Missed Tributes
By Ben Stein
Published 3/6/2006 2:08:21 AM

Now for a few humble thoughts about the Oscars.

I did not see every second of it, but my wife did, and she joins me in noting that there was not one word of tribute, not one breath, to our fighting men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan or to their families or their widows or orphans. There were pitifully dishonest calls for peace -- as if the people we are fighting were interested in any peace for us but the peace of the grave. But not one word for the hundreds of thousands who have served and are serving, not one prayer or moment of silence for the dead and maimed.

Basically, the sad truth is that Hollywood does not think of itself as part of America, and so, to Hollywood, the war to save freedom from Islamic terrorists is happening to someone else. It does not concern them except insofar as it offers occasion to mock or criticize George Bush. They live in dreamland and cannot be gracious enough to thank the men and women who pay with their lives for the stars' ability to live in dreamland. This is shameful.

The idea that it is brave to stand up for gays in Hollywood, to stand up against Joe McCarthy in Hollywood (fifty years after his death), to say that rich white people are bad, that oil companies are evil -- this is nonsense. All of these are mainstream ideas in Hollywood, always have been, always will be. For the people who made movies denouncing Big Oil, worshiping gays, mocking the rich to think of themselves as brave -- this is pathetic, childish narcissism.

The brave guy in Hollywood will be the one who says that this is a fabulously great country where we treat gays, blacks, and everyone else as equal. The courageous writer in Hollywood will be the one who says the oil companies do their best in a very hostile world to bring us energy cheaply and efficiently and with a minimum of corruption. The producer who really has guts will be the one who says that Wall Street, despite its flaws, has done the best job of democratizing wealth ever in the history of mankind.

No doubt the men and women who came to the Oscars in gowns that cost more than an Army Sergeant makes in a year, in limousines with champagne in the back seat, think they are working class heroes to attack America -- which has made it all possible for them. They are not. They would be heroes if they said that Moslem extremists are the worst threat to human decency since Hitler and Stalin. But someone might yell at them or even attack them with a knife if they said that, so they never will.

Hollywood is above all about self: self-congratulation, self-promotion, and above all, self-protection. This is human and basic, but let's not kid ourselves. There is no greatness there in the Kodak theater. The greatness is on patrol in Kirkuk. The greatness lies unable to sleep worrying about her man in Mosul. The greatness sleeps at Arlington National Cemetery and lies waiting for death in VA Hospitals. God help us that we have sunk so low as to confuse foolish and petty boasting with the real courage that keeps this nation and the many fools in it alive and flourishing on national TV.


Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He also writes "Ben Stein's Diary" in every issue of The American Spectator. Please click here to subscribe.

well put

I can't believe people that make millions of dollars pretending to be other people have the balls to play dress up and give each other awards for what they do.

The oscars, grammys, tonys, etc....you're entertainers. Get a grip. You don't deserve an award for what you do. Cash your paycheck and get back to work.

tag

Ben Stein is just cool.  Can't deny that.

These silly awards are just people patting themselves on the back.  Many actors/actresses are out of touch with the mainstream America.  Everything they do is exaggerated to the max.

The only award I cared about was that Nick Park and Steve Box took the Best Animated Film award.  After that I stopped watching.

Ben Stein rules.

"Beuller, Beuller, Beuller"

Quoted: These silly awards are just people patting themselves on the back.  Many actors/actresses are out of touch with the mainstream America.  Everything they do is exaggerated to the max.

Amazing that George Clooney said in an acceptance speech that night  he was glad to be out of touch along with the rest of hollywood. He seemed to express that it was some type of badge of honor.

Yes indeed.

Quoted: Quoted: These silly awards are just people patting themselves on the back.  Many actors/actresses are out of touch with the mainstream America.  Everything they do is exaggerated to the max. Amazing that George Clooney said in an acceptance speech that night  he was glad to be out of touch along with the rest of hollywood. He seemed to express that it was some type of badge of honor.

Wish I had that speech to quote verbatim, because it really does show how the Hollywood types think themselves much wiser than us "peasants".

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: These silly awards are just people patting themselves on the back.  Many actors/actresses are out of touch with the mainstream America.  Everything they do is exaggerated to the max. Amazing that George Clooney said in an acceptance speech that night  he was glad to be out of touch along with the rest of hollywood. He seemed to express that it was some type of badge of honor. Wish I had that speech to quote verbatim, because it really does show how the Hollywood types think themselves much wiser than us "peasants".

I can't find an transcript, but the video is available on oscars.com

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: These silly awards are just people patting themselves on the back.  Many actors/actresses are out of touch with the mainstream America.  Everything they do is exaggerated to the max. Amazing that George Clooney said in an acceptance speech that night  he was glad to be out of touch along with the rest of hollywood. He seemed to express that it was some type of badge of honor. Wish I had that speech to quote verbatim, because it really does show how the Hollywood types think themselves much wiser than us "peasants".

