You talking to me?

Discussion
1

Hello all,

Elicia Dover, a reporter with ABC News, said that Gingrich wants Obama
to apologize for Robert De Niro's "White First Lady" crack, which
Gingrich found "inexcusable."

The crack that Gingrich found "inexcusable" was made by De Niro on
Monday night at a reception in New York City that was hosted by De Niro
and his wife, and attended by First Lady Michelle Obama. De Niro told a
crowd of about 90 people that it was "too soon" for a white first lady.
This came after De Niro asked the fawning crowd:

"Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now do you really think
our country is ready for a white First Lady?"

The crowd roared and someone yelled "No!" as De Niro asked, "Too soon,
right?"

I thought that was a funny line, maybe not terribly so, but certainly
in keeping with the party-like atmosphere of the reception and Obama's
party-like administration. (Perish the thought if someone made a similar
quip regarding the current First Lady.) Still, what I found
"inexcusable" is who De Niro omitted among the potential Republican
white First Ladies he named: Carol Paul.

Wouldn't you love to see movie stars of De Niro's "caliber" hold
receptions for Ron Paul and hopefully install Carol Paul as the next
First Lady, white or otherwise? Who's on your A-List of such stars?

(To see the full article, "Gingrich Says De Niro's 'White First Lady'
Crack Is 'Inexcusable,' " go to:
http://news.yahoo.com/gingrich-says-niros-white-first-lady-crack-inexcus\
able-154645504--abc-news.html)

Thanks for reading.

Alton

2

Alton,

I'm sure you meant living movie stars when you said, "Wouldn't you love to see movie stars of De Niro's "caliber" hold receptions for Ron Paul and hopefully install Carol Paul as the next First Lady, white or otherwise? Who's on your A-List of such stars?" Nevertheless, I pick James Cagney, not only because he's my favorite actor and a talented one at that, but he seemed like a humble, down-to-earth person (an opinion based on reading his biography and watching video interviews), a quality that I doubt exists among A-list actors in Hollywood today.

Here's a favorite quote from Cagney: "In this little town of ours, people see all sorts of primps and poses, but movie stars in fancy cars shouldn’t pick their famous noses.”

All the best,

Don

3

My vote goes to Hedy Lamarr. I bet I would not have my Blackberry if it were not for her frequency hopping work. I would also bet she would vote for Ron Paul were she around today.

Marcy

4

Hi Don,

Thank you for replying.

Actually I was referring to living movie stars of "De Niro's caliber" to
host Ron Paul receptions. Still, your choice of James Cagney is an
interesting one. I'm sure he is your "favorite actor and a talented one
at that, but he seemed like a humble, down-to-earth person (an opinion
based on reading his biography and watching video interviews)," but I'm
uncertain of Cagney's political proclivities. Come to think of it, I've
never considered what they may be until now.

And now that I've considered them, I think Cagney will make an excellent
host for a Ron Paul Reception. I base this on his portrayal of George M.
Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy, because I think Cagney, through his
portrayal, would had appreciated freedom and the American Dream. And as
the beleaguered American Coca Cola executive in Cold War Germany when he
starred in his penultimate film, One, Two, Three, it wouldn't be a
stretch to think Cagney would appreciate free trade and a
non-interventionist foreign policy, would it?

As for my choice of a dead "A-List" actor to host a Ron Paul reception,
I first thought of The Duke. But when I think about it, I think he will
most likely support a Bush or Obama clone, such as Romney. Then I
thought about those movies that usually jab at society's norms, just as
Ron Paul's policies do. Have you considered The Marx Brothers? I think
they'll make excellent hosts for a Ron Paul reception.

Thanks again for your reply.

Alton

Alton,

I'm sure you meant living movie stars when you said, "Wouldn't you

love to see movie stars of De Niro's "caliber" hold receptions for Ron
Paul and hopefully install Carol Paul as the next First Lady, white or
otherwise? Who's on your A-List of such stars?" Nevertheless, I pick
James Cagney, not only because he's my favorite actor and a talented one
at that, but he seemed like a humble, down-to-earth person (an opinion
based on reading his biography and watching video interviews), a quality
that I doubt exists among A-list actors in Hollywood today.

