I DON’T CARE WHAT THESE PEOPLE FROM THE STAGE, SCREEN AND SPORTS ARENA HAVE TO SAY, AND NEITHER SHOU
I recently watched a 5 minute Prager University video entitled, “Dear Celebrities, No One Cares What You Think.” On it a young woman says of political-activist celebrities, that while they make a valuable contribution through their entertainment, what they have to say about politics and social mores’ is basically worse than worthless. I sure don’t share her opinion about the “contribution” they make, but I absolutely agree with her latter assessment. I don’t care what these celebrities think either. And, that’s because of what I think about almost all television, movies, stage, sports and other celebrities.
Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) was a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer and considered to be the most distinguished man of letters in English history. He had this to say of the popular entertainers of his day: “Players, Sir! I look on them as no better than creatures set upon tables and joint stools to make faces and produce laughter, like dancing dogs.” I pretty much share Dr. Johnson’s opinion, except I think the comparison is too unfair to the dogs.
Really, why would any right thinking person care what the “dancing dogs” of our day think? Give some thought to what some of the “icons” in the industry have said about their own “profession” as to what they themselves really think of what they do, and of themselves for doing it.
Katherine Hepburn, one of the most famous and celebrated actresses of our modern era (who was, by the way, a proud atheist, blasphemer and adulteress) once offered a general evaluation of her profession: She said it required, “The most minor gifts and [is] not a very high class way to earn a living. After all, Shirley Temple could do it at the age of four . . . Acting is the perfect idiot’s profession.” Another so-called Hollywood “icon,” Robert Mitchum said of his profession, “This is not a tough job. You read a script. If you like the part, and the money is OK, you do it. Then you remember your lines. You show up on time. You do what the director tells you to do. When you finish, you rest and then go on to the next part. That's it." Famous film director Alfred Hitchcock, was as familiar with actors and actors as anyone has ever been; he said, “all actors should be treated as cattle.”
In 2007, Comedian and actor Jerry Seinfield, who possesses a net worth of one billion dollars and one of the most demonstrably vulgar minds and mouths in the world, said this to an audience of entertainers as he received an HBO award: “I’m just, you know, sick of all these actors … I don’t know why we’re so fascinated with actors in this culture. They haven’t got a thought in their stupid bed-head hairdo mini brains.” He continued sarcastically, ‘Why must we honor this man, why? He pretended to be Bob Johnson. He is a genius, I tell you, its genius at what he is doing. Playing dress up and pretend is not genius ladies and gentleman, it is not genius … Roll the cameras, put on these clothes, stand there. Ready? Say what we told you to say! Fantastic, he did it! Give this man a huge golden trophy.” How uncharacteristically un-hypocritical it was of smutty Seinfeld to acknowledge this about his colleagues and their “craft.”
I suspect that some twisted and botched attempt at moral catharsis is in play when these people, whom Samuel Johnson compared to “dancing dogs,” pontificate on and lecture Americans about what is right or wrong? Are they desperately trying to convince themselves and others that their lives have some real significance? Or are they simply demonstrating the corrosive, devastating effects that sin has on those who give themselves over to it? (See James 1:15). Probably all three of these things are involved.
The entertainment industry, when looked at from a biblical perspective is rotten to the core – as morally toxic as can be. Let’s face it: The people at the top of their game in the world of entertainment are those who have outdone their peers in becoming the personification of irreverent, immoral, narcissistic, smart alecks; they are those who pretend and lie for a living better than most in their industry. They are everything that Christian and non-Christian parents alike have, traditionally, tried to not have their children become. They represent all that pulpits used to cry out against.
Only in a day as degenerate and dark as the one in which we now live in America could people as notoriously nasty as these people be referred to as “icons” (Definition: “a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration”). These are people, the majority of whom, represent the most under-educated, ignorant, immorally deranged, hedonistic, treasonous and hypocritical segment of our society — people at the top of any list of the most scornfully godless and unpatriotic people in America. Again, this isn’t true of all of them. There are exceptions, but the exceptions have been very few, and are becoming fewer and fewer.
How tragic that our society has become so spiritually, mentally and intellectually challenged that it would applaud, mimic and make millionaires of or give any credence to such “dancing dogs” of the stage, screen and sports arena. John Nance Garner (1868-1967), Vice President to FDR, commenting on the importance of his office compared its significance to “a warm pitcher of spit.” A crude description indeed, but one that perfectly describes whatever America’s leftist celebrity crowd has to say to the rest of us about morality, American values, patriotism or what constitutes right and wrong, etc., etc. These people need to be exposed for what they are by parents, preachers and everyone else with common sense and courage enough to do it. Christian parents especially need to double down on this where their children are concerned.
How utterly and pathetically ridiculous it is that anyone would give any attention to what the leftist dupes and the self-determined dunces in America’s celebrity crowd have to say about morals, politics, or anything else. Their only value lies in the fact that they are, as is true of all mankind, souls for whom Christ died; souls desperately in need of salvation and the prayers and witness of God’s people.
“And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”
—John 8:32