Would you boycott conservative entertainers?

[lightningandsnow]

I was just thinking, with all the Dixie Chicks boycotts and stuff a few years back, would you boycott conservative musicians or actors?

I don't think I would. I mean, the opportunity really hasn't presented itself - most of the music I listen to is by liberal artists, for some reason - but I wouldn't. I think it's the music (theatre/whatever) that matters. Plus, if we boycott them it's no better than them boycotting us, which a lot of people seem to be against.

That being said, if someone can find a good argument for boycotting, fire away.

[goddess40]

1. sadly, yes I do

I can't seem to separate out their hate enough to enjoy their work. Even thought I know the loss of my business means nothing to them.

[Bitwit1234]

25. Two different beliefs on that

If you have a person/entertainer who is republican that's there right. But if you have a republican who is so much of an asshole, like Chuck Norris, I say yes I would boycott that type. Just like I will never ever buy anything , or watch Emril again. As I say he has a right to be republican, but he is a good buddy of rush limbaugh. And I find that disgusting. He'll never get another cent of my money.

[Bandit]

67. I agree

Just being a Republican doesn't necessarily make me boycott them however if they speak out for Republicans or their cause then yes I do..Ben Stein for instance or Dennis Miller. I refuse to watch them at any time in any thing they are a part of.

[ronnykmarshall]

82. I think Ben Stein's a riot.

I met him at the car wash this past summer and he's real nice guy.

[Joe Bacon]

46. Hey I boycott Dennis Miller

But it's quite easy since that loser can't even get booked into Days Inn lounges :evilgrin:

[kurth]

2. Why not - it's a free country

Why give money to people you don't like?

[lightningandsnow]

3. True.

You are allowed to do whatever you want, of course.

I'm just wondering whether or not you think it's a good idea.

[yardwork]

40. Well, we can only support a limited number of people. Why waste time on one's we don't like?

[Evergreen Emerald]

4. I can only relate when I think of Ted Nugent.

It is not that I am boycotting him--but he is so stupid, that any thought of him makes me want to hurl. And so, I am not listening to his music.

And I guess it depends on what you mean by Boycotting. What they did to the Dixie Chicks was more than boycotting: the right-wing media sponsored an attempt to take them down. Clear Channel--the neo-con's arm--wanted to make sure other artists saw what happens when you defy the government.

[lightningandsnow]

10. You have a point

What happened to the Dixie Chicks was COMPLETELY out of hand.

[timtom]

73. I celebrate what they did to the Chicks.

Prior to that whole thing, I paid them no-never-mind, thinking of them as I would any commercial country singer.

When the blowup happened, I became very interested and am now a die-hard Dixie Chicks fan. (BTW, they are awesome musicians.)

[Jade Fox]

83. What is interesting....

to me about the whole Dixie Chicks brouhaha is that, previous to Natalie Maine's famous remark, the Chicks had been walking away with American country music. They were hugely popular with country fans. I wonder if the ridiculous vehemence of the attacks on them didn't have a lot to do with the Country Music Establishment being more that a little threatened by the Dixie Chicks. The Chicks are not the traditional kind of women who make it big in Country Music.

[Cooley Hurd]

5. Not intentionally...

Most conservative entertainers suck, so I usually avoid them anyway.:)

[marmar]

6. Many of them are among the least interesting, least talented entertainers anyway....

.... Angie Harmon, Kid Rock, Pat Sajak? Now THERE's talent for you! :rofl:

[Joe Bacon]

47. Don't forget CHUCK NORRIS

Yep, President HUCK SINN gonna send Chuck out to round up all those rapists he let out of prison :evilgrin:

[Didereaux]

7. not boycott, I simply haven't found any that are talented enough to pay attention too!

[Bigmack]

8. Didn't used to...

even think about boycotting people because of their religious or political beliefs.

Now.... well, things are different.

Prejudiced? Not really. Prejudice is prejudgement: i.e. making a decision before becoming aware of the relevant facts of a case.

The facts are that the religio-fascists and the neocons... hell, the whole right wing... has harmed me and my whole country.

I'm not prejudiced, I'm just angry at the people who have screwed me, and I refuse to support them.

[Ravy]

9. I pretty much do. The difference is...

I don't insist that my radio stations/record stores/TV stations do as well.

[EFerrari]

11. I pretty much do because I don't find them very entertaining.

It's pretty hard to be that closed minded AND creative at the same time.