Here's a favorite quote from Cagney: "In this little town of ours,

people see all sorts of primps and poses, but movie stars in fancy cars
shouldn’t pick their famous noses.”

All the best,

Don

From: ay10038 ay10038@...
To: lpsf-discuss lpsf-discuss@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, Mar 20, 2012 1:14 pm
Subject: [lpsf-discuss] You talking to me?

Hello all,

Elicia Dover, a reporter with ABC News, said that Gingrich wants Obama

to apologize for Robert De Niro's "White First Lady" crack, which
Gingrich found "inexcusable."

The crack that Gingrich found "inexcusable" was made by De Niro on

Monday night at a reception in New York City that was hosted by De Niro
and his wife, and attended by First Lady Michelle Obama. De Niro told a
crowd of about 90 people that it was "too soon" for a white first lady.
This came after De Niro asked the fawning crowd:

"Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now do you really

think our country is ready for a white First Lady?"

The crowd roared and someone yelled "No!" as De Niro asked, "Too soon,

right?"

I thought that was a funny line, maybe not terribly so, but certainly

in keeping with the party-like atmosphere of the reception and Obama's
party-like administration. (Perish the thought if someone made a similar
quip regarding the current First Lady.) Still, what I found
"inexcusable" is who De Niro omitted among the potential Republican
white First Ladies he named: Carol Paul.

Wouldn't you love to see movie stars of De Niro's "caliber" hold

receptions for Ron Paul and hopefully install Carol Paul as the next
First Lady, white or otherwise? Who's on your A-List of such stars?

(To see the full article, "Gingrich Says De Niro's 'White First Lady'

Crack Is 'Inexcusable,' " go to:

http://news.yahoo.com/gingrich-says-niros-white-first-lady-crack-inexcus\
able-154645504--abc-news.html)

5

Hi Marcy,

Thanks for replying.

Boy, the things you can learn here (or learn about things you didn't
know, but should have).

Until now, when I think about Hedy Lamarr, I think about a beautiful
actress who sold War Bonds, who was a favorite pin-up among soldiers,
but whose pin-up photos didn't sell as well as Betty Grable's. I don't
think I've ever seen a film she made.

Anyhow, you favored Hedy Lamarr because for her "frequency hopping
work."

I looked up her bio and I'm happy to see such quotes concerning her
inventiveness:

"Her life reads like a Hollywood script: The glamorous movie star by day
was, by night, the lonely immigrant channeling an inner Thomas Edison."

"She set aside one room in her home [where she 'invented'], had a
drafting table installed with the proper lighting, and the proper tools
- had a whole wall in the room of engineering reference books."

"It was a hobby that remained obscured in the shadow of her celebrity -
one she rarely revealed, even to her own son, Anthony Loder: 'She was
such a creative person, I mean, nonstop solution-finding. If you talked
about a problem, she had a solution.' "

"Looking back, Loder - the product of the third of Hedy's six marriages
- says his mother's tinkering may have been an escape: 'She wanted to
stop all the Hollywood stuff which she didn't really enjoy,' he said."

"Most of Hedy's inventions - including a better Kleenex box and a new
traffic signal - never really went anywhere. But her idea for that
radio-controlled torpedo got a patent."

I was happy to see that, "[f]inally, more than 50 years after her
original patent, Hedy did FINALLY get some acknowledgment - even a few
awards . . ."

But I was saddened to see that ". . . she didn't show up to accept them.
By then, botched plastic surgery has left her mostly a recluse.

" 'She lost her looks, she lost her confidence, she lost her value. She
lost her worth,' said Loder."