They aren't?
But...but...George Cloony played a doctor once...surely he is qualified to speak about medical issues, is he not?

tagged....I love this guy.

An Oscar and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee.

Nothing like a group of people giving each other blow jobs to keep their egos inflated.

Quoted: I can't believe people that make millions of dollars pretending to be other people have the balls to play dress up and give each other awards for what they do. The oscars, grammys, tonys, etc....you're entertainers. Get a grip. You don't deserve an award for what you do. Cash your paycheck and get back to work.

Yep.

Ben Stein.... pffft. He never got an Oscar, and was never even nominated either.



"We are a little bit out of touch in Hollywood every once in a while. It's probably a good thing... We're the ones who talked about AIDS when it was just being whispered and we talked about civil rights when it wasn't really popular... this group gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I'm proud to be part of this Academy. I'm proud to be a part of this community. I'm proud to be out of touch. And I thank you so much for this."
~ George Clooney, patting himself on the back in his Oscar acceptance speech.

Missed Tributes By Ben Stein Basically, the sad truth is that Hollywood does not think of itself as part of America

Of course not, they are part of the Socialist 5th Column which exists to defeat America, either overtly or covertly.

this is pathetic, childish narcissism.

That is exactly what it is.

I always really liked him.  This is one of the reasons why.

Well put Ben.

Granted there are a lot actors/actresses in Hollyweird that are like Clooney.  Besides Ben Stein, there is also others, remember Gary Sinise, he played in a band for the USofA soldiers in the Middle East.

All I can say is....... OUCH.

That has got to be the most savage ownage I've ever seen.

Nicely put, Ben.

Nice to see some actually intelligent people out there..

Well put. Good job.



I'm glad somebody with a little bit of exposure finally said it.

Quoted: Missed Tributes By Ben Stein Basically, the sad truth is that Hollywood does not think of itself as part of America Of course not, they are part of the Socialist 5th Column which exists to defeat America, either overtly or covertly. this is pathetic, childish narcissism. That is exactly what it is.

Oh so true.  F 'em!  I think I'll watch Team America: World Police today as a tribute to Stein.

bump.

He came to my school a couple of months ago, sadly I didn't get to see him. Everyone that saw him said that he was fantastic. I got to see Bill Cosby last year though.

That is a great article! Thanks for sharing it with us ClayP.

The more I hear Mr. Stein the more I love him. If I'm ever channel surfing and find him on a talk show I stop and see what he has to say.

Watching the Oscars is like watching a dog suck his own dick.

Quoted: Missed Tributes By Ben Stein The greatness is on patrol in Kirkuk. The greatness lies unable to sleep worrying about her man in Mosul. The greatness sleeps at Arlington National Cemetery and lies waiting for death in VA Hospitals.

wow

Well said! Clayp, where did you find that article? I'd like to send the link to a couple libtards I know.

Mr. Stein is going to be the commencement speaker at my graduation in 2 months.  I will be proud to be in his audience

The Roman masses had bread and circuses; the American masses have TV, movies, and Hollywood.  And we are headed down the same path.

Larry Elder was talking about this the other day.  Go Ben go.

Anyone got a source link,  I'd like to send this to some people.

www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=9495

Quoted: Ben Stein.... pffft. He never got an Oscar, and was never even nominated either. "We are a little bit out of touch in Hollywood every once in a while. It's probably a good thing... We're the ones who talked about AIDS when it was just being whispered and we talked about civil rights when it wasn't really popular... this group gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I'm proud to be part of this Academy. I'm proud to be a part of this community. I'm proud to be out of touch. And I thank you so much for this." ~ George Clooney, patting himself on the back in his Oscar acceptance speech.

Hmmm.. one of the biggest star to march in the civil rights movement was none other than President Heston, who was riddiculed by the 'mainstream hollywood' types for his stance on the Second Amendment.... Seems that those idiots believe that only liberals work in hollywierd...

The big question is how do we get Ben's message, and others like that, out to mainstream America.  The America that doesn't watch Fox, doesn't listen to Rush or Hannity, that only watches mainstream TV or CNN news or listens to the top 40 on the radio, or is plugged into their Ipods all day long.

I applaud Ben Stein and the others that stand up and speak the truth in a world that hates it.  But the truth needs to get out to the same people that right now only Hollywood and the recording industry reaches.

Is he the same Ben Stein that played the monotone teacher in Wonder Years and does the eyedrop commercial (with the beachball)?

smart man he is....

Wow, that was awesome.