Heston Slams Clooney For Alzheimer's Joke

[2dogs]

http://www.newschannel2000.com/entertainment/1931445/detail.html

Heston Slams Clooney For Alzheimer's Joke
Remark Re-Ignites O'Reilly's War Of Words

POSTED: 12:51 p.m. EST January 23, 2003
UPDATED: 1:24 p.m. EST January 23, 2003

Actor and NRA Chairman Charlton Heston is taking film star George Clooney to task after Clooney's reported wisecrack over Heston's Alzheimer's disease.

New York Post columnist Liz Smith wrote Sunday that while Clooney was accepting an award from the National Board of Review last week, he said that "Charlton Heston announced again today that he is suffering from Alzheimer's."

When Smith asked the actor if he went too far with his remarks, Clooney -- who's against the gun lobby -- responded, "I don't care. Charlton Heston is the head of the National Rifle Association; he deserves whatever anyone says about him."


According to the Internet Movie Database, Heston responded to Clooney's remarks by noting the "class" of the actor's late aunt, singer-actress Rosemary Clooney.

"It just goes to show that sometimes class does skip a generation," Heston was reported as saying.

When cable news show host Bill O'Reilly got wind of Clooney's remarks this week, it re-ignited a war of words that began when O'Reilly criticized the actor for not following up on the distribution of monies from Sept. 11-related fundraisers.

"If this had been George Clooney's first mistake I'd just mock him and forget about it, but he's clearly out of control," "The O'Reilly Factor" host said Monday. "I believe most Americans will find these remarks mean-spirited."

In addition, O'Reilly sounded off about the press' apparent lack of reporting Clooney's comments.

"Just imagine if someone mocked Christopher Reeve's paralysis," O'Reilly added. "The Hollywood press and the elite media would go nuts, but very little has been said about Clooney's insensitivity."
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[Russ]

IMHO, George Clooney is a "B" movie actor who's career will die out soon enough on it's own. He certainly doesn't compare to Heston in Ben Hur and a dozen other movies. C.H. won a best actor Oscar. I used to work in the movie industry and that is something rare. Clonney-toon will never get one unless when he is about 80 and the MPA feels sorry for him and gives him a life-time acheivement award.

Heston was right. Class skipped a generation in Clooney's case and he needs to make a public apology.

 

[Joe Demko]

C.H. won a best actor Oscar. I used to work in the movie industry and that is something rare.

They give it out every year.

 

[ojibweindian]

They only give it to one actor every year. That means there are roughly 80 floating around, one for every year of the awards. Given that there have been tens of thousands of actors, it would seem to me that to win a best actor awards is extremely prestigious, and rather rare.

BTW, Clooney is a moron.

 

[Joe Demko]

The Oscars are also voted on ONLY by the members of the Motion Picture Academy. Considering that it is virtually a mantra here that Hollywood is (and always has been) a nest of commies, pansies, traitors, idiots, and perverts, how much reverence should I have for an award that is voted on by such people? Clooney being a jack-- (which he is) doesn't make him an incompetent ham. Heston being NRA President doesn't make him a better actor than he ever was.

 

[Monte Harrison]

Another member of the showbiz elite drops his pants by opening his mouth. Big deal. His wisecrack may have been a bit mean-spirited, but it was still just a wisecrack. Aren't we being a little over-sensitive here?

 

[Blackhawk]

Clooney is a strange looking guy with a famous aunt. At least she had class....

 

[Viking6]

"His wisecrack may have been a bit mean-spirited, but it was still just a wisecrack. Aren't we being a little over-sensitive here?"

I think the sensitivity to the statement besides its obvious lack of class is that of the double standard afforded to those "of the left". As Uncle Bill opined a few nights past (not a direct quote or paraphrase), if someone "of the right" had made a similar reference in open forum about Christopher Reeve then he would have been rightly denounced ad infinitum, ad nauseam. I suppose as posted on a similar thread we can measure our discomfort by whether or not we patronize the Clooney's or continue to buy tickets to their movies and afford them their media exposure and access.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Whether your politics are to the right, the left, or somewhere in between it's still all about respect.
In order to receive it, you must first show it.
IMO Mr. Clooney's remark certainly makes him unworthy of it.
Take Care

 

[Neal Bloom]

Hooray for Mr. Heston!

 

[John G]

I like George Clooney's movies. He's a good actor, but what he said was uncalled for. I wish these folks would do their jobs, make movies, and keep their mouths shut. Idiot.

 

[Art Eatman]

Monte, I've had two elderly relatives who were "senile" and one who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

As far as I'm concerned, Clooney's remark was not "a bit mean-spriited". It was (bleep!) vicious.

I feel strongly enough about that sort of no-class viciousness that I would cheerfully accept a court's decision after I performed an act of landscape rearrangement on the blatherskite's face.

That's my own version of zero-tolerance. My actual preference would be a gift certificate to Mr. Clooney for a home visit from Jack Kevorkian.