Hedy died alone in Florida at the age of 86. Her obituaries began with
what everyone already knew, her beauty, and made only glancing
references to the invention she had hoped would prove her mind was
beautiful, too.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57390196/hedy-lamarr-movie-star-inv\
entor-of-wifi/?pageNum=2&tag=contentMain;contentBody

I should say that the radio-controlled torpedo that finally got a patent
was the fruition of the "frequency hopping work" you mentioned. I should
also say that she worked with a Hollywood composer named George Antheil
on this invention. The invention, though brilliant and rejected by the
Navy, was considered years ahead of its time. If she had presented her
invention 50 years later, I imagine she would be suing everyone for
theft of intellectual property, just like it's being done today.

Anyhow, if she were around today, why do you think Hedy would vote for
Ron Paul, let alone host a reception for him?

Thanks again for your reply.

Alton

--- In lpsf-discuss@yahoogroups.com, "lpsfactivists" <amarcyb@...>
wrote:

My vote goes to Hedy Lamarr. I bet I would not have my Blackberry if

it were not for her frequency hopping work. I would also bet she would
vote for Ron Paul were she around today.

Marcy

>
>
> Alton,
>
> I'm sure you meant living movie stars when you said, "Wouldn't you

love to see movie stars of De Niro's "caliber" hold receptions for Ron
Paul and hopefully install Carol Paul as the next First Lady, white or
otherwise? Who's on your A-List of such stars?" Nevertheless, I pick
James Cagney, not only because he's my favorite actor and a talented one
at that, but he seemed like a humble, down-to-earth person (an opinion
based on reading his biography and watching video interviews), a quality
that I doubt exists among A-list actors in Hollywood today.

>
> Here's a favorite quote from Cagney: "In this little town of ours,

people see all sorts of primps and poses, but movie stars in fancy cars
shouldn’t pick their famous noses.”

>
> All the best,
>
> Don
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: ay10038 ay10038@
> To: lpsf-discuss lpsf-discuss@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tue, Mar 20, 2012 1:14 pm
> Subject: [lpsf-discuss] You talking to me?
>
>
>
>
> Hello all,
>
> Elicia Dover, a reporter with ABC News, said that Gingrich wants

Obama to apologize for Robert De Niro's "White First Lady" crack, which
Gingrich found "inexcusable."

>
> The crack that Gingrich found "inexcusable" was made by De Niro on

Monday night at a reception in New York City that was hosted by De Niro
and his wife, and attended by First Lady Michelle Obama. De Niro told a
crowd of about 90 people that it was "too soon" for a white first lady.
This came after De Niro asked the fawning crowd:

>
> "Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now do you really

think our country is ready for a white First Lady?"

>
> The crowd roared and someone yelled "No!" as De Niro asked, "Too

soon, right?"

>
> I thought that was a funny line, maybe not terribly so, but

certainly in keeping with the party-like atmosphere of the reception and
Obama's party-like administration. (Perish the thought if someone made a
similar quip regarding the current First Lady.) Still, what I found
"inexcusable" is who De Niro omitted among the potential Republican
white First Ladies he named: Carol Paul.

>
> Wouldn't you love to see movie stars of De Niro's "caliber" hold

receptions for Ron Paul and hopefully install Carol Paul as the next
First Lady, white or otherwise? Who's on your A-List of such stars?

>
> (To see the full article, "Gingrich Says De Niro's 'White First

Lady' Crack Is 'Inexcusable,' " go to:

>

http://news.yahoo.com/gingrich-says-niros-white-first-lady-crack-inexcus\
able-154645504--abc-news.html)

6

Hi Alton,

Very much enjoyed reading the quotes on Hedy Lamarr! You ask me why do I think that if Hedy were around today she would vote for Ron Paul. No reason, I just threw that in. There is nothing I can see in biographical notes to indicate her personal political persuasion -- other than she would have liked to sink a few Nazi ships. But I would still like to think that such an intelligent person as Hedy would not want to vote for anyone other than Ron Paul (then register back to Libertarian after the primaries, of course).

Marcy

7

I'm not very well versed in Hollywood personalities, historical or current, but when I think of dead stars who might have been proto-libertarians, one that comes to mind for me is the comic actor W.C. Fields ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.C._Fields ).