[Ishoutandscream2]

88. Yeppers. Totally agree

Very hard to find excellent entertainers who are conservative.

[EFerrari]

91. I can't think of a single living stand up that is conservative AND funny.

Not one.

[avenger64]

12. If I know an entertainer is conservative, it definitely affects ...

.. the way I view them. I certainly wouldn't buy anything they put out.

[WinkyDink]

13. I still laugh at "Frasier". :)

[Rhiannon12866]

64. So do I...

Arguably the best written and acted comedy on TV. And David Pierce is one of us...:-)

[Norwood]

92. Frasier will always be one of my favorites

Although I didnt know Kelsey Grammer was a righty until a couple years ago. Even before I knew that though Niles (David Hyde Pierce) was my favorite character on the show and his politics appear to be in the right place. I still like James Woods and Mike Nelson (MST3k/Rifftrax) too even though they're conservative.

[theredpen]

14. Of course! I never watch that "George Bush" show.

Wait... it's NOT a joke? :wow:

[blondeatlast]

15. Not intentionally, but I seem to by simply exercising my own personal taste.

Kind of nice how it works out!

[Midlodemocrat]

23. Same here. LOL.

[fascisthunter]

16. Conservative Entertainers Lack Talent, Generally...

so for me, there is no need to boycott them. They are what I call corporate cookie cutter hacks or as others call, posers.

[lame54]

17. I'm hopin' Dennis Miller gets a new show...

and then the week after that another one
and another and another

[unapatriciated]

22. yeah I like seeing him failing again and again too

but the only problem with that is he keeps getting his 15 minuets of fame over and over again. Which Keeps his bank account full.

Nice pic backing a sure loser

[Contrary1]

54. And besides that; his fingers are too short.

:evilgrin:

[leftofthedial]

18. relatively few artists are conservative

conservatism is by its nature close-minded, which is antithetical to creativity

as for boycotting, I never give a cent to a repuke or a repuke enterprise if I can avoid it

[EFerrari]

19. The only RW entertainer I liked that came to mind was Bob Hope.

Apart from him, I came up empty.

[timtom]

74. I was gonna mention Bob Hope in my post (below)

since he was a National Icon. He rose above entertainer status to me and I like his old movies very much.

But I didn't.

[tabasco]

94. Bob Hope is from the days when republicans WERE conservative.

When the pillars of conservatism included:

- Avoiding foreign entanglements.
- Limited govt. spending and a balanced budget.
- No big brother govt.
- Strong defense and strong alliances, not using the military for corporate profits.


I agree with all of those points and the Democrats have become the true conservatives on those points.

[JBoy]

20. When Dennis Miller took his post- 9/11 hard turn to the right

I stopped watching him. He became such an obnoxious prick I couldn't even tell if he was still funny.

[unapatriciated]

21. I love "Everybody Loves Raymond"

Patricia Heaton's character is smart and more open minded but in real life she is a card caring Bush Supporter. I laugh at her jokes than I remember her statements on the Shiavo case and want to throw the nearest object at the T.V.

[JerseygirlCT]

33. Yes, she's one I so loathe I cannot watch her at all nt

[HughMoran]

24. I already do

I can't help it, I get a sick feeling in my stomach knowing someone is infected with hate.

[TankLV]

26. I already do - depends on the person tho...

Even tho Reba's politics sucks, I still enjoy her show...

[Irishonly]

27. I Do

Most of the people listed with the exception of Bob Hope I could always take or leave. I liked Heaton's character but couldn't stand here so when I found myself glowering at the TV I stopped watching it.

[mcscajun]

28. For the most part, I can separate the artist from the artist's politics.

I, like others here, do make exceptions. Assholes like Dennis Miller leap to mind. Mel Gibson, of course. I used to watch some of his films, but no more. It's not so much boycotting as ignoring. There are few true comics/comedians who are conservative; reactionary thought just isn't funny. So Brad Stine touting himself as "the conservative comedian" IS incredibly funny; him, not so. I did write XM some back asking that he be moved from a comedy channel to their RW stations, but I didn't ask anyone to remove him from the airwaves/satellite.

As to music, I don't dig into a musician's politics, but if their lyrics offend me, then bye-bye. That said, I'm not about to ask others to agree with me, or ask stations not to play them.

[DawgHouse]

29. I don't boycott because of views normally.

But there are a few artists whose messages I don't care for so I don't listen to them. Like Toby Keith.

[annabanana]

30. If they're trying to be funny, then yes...

Because conservative "humor" is usually abusive, and at the expense of someone who is not in a position to "get back". . .

