Diary Of A Hollywood Refugee

Sunday, January 28, 2007

"I Can No Longer Remain Silent"

While Jihad - "I need to be in the spotlite so I Can No Longer Remain Silent" Jane , formerly known as Hanoi Jane, and her dictator loving, pro jihad friends, Tim, Susan and Sean and Danny were in Washington demonstrating against our troops, our war on terror, and our efforts in Iraq to bring a stable democracy to fruition all the while lending their support to mullahs, dictators, and terrorists, one Hollywood celeb, the very talented Gary Sinise, spent this weekend in Washington demonstrating his unwavering and unconditional support of our troops.

The Lt Dan Band performed at the Washington DC Auto Show to help raise awareness and money for Fisher House Foundation.

Sinise has been involved with the Fisher House Foundation since 2003. “Fisher House are doing amazing, amazing work,” he said. “I can’t say enough about these folks and their dedication to helping our wounded and supporting our families.”

“It’s rewarding to know that I can give back to these people who are volunteers, and who go out and defend our country,” Sinise told Larry King two weeks ago when King did an hour long feature on Fisher House. “They’re making a lot of sacrifices for us. And their families do as well.”

Apart from his great work as an actor, Gary has been on a personal mission to truly support our troops.

For many years now, he's been involved with Veterans organizations such as Fisher House, and The Intrepid Foundations Fallen Heroes Fund, which supports soldiers who have suffered catastrophic disabilities while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and DAV, where he serves as the National Spokesperson for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial and is working to raise $65 million for the memorial - a two acre site scheduled to be completed in 2010 - which will be placed next to the National Mall, to serve as a reminder to Congress of “the true cost of conflict.”

While other celebs were travelling to DC on Friday Jan 26 to protest on behalf of dictators, jihadist, and terrorists while pretending to express concern for disabled vets, Gary Sinise was the Keynote speaker at the National Press Club luncheon on Friday where he spoke about The Disabled Life Memorial to an audience that included many disabled vets.

We are at war with a serious enemy that’s bound and determined to do some bad stuff to this country,” Mr. Sinise cautioned. “If there’s a Democrat in the White House in two years, the problems continue, but the troops are the troops. We will continue to support them no matter who’s in the White House.”


It's interesting to note that the NPC luncheon is carried nationally by C-SPAN Television, American Public Radio, and XM Satellite Radio.

What irks me - yet comes as NO surprise - is that every major news outlet chose to focus unending coverage on the celebs who allege to be concerned about our troops, and to be "supportive" of our wounded soldiers, while in reality are using this pathetic protest in DC as a propaganda effort to embolden our enemy and lend further support to jihadists, terrorists, and dictators and which was attended and sponsored by a long list of organizations that are members of United For Peach and Justice such as:

" NOW" ( The "let's kill baby fetuses, while calling the military babykillers" women)

"Global Exchange" founded by Media Benjamin - they support re-enfranchisement of ex-felons, and the principals embodied in the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuelan President Chavez and Bolivian President Morales and blame Israel for the all the violence in the middle east, and have funded $600,000 to the insurgency fighting in Iraq.

"The International Solidarity Movement" - Co founder George Rishmawi theorizes that suicide bombing is caused soley by the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and as such is needed and he defends the practice.

" Code Pink" also founded by jihadist loving terrorist supporting Media Benjamin.

"The Communist Party USA" and "The International Socialist Organization"

"The Veterans for Peace" that called for restraint in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and for the impeachment of Pres Bush because they allege that the war in Iraq " is an unmistakable violation of our Constitution and federal law which you have sworn to uphold" while, ignoring the fact that the military actions in Iraq were approved by both houses of Congress and are in support of several United Nations resolutions, and yet have failed to call from restraint from the mass murdering terrorists who behead, torture, and kill civilians, and troops.

The National Catholic Coalition , a left wing religious organization that has lent support to Marxist regimes and funds Marxist guerrilla movements which kill non combatants,supports Fidel Castro,yet remain very silent towards political and religious prisoners in countries with left-leaning and totalitarian leaderships.

Gary Sinise, on the other hand, spends many weekends performing with the Lt Dan Band, to entertain our troops and to raise money for and awareness about those wounded in combat. They have performed over 40 concerts and will be going overseas in May.

Along with Laura Hillenbrand,(Seabiscuit)Gary created one of my favorite organizations- which I've quietly supported for years -" Operation Iraqi Children" - a charity that supplies classroom and educational materials to the children of Iraq. Michael Yon has written about OIC.

This piece I wrote, A Dark Stain, expresses why I am passionate and touched about the work Gary Sinise is doing for all our troops, our vets, and especially our Vietnam vets.

Other celebs worth noting:

Country music singer Wynonna Judd regularly performs at many military bases and medical facilities.

“My job is to enlighten and lift up the spirits of these people who put their butts on the line every day so my family is free,” she has said. “I think there’s nothing more important than support in a time of illness".

While some celebs were protesting in DC this weekend Rosie O'Donnell was in San Antonio, Texas to support the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, to which she’s made a $300,000 donation. She may not support Pres Bush or his policies, but I give her major Kudos for not allowing her politics to blind her to the sacrifices being made by our brave men and women of the US Military.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Sundance Ski & Schmooze 2007

I had seriously contemplated attending the Sundance Film Festival this year, but when I heard that the festival theme reflected founder Robert Redford's personal politics - his hatred for the Bush admin and his opposition to the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan -I opted not to attend.