  Fields often portrayed characters whose humorous misanthropy and irascible nature remind me of H.L. Mencken, a libertarian writer popular during the mid-20th century when Fields was a major star. He was strongly associated with drinking alcohol during an era when Prohibition was fresh in the public's mind. His Wikipedia entry ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.C._Fields ) reports that he wrote a satirical work touting himself as a candidate for president, and describes the actor as being seen during the hippie era as an "anti-establishment figure".

"With a presidential election looming in 1940, Fields toyed with the idea of lampooning political campaign speeches. He wrote to vice-presidential candidate Henry A. Wallace, intending to glean comedy material from Wallace’s speeches, but when Wallace responded with a warm, personal fan letter to Fields, the comedian decided against skewering Wallace. Instead, Fields wrote a book entitled Fields for President, consisting of humorous essays in the form of a campaign speech. Dodd, Mead and Company published it in 1940 but declined to reprint it at the time. The book did not sell well, mostly because people were confused as to whether it was meant to be taken seriously. In 1971, Dodd, Mead reprinted it when Fields was seen as an anti-establishment figure."

  He also seems to have had a healthy skepticism: "Fields was 'an avowed atheist [who] regarded all religions with the suspicion of a seasoned con man.'"

Love & Liberty,
                                  ((( starchild )))

8

Hi Starchild and All,

We have a shelf full of W.C. Fields video tapes! Once in a while the occasion causes one of us in the family to start quoting from one of the Fields' monumental soliloquies, and life seems good again! My favorite is "Honest John", the guy who was so very honest that once he found a glass eye in a bar and turned it in -- sounds like every politician that ever lived. There is nothing left unpoked by Fields -- "Anybody who hates dogs and children can't be all bad." I bet in today's retentive environment Fields would not stand a chance, he would be sued for some kind of non-pc statement right a way. As Hedy Lamarr, Fields was a free wheeling genius. Do we have any left? Can there be any left?

Marcy

9

Marcy,

  That's cool, yeah I love W.C. Fields. He kind of reminds me of Rodney Dangerfield (see e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FPv2toi5og ) or vice-versa. :slight_smile: . I think I only have one of his videos though ("The Bank Dick"). I was trying to remembers some of the other stuff he was in, and just looked at his short "The Dentist" which I found on YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmCp-EGBsbY ). Some of it is quite entertaining, but some of it is, at least to me, more sort of painful than funny to watch, maybe because tastes in comedy have changed since the 1930s (not that I find all modern comedy funny by any means).

  It is cool to think that period audiences probably wouldn't have found anything remarkable, in and of itself, about a dentist having a shotgun in his office. Not so cool to think that they also might not have found anything remarkable about a father physically abusing his daughter though.

Love & Liberty,
                                    ((( starchild )))

10

Hi Starchild,

Yes, interesting to compare what is and is not acceptable today vs. the old days. I would wager that keeping a shotgun in your place of business was fine in the old days, just as spanking your kids when they misbehaved definitely was (now we call it "abuse" : - )

As I recall, "The Dentist" was an experimental product of the transition between silent and speaking films, i.e. silent films with miscellaneous sounds. Maybe Fields was searching for sounds to throw into these experimental films, and the racket with the child sounded good to him -- no reading by Fields or the audience of any approval about harming children.

Marcy

11

Marcy,

  Interesting what you say about "The Dentist" being a transitional work between silent films and "talkies". Maybe that explains the poor sound quality; I have difficulty understanding some of Fields' lines.

  Regarding "abuse" I was actually thinking of a scene where W.C. Fields character grabs his apparently grown daughter by the arm so strongly that she cries out in pain (not unlike what Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi is alleged to have done, for better or worse). She also seemed rather past spanking age in my opinion, even if one thinks that spanking is a legitimate method of discipline, a subject about which I have mixed feelings.

Love & Liberty,
                                   ((( starchild )))

12

Hi Starchild,

Oh, I don't remember the Mirkarimi scene. I agree that what you describe does not fall under the Fields' routines with smaller children. I know, sounds like selective forgetfulness on my part.

Marcy