I probably wouldn't boycott a musician if I enjoyed the music..

[TheMightyFavog]

35. Well one comic who is a "Self-described conservative" that I like is Mike Nelson from MST3K.

Then again, he rarely lets his personal politics show in his work.

[yardwork]

41. I was really disappointed to learn that he was conservative.

Ever since then, I just don't feel the same way about MST3K.

[bunkerbuster1]

85. I've always given him a pass, since he really didn't use MST3K as a platform

I think that show was a rare example of differing political tastes managing to work together to create something brilliant.

[Norwood]

93. The nice thing about Mike Nelson,MST3k,Rifftrax, etc.

He doesn't openly display his politics. Sure you might hear a Ted Kennedy joke once in a while, but you'll also hear a Dick Cheney joke or a Rush Limbaugh joke as well. From the sounds of it the other two guys he usually riffs movies with (Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy) seem to be left of center, so maybe it just balances it out.

[City Lights]

31. I pretty much already do.

For the most part, they SUCK.

The problem for the Dixie Chicks was their target audience consists of close-minded, goose-stepping morans.

Could I boycott a musician whose music I loved just because they spoke out against someone I admired? Probably not, but, unlike freepers, I support free speech.

[JerseygirlCT]

32. Yeah, I don't know.

I can't think of a musician I like who would fall into that category.

Actors? Maybe. Though again, most of the ones I love are not of the wingnut variety.

I don't think the problem with boycotting the Dixie Chicks was about individuals choosing not to buy their records. I think the problem was putting the censorship power of a huge, controlling corporation into a political position of power by refusing to play their music.

Individuals certainly have a right, maybe an obligation, to make their feelings known by not using their money to support people who support causes they dislike. I don't have a problem with that.

I DO have a problem with corporations who make zillions by using publicly owned airwaves becoming players in a partisan, political effort to shut up artists who speak their minds. First, that's what artists do. Second, those airwaves belong to us all.

[Feron]

34. No.

I only boycott if the entertainer is a pedophile or something equally disgusting.

Otherwise, I couldn't care less.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

36. For the most part, no. It really depends on the entertainer though.

For example, Bruce Willis is a guy who generally supports Republicans and conservative causes, but he's not really "in your face" too much with it and does quality work in his films in my opinion, and the nature of his acting roles is not inherently "political" (unless you consider action hero flicks to be right wing by definition). So I can thoroughly enjoy a good performance by him in a movie like "Unbreakable" or "Die Hard", no problem.

Dennis Miller is kind of a bad example because he's made politics and fellating Republican/Bush cock a centerpiece of his actual "act". So it's impossible to separate the politics from the "entertainment", because a lot of the "entertainment" consists of anti-Democrat rants and right wing diatribes.

Just as it would be difficult or impossible for a Right Winger to enjoy Colbert, I'd think (unless they were one of the idiots who actually didn't realize it was satire). His "act" is inherently political.

[UTUSN]

37. Heck, I even boycott (meaninglessly) "Family Circus" and "Mallard the Duck"

I say "meaninglessly" because, does anybody know? No. Does my newspaper stop running them? No. Does it impact fiancially the authors? No. Not even multiple DWIs stop the Mallard dude, while Blacks and Hispanics go to prison for multiple DWIs.

Furthermore, I also skip any and all "serious" soap opera type strips for reasons having nothing to do with politics. And I skip that cute cowboys-n-injuns strip just because the font is hard to read. How is that different from my political skipping?

But, seriesly, wingnuts are wingnuts for a reason: Their worldview is limited profoundly. Usually, wingnut entertainers have a simplicity (in the precise sense of the word) that is not interesting or engaging. Years ago, LIMBOsevic was floating balloons about finding wingnut artists comparable in magnitude of talent to, say, STREISAND, wondering aloud whether whassername, the French-Canadian singer might be wingnut?

[yardwork]

42. For years I begged my newspaper to drop "Family Circus" to no avail.

Solved the problem by dropping my subscription. I also loathed B.C. after it became a right-wing bigoted strip.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

38. i do.

[yardwork]

39. Most talented entertainers are not right-wing.

In fact, I can't think of very many right-wing entertainers that I would enjoy even if I didn't know their politics.

[Balbus]

43. No, because that would be idiocy.

Or maybe I just have the rare ability to be able to separate politics from all the other aspects of my life - such as watching tv or listening to music.

