Unless you've been living under a rock, you're aware that Hollywood spent the last week caving to the demands of one of the planet's worst dictators and human rights violators. By pulling the scheduled release of the movie "The Interview" and subsequently squashing planned retaliatory screenings of "Team America," Hollywood displayed both its fecklessness and its willingness to acquiesce to the demands of a mass murderer half a world away.
Oscar winner George Clooney is outraged. In fact, he circulated a letter which sought to generate support for "The Interview" and a fight against Kim Jong Un. The plan was to send a petition to various top-level studio personnel who would sign it, signaling their belief in free speech and their refusal to be bullied by a communist crackpot. He found no one - not one of his Hollywood pals - who was willing to sign it. ...And he isn't happy about it.
As TMZ reported:
George Clooney sent a petition to the most powerful people in Hollywood -- asking them to take a stand against the cyber-terrorists and in favor of freedom -- yet not a single person would sign.
Clooney wrote his petition before Sony pulled the plug on "The Interview." It reads, "We know that to give in to these criminals now will open the door for any group that would threaten freedom of expression, privacy and personal liberty ... we will not stand in fear."
The actor told Deadline, no one wanted to be the first to sign their name, and it was clearly out of blind fear. A frustrated Clooney said, "We cannot be told we can't see something by Kim Jong-un, of all f***ing people."
To be clear: Clooney is 100% correct in his assessment of the North Korean situation. It is absolutely reprehensible that Sony (and later Paramount) has chosen to cater to a petty little madman by censoring its own output. Hollywood should be utterly ashamed of itself, and it's nice to see someone who recognizes that.
However.....
Clooney is a great supporter of President Barack Obama. He held fundraisers for him, campaigned for him, and was vocal in his enthusiasm, as was most of his industry. How, exactly, can he sit there yelling about freedom while endorsing the presidency of a man who - just this week - granted the gift of U.S. diplomatic relations to a pair of Cuban brothers who have a human rights record rivaling that of Kim Jong Un?
What, precisely, has Kim Jong Un done that the Castros have not?
They've threatened the US.
They've stolen the livelihoods, homes, and finances of thousands of their own citizens who were forced to flee or face death.
They've crushed free speech, free expression, and individual liberty.
They've humiliated, tortured, and killed those who dare to speak out
They've imprisoned hundreds of dissidents, sent HIV positive patients into quarantine, and are among the planet's worst abusers of psychiatry as a method of "committing" political opponents to insane asylums.
They've slaughtered thousands of innocents - over a period of decades - as a method of maintaining their grip on power.
Yet Barack Obama intends to reward their 50 year reign of terror with the blessings of the United States government. In return, we've received... basically nothing. If recent rumors are true, Obama's probably just hoping to have a "Nixon-goes-to-China moment" where he enjoys a nice photo op featuring the First Family and a miraculously-running classic car on the streets of Havana.
So, why is Clooney surprised to learn that Hollywood - an industry proud to support his political world view - is unwilling to stand up to dictators? If their favorite President (who incidentally is also happy to cut terrible deals with Iran) is eager to bargain with killers, thieves, murderers, and fascists, why shouldn't filmmakers do the same?
Recently, there have been rumblings that Clooney has his eyes on the Presidency. He's a charismatic guy and, if we're being honest, we'd have to admit that he could probably win.
A display of naiveté and hypocrisy like this is a troubling way to start that process.
