how could anyone know if that is what she died of?" Banda asked. After Banda's wife was diagnosed with anemia, he was told that she had a physical condition that made childbirth very risky. It turns out that Banda's two other children (and not three as Madonna had said) were not HIV positive. One child died of malaria and the other from an unknown cause. David's father expressed concern that Madonna's claims would stigmatize him. Meanwhile Madonna is already taking steps to begin bringing her new child into her Kabbalah group. Banda, a devout Christian who was told that his son was being placed in the home of "a very nice Christian lady," would likely be unhappy to hear that his son had already attended a Kabbalah ceremony and had been wearing a Kabbalah red string bracelet to ward off evil spirits. 3. ‘Studio 60' to be Evicted from the Sunset Strip Sources indicate that the much-touted NBC dramedy, Aaron Sorkin's "Studio 60 on Sunset Strip," will soon be cancelled. Sorkin, who for years nauseated conservatives with the now-defunct "The West Wing," wrote scene after scene for his latest desperately unfunny show, belittling and attacking Christian conservatives. Despite a large budget and big-name cast that featured Matthew Perry and Amanda Peet, the show could not compete with "CSI: Miami," which produced more than twice the audience. The Left Coast Report guesses that NBC probably would have kept the show alive as it did with "The West Wing," but the final straw seemed to be the fact that the surprise hit "Heroes" preceded "Studio 60" and half of the audience exited as soon as Sorkin's snorer came on. 4. Film Festival Challenges the Hollywood Left During the last Academy Awards ceremony, George Clooney bragged about Hollywood being out of touch with America. But an up-and-coming gathering of creative conservatives, the Liberty Film Festival, is taking Clooney and his out of touch Hollywood on. Countering the anti-American content of films like "Syriana," "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Death of a President," the festival provides a forum for movies that are pro-America, pro-Israel and pro-freedom. Instead of scenes that glorify suicide bombers, defame the American military and push appeasement, the festival promotes ideas that were present once upon a time in Hollywood, particularly during its Golden Age. Celebrated at the festival are films that boost American morale and tell the dangerous truth about our enemies, including "A Journey to Iraq," which features Iraqi civilians who are grateful for American intervention; "Border War," an honest appraisal of the dangers of an unsecured border (see James Hirsen's October 17, 2006 film review "‘Border War' Explores the Immigration Issue"); and "ACLU: At War With America," an accounting of the ACLU's attack on religious freedom. Founded by filmmakers Jason Apuzzo and Govindini Murty, the festival recently partnered with David Horowitz's Horowitz Freedom Center and is setting in motion a conservative movie revival in Hollywood. Horowitz experienced Hollywood's hostility firsthand last year when, on opening night of the festival, left-wing thugs launched a physical attack on him and screamed, "Fascists have no right to free speech." The Left Cast Report sees the characterization as disgusting and will be at the Liberty Film Festival, November 10-12 at Hollywood's Pacific Design Center, in full free speech mode. 5. The Great Dem Pretenders Ever since John Kerry's 2004 presidential loss, the Democratic leadership has been hard at work trying to figure out how to get the attention of - and ultimately win the hearts, minds and souls of - the coveted values voters. Democratic presidential hopefuls Senators Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, John Kerry, and others have been weaving traditional sounding phrases into their speeches in an apparent effort to appeal to cultural conservatives. In its feverish lust to regain power, the Democratic Party this election cycle seems to be strategically running Republican candidates who are clad in Democratic suits. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee began its search in earnest for more conservative candidates in 2005. In many cases, true-blue liberals were cast aside in favor of those who appeared to be sufficiently Republican in view and rhetoric to get elected. Now GOP incumbents in Pennsylvania, Florida, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Kentucky are facing opponents who walk and talk as if they were Republicans. In some cases, their Democratic opponents really are Republicans who were craftily recruited to run as Democrats.
The campaigns of such candidates frequently put out messages that are pro-faith, pro-life, pro-family, pro-Second Amendment and pro-law enforcement. Not exactly the types of things that the Democratic Party of the past few decades is noted for. In order to nab the 15 seats necessary to retake the House, the following "Democrats" have been recruited:
The Democrats are banking on their socially conservative front men to deliver key victories over the GOP incumbents. But lurking behind the smiling conservative faces is a specter of committee chairpersons that make the Dixie Chicks look like Tweety Bird clones. If the Democrats do regain control, those in the Party with seniority and plurality will be the ones directing the national rudder. And captain of the ship will be none other than Nancy Pelosi, a woman who would be the most liberal Speaker of the House bar none. Picture it. If Democrats rule the House, John Dingell will run the Energy and Commerce Committee, Henry Waxman will be in charge of Government Reform, John Conyers will head the Judiciary Committee, Charles Rangel will direct Ways and Means and Alcee Hastings will oversee Intelligence. If Democrats take control of the Senate, Barbara Boxer will chair the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Patrick Leahy will run the Senate Judiciary Committee and Jay Rockefeller will head the Intelligence Committee.
Beware of Democrats in conservative clothing. If they are successful in helping the Democrats get their congressional groove back, the country will careen to the left at breakneck speed and conservative policies, among a lot of other things, will be in very short supply. Editor's Notes:
The Left Coast Report is put together by James L. Hirsen and the staff of NewsMax — The Left Coast Report Archives Get your FREE copy of James Hirsen's new book 'Hollywood Nation' — Click Here Now.
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