[applegrove]

44. I tend to just not want to have anything to do with anyone who supports *.

Plust * doesn't have any really good entertainors backing him or the GOP.

[WolverineDG]

45. I don't boycott them but

I also don't go out of my way to see anything they're in. If they happen to show up in something I want to see, so be it.

dg

[Bjorn Against]

48. I wouldn't say boycott, but most right-wing "entertainers" just suck...

I generally don't boycott entertainers for their personal politics, although I am not going to pay money to watch a right-wing propaganda fest either. There are a few Republican actors who are decent, Robert Duvall is the only really accomplished Republican actor that comes to mind though, and while Kelsey Grammer and Bruce Willis are not great actors I wouldn't boycott a movie just because they were in it.

[lightningandsnow]

56. You do have a point!

Seriously, in terms of music at least.

I can't name any good conservative musicians off the top of my head. Really.

[JustAnotherGen]

49. Um

I'm a Dixie Chicks fan - have been for years. I was thrilled when Not Ready To Make Nice came out. It spoke for a lot of us that have Southern and Agricultural roots that no longer find ourselves or ideas welcome in the towns our Grandparents were born, farmed, and died in.


I also used to be a big fan of Toby Keith and Reba. Their words and vile treatment the Dixie Chicks - did them in for me.

So yes, I do think it's a good idea to not give money to those who may very well be talented . . . but whose stupidity when they step away from the microphone is evidenced by those ideas they hold politically.

[MANative]

50. I actively do boycott conservative entertainers

when I know that they are supportive of the idiot-in-chief and neocon thinking in general. I don't necessarily research every entertainer to determine their political stances. But if they are vocal/obvious about it, I will not enrich their ability to spread "the message" by paying to see their movies, listen to their music, etc.

[Genanderson]

51. Boycotting

Simply on the basis of whether or not they are republican I don't think is a very good idea. If you weren't going to buy their product regardless of their political orientation, then boycotting isn't necessary, and if you were going to buy their product, then it seems silly to me that you would deny yourself a good time at the movies or listening to music simply for spite.

There are exceptions though. Generally speaking, actors and musicians don't let their politics affect their work. But sometimes they do. Sometimes they enter into the political arena, endorse candidates and try to use their celebrity status to promote a political ideology. In those cases, I think all bets are off the table and if you want to boycott an otherwise good actor or musician because of the nature of their activism, then I think that's perfectly acceptable.

[Perry Logan]

52. I would arrest all conservative entertainers.

[Joe Fields]

53. I would boycott only those I deemed as nutcases, like Charlton Heston.

I won't watch a Heston movie anymore. (yes, I know he's dead)

[ronnykmarshall]

84. He's not dead.

[paulk]

55. only if they make their political leanings part of their art

like Ted Nugent, for instance. Of course, I never could stand his music anyway, so that one was easy.

There are other musicians who I know are politically right wing who's work I still listen to, but they don't bring their politics into their music, so I'm ok with it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

57. I think I already do but not deliberately

I can't stand Dennis Miller. Never been a fan of Toby Keith.

What other conservative entertainers are there?

[mdmc]

58. please show me a conservative with talent

I still watch ben stein, but he seems to be a rare deal...

[supernova]

59. No, I find them uninteresting anyway

I usually don't find them interesting enough to worry about boycotting them in the first place.

Seriously, they lack something for me. There is a kind of coldness there that keeps me way from them before I'm aware that they are conservative. If I found out later that they are conservative, I'm likely to say "oh gee, no wonder they never interested me."

[tammywammy]

60. No

[americanstranger]

61. I can't think of a single one that's worth it.

How many right-wing musicians are there of any quality? The best they've got are Toby Keith and Ted Nugent.

I haven't bought a Nuge record since the first Amboy Dukes single, so I guess I'm already boycotting him.

- as

[bryant69]

62. I oppose any boycott designed to silence political views.

The test of your commitment to freedom of speech isn't in defending people you agree with, it is in defending people who say things you hate.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Igel]

63. I prefer not knowing, to be honest.

Often "conservative" or "liberal" doesn't do justice to a person's views--I've known "conservatives" that had some "liberal" views, and vice-versa. And "conservatives" that were decent people and "liberals" that were complete jerks ... and vice-versa.

If the person dashing off Sibelius' vln concerto or the guy playing a Villa-Lobos choro is conservative or liberal, I don't see what difference it makes. If I like their product, if I think it's superior to others' for what I'm willing to pay, I buy their product. (Yes, this reduces art to a product: By and large when it comes to things like buying a CD or thinking about a boycott, we're talking about 'product', even if inspiration, talent, and self-fulfillment are involved in making the product.)

