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FROM THE PHONE BOOTH: The Smallest Space in  Hollywood

	FINEFROCK

The Original Hollywood Blacklist
Turning Point, 1937 to Present
by Steve Finefrock - Hollywood Forum [aspiring movie tsar] 11/26/07

Amending the name of The Committee Against Fascism created a schism in its Hollywood membership in 1937; or rather the failure to amend it set one side against another, leading to the first Blacklist against those who didn't toe the line. As the Spanish Civil War captured ever-more liberal minds, two camps arose in Hollywood: classic liberals, who would one day become neo-conservatives in large part; and leftists, socialists, communists and Marxists, et al. The first group saw that there were two dangers in the world, the second saw only one. And so it continues today, the Hollywood ‘Turning Point’ never having been re-visited.
 
The motion was put before the Committee membership that fateful day in 1937, and seventy years later it is yet to be re-visited. The ideological descendants of that ballot's winners comprise the bulk of Hollywood, and their dalliance with evil likely will achieve a seventy-first year before they see the error their forebears committed. Too bad – a mistake can be corrected, and as the Hollywood left's favorite feller, Bill Clinton, asserted so often as president, it's good to admit error. Remember his World Apology Tour, sputtering mea culpa in the name of America?

 The motion submitted would have added the phrase "and Communism" to the Committee title. But it failed, miserably failed, and its losing authors were soon hounded out of the Committee, and many found hard times getting work as artists. They had been thus "blacklisted" long before anyone heard of McCarthy, and all because they urged their fellow "humanists" to be as equally opposed to Stalin's evil as that of Franco or Hitler. It made nauseous all "loyal" members to think they'd belong to The Committee Against Fascism and Communism!
 
Now we know, and we "know" that Stalin's evil eclipsed Hitler's, and that many whom the Hollywood left defended for decades were paid and/or loyal agents of Stalin and his successors. No less a liberal stalwart than Daniel Patrick Moynihan has said so. But, do we see Hollywood apologizing? What was good enough for America surely could be good enough for Hollywood.
 
But don't bet on it, though there was a juicy, even fortuitous chance to make amends, in a grand and glorious way. But Michael Moore would blanche, Janeane Garofalo would barf, Barbra would faint, and Alec Baldwin would lose all control on Conan O'Brien. The opportunity came with a groundbreaking spring ’04 ceremony in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the construction of a new memorial, to the Victims of Communism. The memorial's committee sought – vainly –  Hollywood fame and glitter for the event, and the word went out to resounding indifference. They had a chance to join the chorus to proclaim, loud and clear and proud and dear, that COMMIES WERE BAD and their victims deserve recognition. That statue, designed on the Tienanmen Square Liberty statue, stands proudly but a few blocks from Union Station.
But we didn’t see Garofalo and Asner and Streisand and Baldwin and Moore in the line, turning spadefuls of earth in memory of the many who were buried under bulldozed piles of Russian and Chinese and Cuban soil. They had a chance, but hopefully nobody bet on it. Those would have been the easiest Vegas Odds ever offered.
 
A smart publicist for the Asner/Garofalo/Baldwin clique would have urged them, even begged them to swallow hard, and fly to Washington for the event. And to follow it up that coming fall, when the memorial was dedicated, and made ready for public access. What a joyous opportunity. They could have followed Clinton's advice to America and go on a Hollywood Apology Tour, admit error, and even form a temporary re-incarnation of the old Committee and vote, retroactively, to change the name and show that they finally "get it" in the way of "get it" is most important in the last three generations.
 
But you'll see pigs flying the controls of 757's long before that happens. Too bad – if apology and confession is good for America, then it surely would purify Hollywood. And it would be much cheaper on the U.S. taxpayer than Clinton's world-tour of a score of Air Force jets. The fuel bill alone for Clinton's prostrations would build the memorial itself!
 
Of course, if it did happen, That Would Be Entertainment. But don't plan on buying tickets to that showcase event. All of Hollywood's political energy is saved for Bush-Hating. The memorial was tentatively scheduled for completion and dedication just before the election.
 
Wonder if John Kerry was there? Or Ted Kennedy? Nancy Pelosi? Possibly, certainly more than the odds of seeing Garofalo, Asner, Moore, Streisand, and Baldwin. You could have bet that old Dubya was there for the dedication: he was designated the Honorary Chairman of the Memorial Committee. Which is the Committee against communism. If only the Hollywood left had passed that tiny little two-word amendment in 1937: they wouldn't be in the pickle they find is still their lot when Dubya spoke at the most vital memorial event in Hollywood history.
 
Try to suppress your smiles, now that the predicted indifference happened. It's not polite to wallow in others' misery.
 
OK, go ahead, smile just a bit. After seventy-plus years, it's time we smiled at their foibles: which ignored evil regimes which led to 100 million dead, for an ideology far greater than Hitler ever dreamed. If only the Dream Merchants had the imagination to realize what a juicy opportunity was eagerly offered them.
 
And they think Dubya is dumb. ExileStreet

copyright 2007 Steve Finefrock

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