"For some, there is a comfort in sameness." Kellyanne Conway, Counsel to President-Elect Donald J. Trump
December 28, 2016
By: Linda Case Gibbons
If done right, arrogance can be an art form. And John Kerry knows how to do it right.
This week he was at it again, this time haranguing and lecturing Israel on how they do it wrong.
The 70-minute speech was designed to defend Obama's indefensible abstention from a shameful vote by the U.N. Security Council, against Israel, but it ended up just being embarrassing.
There was, however, one memorable quote: "Israel can either be Jewish or democratic, it cannot be both."
It was the "Either-Or-Concept," used a lot by the mob in old gangster movies. "Either you pay for our garbage pickup, for twice the price you're paying, or we'll burn down your pizzeria!"
And it's used a lot in Hollywood. Like, "You can either work, Blind Crooner, or perform at the Trump Inauguration. But not both."
The president and Kerry are dandy role models for Hollywood, their most enthusiastic supporters. They all love black lists.
The "Black List," and that's what this is, isn't a term heard much nowadays, but back in the late '40s, early '50s, it was, and Hollywood was hit hard.
During the "Red Scare," Hollywood went through a McCarthy-esque investigation, which sought to unearth Communist sympathizers, in the entertainment industry.
Guilty or not, writers, directors, actors and others in the entertainment field came under scrutiny, and found themselves unable to get work. People were afraid to hire them.
Lives were ruined. One of them, a screenwriter who was a member of the Communist Party of the U.S.A., was memorialized in the 2015 movie, Trumbo, the story of screenwriter, Dalton Trumbo, starring Bryan Cranston.
Trumbo was one of ten subpoenaed to testify before the House on Un-American Activities. When he refused to testify, he was convicted of contempt of Congress and served 11 months in jail.
It's a situation that brings to mind the phrases, "Never again," and "There, but for the grace of God, go I."
But Hollywood chose, "Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it," instead. This year they came out in droves to thumb their noses at The People's choice for president, Donald Trump. With a maliciousness reminiscent of the mob, entertainers are threatening entertainers, "You better not perform at his inauguration -- or else."
So, if Hollywood Elites had a role model to pick, who better to choose than John Kerry, with his admirable career as secretary of state?
Or possibly Barack Obama, busy stuffing his Legacy Box, seizing gobs of land in Utah and Nevada for the government, shutting down the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans to oil drilling, childishly sassing President Vladimir Putin, and scandalously stabbing Israel in the front and the back? All in three weeks. All to prep for the incoming, new president. Now who could misinterpret that? And who wouldn't admire it?
As a third possibility, Hollywood might choose "Divas Who Perform for Despots," as role models, like Beyoncé, or Mariah Carey. Both of whom were pleased to sing for their supper for Libyan Dictator Muammar Gaddafi;
Or Jenny From the Block, who serenaded Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (?), the president of Turkmenistan, a country famous for grave human rights abuses;
Or since Hollywood loves Hillary, Hilary Swank, who attended the birthday party of Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader accused of torture, abductions and killings.
But none of these things turned Hollywood's smiles upside down. Not at all. Not like Trump.
So, making lemonade, let's celebrate the positives that we got out of all this.
One Rockette was spared the pain of shedding her tears and kicking up her heels, doing her job, for Trump's Inauguration;
Trump's election brought Charlie Sheen and his dad back into the mainstream, so Charlie could use the deaths of Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher, as an opportunity to tweet: "Please God. Trump next."
It's nice to see Charlie and Martin in the swing again.
But the most fortunate thing was Katy Perry turning down the offer to perform. If you remember what an asset she was to Hillary, her absence can be nothing but a good thing for President-Elect Trump!
All the Entertainment Elites, from Garth Brooks and Celine Dion, to Elton John and forgettable others, do not understand Trump or his supporters. What they don't get is that we don't care that they don't. And, try as they may, for as long as they want. they cannot rain on our parade.
Happy New Year. Hold the line, America.