I don't see any difference in more modern genres and, um, modalities, except that lyrics tend to come into play more often. Same for literature. Does it matter what Gunter Grass's older political views were? No. Is it possible to like, oh, the Russian novelist Sorokin's views and think his novels are rot, but pretty much loathe Sholokhov's views but like many of his stories? Yes.

[rucky]

65. I'm still trying to think of one I like. n/t

[JanMichael]

66. Things have gotten bad enough where I have.

I don't like it but I'm not supporting those I see as horrible human beings.

[lonestarnot]

68. Ugh they aren't fucking entertaining, funny or something I would even want to look at let alone watc

chhhhhhh

[Mudoria]

69. What an entertainers political viewpoint is doesn't matter

to me at all. If I like what they do as a performer I don't care whether they are liberal, moderate or conservative.

[Mudoria]

70. double post...

[martymar64]

71. I boycott some but I don't turn it into a crusade

I won't buy or otherwise support Gloria Estefan because she is a rabid RWer vis a vis Cuba. Her dad was Batista's wife's bodyguard and was a participant in the Bay of Pigs invasion. She also was strongly and publicly in favor of keeping Elian Gonzales in the US.
There are a few others but it depends on the degree in which they are RW.

[timtom]

72. I'm sorry to say, but

yes, I do.

Ultimately, conservatism is a closed, self-centered attitude that seems to preclude any dialectic or dialogue, or consideration of others as human beings.

As a Christian, I must consider others in the same manner as I consider myself.

I am not able at this time to forgive the disenfranchisement nor the marginalization of others. I cannot forgive acquisition of wealth or power at the expense of human suffering and death.

I cannot support entertainers who champion those horrible values, as those values are non-negotiable.

[demgurl]

75. Yes, I do!

I understood it when the right boycotted the Dixie Chicks. It is the law that the Dixie Chicks can say what they want and they will not be thrown in jail or anything of that sort. It is NOT the law that there will be no public ramifications (such as boycotts) if they say something a lot of folks do not agree with. I hated that they lost so much money and favor and I even bought their records where I had not before, but I understood that this is a type of free speech and it is allowed in this country. People protested against the Chicks and that is not illegal.

It is with this same understanding that I do not knowingly support right-wing entertainers. They are not being arrested or anything and I am within my rights especially when it is some jerk who vocally supports *.

This, I feel, is the same thing we do when we support blue companies or even when we boycott a corporation because of their business practices. When I do not go to Walmart, because of moral beliefs, no one questions whether it is right or wrong. It is not brought up that I might be unpatriotic or that I am breaking the law.

This is how our country has always worked. I work hard for my money and I try to choose wisely where I spend it.

[kineneb]

76. boycotting all entertainers- can't afford 'em

don't go to movies, rarely buy CDs- and those are all classical music, don't pay for local paper

The only time I go to a performance is if I get comp(free) tickets.

[DemGa]

77. I was looking through this site of political donations

specifically for celebrities. It's no surprise to me the balance of Dem contributions; and though there are one or two disappointments in the mix, they were not altogether unexpected.

http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/

[LanternWaste]

78. I separate the art from the artist

I separate the art from the artist. As a matter of fact, the less I know personally about any contemporary artists (and God, how few of those are these days), the better I can enjoy the product, being "empty" as it were of any preconceived notions.

[Marrah_G]

79. No- people who think different from myself should not have their jobs threatened for it

It pisses me off when the conservative assholes do it. I won't be a hypocrite.

[ronnykmarshall]

80. No.

I love Loretta Lynn and don't give a fuck who she votes for.

[ronnykmarshall]

81. No.

I love Loretta Lynn and don't give a fuck who she votes for.

[BuyingThyme]

86. Can't help but boycott.

[graywarrior]

87. No. But I don't take them seriously.

I would, howver, walk away from Patricia Heaton because she is insane in the membrane.

[alfredo]

89. An artist needs to have empathy. They need to be able to feel and express

those feelings. You have to have a love for the common man and woman. That's why you see so few Republicans in the arts.

Stories that show the rich and powerful corporatist winning, that degrade the struggles of the working class, and advocate the suppression of minorities just don't sell.

[Forrest Greene]

90. I Boycott Them Already

But it's a natural, organic boycott, not about politics,
because generally, they stink.