Case in point:

Rory Kennedy's documentary “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib,” in which she looks at the abuses that at Abu Ghraib. What is about the left - and yet another Kennedy - that get let go of an incident perpetrated by a few sick people - who have been punished for their action. UNLIKE Rory's uncle Teddy who never paid for drunk driving accident that resulted in the death of his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne.

That incident haunts me .every time I see that fat asshole on some news program shooting off his fucking mouth as he puts forth his cut and run policy.

"Ghosts of Abu Ghraib," is of the most talked about documentaries at this year's Sundance not only because it appeals to those at odds with US policy on the war in Iraq, or because a Kennedy is involved, but because Rory has concluded that what happened is systemic of the Bush administrations policy for fighting terrorism after 9/11, rather than the cruel acts of few rotten individuals.

No agenda there, Rory !

"It is not just about Abu Ghraib, it is about America and who we are as a country," Kennedy told Reuters on Saturday at the festival. Rory hopes the documentary will increase pressure for investigations into the abuses at Abu Ghraib and to drive changes in standing policies that she says sanction torture.

Also screening is "No End in Sight," a film that exposes a chain of critical errors, denial and incompetence in the Iraq war.


A bidding war has broken out for the non fiction dramatic Iraq themed feature "Grace Is Gone" starring John Cusak. John's character is an Iraq war widower upon hearing that is wife was KIA in Iraq, avoids telling his kids about her death, and instead takes them on a road trip.


Other documentaries generating buzz include:

"Chicago 10" tells
the story of the infamous conspiracy trial stemming from the protests at the 1968 Democratic Convention. Directed by Brett Morgan, it combines archival footage and original animation.

"Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten", by Julien Temple is an in-depth portrait of the Clash's late frontman journey from wannabe rock star to anti-establishment icon.

David Sington's "
In the Shadow of the Moon", chronicles NASA's Apollo moon missions from the astronauts perspective, and includes some spectacular original film footage from NASA.

Hailed as one of the most intriguing documentaries "Zoo" has been described as elegant, eerily lyrical, beautiful,controversial and poetic. A thought provoking documentary about a forbidden subject - beastiality- is based on the strange but true "Enumclaw Horse Sex Incident," that went viral and became the most read story of 2005. Andy Spletzer, of GreenCine, interviewed writer Charles Mudede who teamed up with Seattle based director Robinson Devor to bring this story to the screen.

Based on interviews with members of the now-defunct Enumclaw horse sex community, who call themselves "zoos," the movie charts how the Internet brought this group together, and how the death of one of its members from a ruptured colon after having sex with a stallion broke this group apart. Far from a traditional documentary, the narration is taken from extensive audio interviews with members of the group and was edited together to form the spine of the story. On top of that, they hired actors to portray the incidents that were being spoken about, and they brought in their Police Beat cinematographer Sean Kirby to create beautifully evocative images to punctuate the story. The resulting film, Zoo, is surprising in how thoughtful it is and, like every good documentary, makes you think about ideas and situations in different ways.
It's hard to believe, but one of the most beautiful films at Sundance this year will be about a guy who was fucked to death by a horse

Certainly the most controversial dramatic film has to be "Hounddog", from writer-director Deborah Kempmeier. A southern gothic tale about a young girl with an abusive father who finds the strength to overcome debilitating obstacles has garned 12 yr old Dakota Fanning major kudos for her mesmorizing performance. The film has been generating controversy over a scene in which Dakota's character is raped by a 12 yr old boy. Although he hasn't seen the film Sean Hanity,is enraged at the film's producer for putting Dakota Fanning through a traumatic experience.
Hound Dog Premiere Party at will be held at Marquee (Harry O’s Complex)



Over at the Pennhouse VIP Celebrity Suites, which my friend Kim Shimmel produces, they will be hosting The "L Word" girls who are launching their new website OURCHART.COM. CNN came thru to interview the Gephardts, and Kevin Bacon, Camryn Manheim,Josh Raydan and Sylar Spacek, Joey Panteloni,Ian Zerling, an Daphne Zuniga, have all dropped by.Sean Lennon will be doing an ecoustic nite, and

Monday nite, they'll be hosting " Signal" bash and on Tuesday nite PennHouse will sponsor a dinner for The Creative Coalition which will be co-hosted by Premiere Magazine.
The RED Lounge on Location VIP/Celebrity Silent Art Auction Proceeds to benefit the Global Fund and Creative Coalition at Pennhouse at Silver King Hotel on 1485 Empire Avenue.

And along with The Creative Coalition will also be hosting the 2008 Presidential Candidates at a high profile invite only coctail party. The Creative Coaition is a non profit organization that educates is presitigious Hollywood member to legislation in DC that effects child and educational issues.



Celebs that have dropped by or been seen in Park City include Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, and Teri Hatcher, Kevin Bacon, Steve Buscemi whose film "Delirious" stars Gina Gershon and Michael Pitt.

By the way" I'll be live blogging" from the for the "OscarTime" Pennhouse VIP Celebrity suites at the Santa Monica Loews from Feb 22-24. event.

More about that later.

Related:
Sundance, Slamdance & Swagdance