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Clooney Proud to Be Labeled 'Traitor' There's a lot of George Clooney news these days, so let us get you caught up with it. First of all, as if it wasn't enough that he was nominated as Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and for Best Original Screenplay, now word comes from the Academy that Clooney will be presenting an Oscar on Sunday night on ABC as well. So we're apparently heading for what the Academy intends to be the apotheosis of George Clooney this Sunday. Clooney is going to be so full of himself he may actually explode on stage. Perhaps the show will be worth watching after all ... Even more dispiriting news comes from the Hollywood Reporter that Clooney's "Syriana" happens to be the top box office draw overseas right now. This is immensely depressing, in that "Syriana's" basic premise is that both terrorism and the crushing of progressive reform movements in the middle East are products of a corrupt collusion between American oil companies and the American government. "Syriana" actually implies that if ever a reformist emir came to power in a major, oil-rich Arab state - that emir would be assassinated by our government if he didn't sign lucrative oil deals with American companies. What is so horrifying about this film is the way it perpetuates the comfortable lies that keep Islamo-fascists going. And "Syriana's" plot - remember here that the film's screenplay is Oscar nominated - seems so extravagantly out of place, when you consider our present situation vis-a-vis Iran, and also Hamas. Wouldn't we all prefer reform in the middle East? Are Clooney and writer/director Stephen Gaghan so blinded by hate for Bush and/or American capitalism to think that we wouldn't welcome more Westernized Finally today, there's this interview Clooney did recently on the BBC. You're going to love this: "U.S. actor and director George Clooney said this morning he was proud to be denounced as unpatriotic for questioning U.S. policy because he wanted to be on 'the right side of history.' "Interviewed on BBC television's 'Newsnight' about his latest films 'Syriana' and 'Good Night, and Good Luck' Clooney said that not only did he accept the right to be attacked for his views but he even relished them. Clooney, who has weathered attacks since opposing the 2003 Iraq invasion, said at one point that it was 'frustrating' to be listed as a 'traitor' on a set of playing cards, but he also accepted people's right to free speech. "He later admitted he relished the attacks. 'I think it's important to be on the right side of history,' Clooney said. "'I want to be on that deck of cards. And I want to be able to say that they boycotted my films ... I want to be able to say I was on the cover of a magazine called a 'traitor,' he said. 'I'm proud of those because those were badges of honor for me because that was when you did it when it was hard to do,' the actor and director said. "Clooney said 'Syriana' did not single out U.S. President George W. Bush's administration for attack, though it 'certainly goes at this administration' as well as at 60 years of failed Middle East policy. 'If it's an attack, it's because you're asking questions,' Clooney said. "Clooney has said the chilling effect of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. politics had inspired 'Syriana' and its unflinching look at the ways extremism and political instability are fostered by the interests of big oil." Incidentally, the crucial phrase here in understanding Clooney's behavior is the following: "I want to be able to say I was on the cover of a magazine ..." Here at Hollywood Confidential we continue to ask Mr. Clooney: Where is this "chilling effect" to which you continually refer? In the past year Clooney as been honored at the Venice Film Festival with a Best Screenplay Award ("Good Night, and Good Luck"), "Good Night, and Good Luck" debut at the Lincoln Center, Clooney was recently honored with a Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, his face has been splashed on the cover of every magazine around (supporting fawning puff-pieces about how "intelligent" and "brave" he is), he's just been nominated for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor Oscars ... What more does Clooney want - a Congressional Medal of Honor? |
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