Art

 

[longeyes]

Clooney's remarks represent more than just "mean-spiritedness." They reflect a kind of emotional extremism that justifies its immorality by demonizing the person attacked. Since the NRA is, we the enlightened all know, The Great Satan it's perfectly okay to strike at the vitals and get applauded for it by one's fellow travelers. We see this kind of attitude all too frequently on the Left, unfortunately. I ascribe a lot of it to sheer immaturity and the inability to reason, something that has become epidemic in our culture over time.

It's quite possible to be a good actor and a rotten human being. Hitler proved that.

 

[Justin]

I like Heston's retort.
And to think, George just got ripped on by a guy who's twice his age, and has alzheimer's.

HA.

 

[Russ]

Golgo wrote,

"They give it out every year."

To my response that getting a best Actor or Actress Oscar is rare.

There are literally thousands of movies produced every year. It is the worst possible investment because most movies choke and never see wide release.

So are you saying that the Best Actor Oscar is so common that all the leads get them eventually? Since 1928, how many have there been for best actor?

They are very rare. Actors like Henry Fonda and Paul Newman only got one because they had been around so long and they felt sorry for them.

Lot's of really famous actors never got one. George Clooney-toon is one who won't either.

If they only made one Browning or Glock per year, would that be rare enough for you?

And while true the MPA membership has it's share of commies, there are alot of good people there also. If you get one of the Best Actor or Actress Oscars, you never have to worry about getting work again. Bad mouth it all you want.

 

[Soap]

Heston's retort was gentlemanly and to the point:

It just goes to show that sometimes class does skip a generation.

 

[Joe Demko]

You may certainly glorify the Best Actor award all you wish, I still fail to see how Heston having it is germane to this situation. Clooney is a jackass. He was rude to Heston who is a sick, old man. Everything else is peripheral.
However, as long as we are going to discuss Heston's career, let's not forget his towering performances in "The Planet of the Apes" series, or his interesting appearance on Saturday Night Live. As head of the NRA, all I'm sure of is his conviction to defend my right to own a musket.
Clooney is a jackass and a mediocre actor. That doesn't turn Heston into anything more than he ever was before, which (in my opinion) was a hammy, aging actor who went into politics.

 

[BAB]

Targeting, ridiculing, making fun of a person based on their stands and/or actions, as well as doing the same to those stands and actions themselves, fine.

Making jokes about a person based on a disease/condition that person has developed and has no control over, and then using the person's stands and/or actions as a supposed justification for such remarks is pathetically classless.

 

[Russ]

Golgo,

The Planet of the Apes series does seem lame 20 years later but these movies generated more money than you would believe and still do. You seem upset because some actors make alot of money for doing something that appears easy to you. You should note that for every successful actor, there are 5,000 others who are just as talented who never make it but work their butts off trying. It's not as easy as it seems.

By Heston getting the Best Actor award, he gave a performance in Ben Hur that is truly unforgettable. Rent it and see. For anyone, especially what I consider a "B" movie actor like Clooney to knock him for his disability is pathetic.

 

[Leatherneck]

Welcome to The High Road, BAB; I see you embody the intended spirit of the place in your very first post. Well said.
TC
TFL Survivor

 

[jmbg29]

Considering that it is virtually a mantra here that Hollywood is (and always has been) a nest of commies, pansies, traitors, idiots, and perverts, how much reverence should I have for an award that is voted on by such people?

I think that the "mantra" of which you speak, stems from the frustration of always hearing from the Hollyweird perverts, Commies and traitors, and hearing from the kind and decent folk that happen to be actors and directors, etc., only on rare occasions.

Perhaps it is because the latter do not think that they are the center of the universe. Or maybe they understand that they are little more than court jesters. Who knows? I'm sure that it couldn't be because the former share the same lack of morals as those that would defend them. Nor could it be because the intellectually bankrupt members of the press are generally cut of the same cloth. It must simply be a coinkydink. Yeah, that's it.

Clooney is what he is, a viscious rat with marginal talent. Can anyone think of a movie that he has starred in that didn't have a gun in almost every scene? I can't.

I just need to be careful, and see to it that Mr. Clooney doesn't get any of my money.

 

[Joe Demko]

Upset? Easy? No, I don't think it's easy nor do I get upset that some are wealthy and others aren't. My point through all this is only that Clooney is a real-life jackass, but that doesn't sanctify Heston. BTW, I've seen Ben Hur many times and own it on VHS. It is a decent enough example of big-screen spectacle like they don't make anymore. That's all it is. Heston's niche was to play the lead (which was always the same character) in these types of films. There's no difference between Heston-as-Moses and Heston-as-Judah ben Hur. Heston a great actor? Sorry, no. He was hammily entertaining, but so was Vincent Price. I enjoyed his movies, too, btw.

 

[Russ]

Golgo wrote in part:

"My point through all this is only that Clooney is a real-life jackass..."

That was well said and I agree whole heartedly. That name fits him perfectly! I need to make sure he doesn't get any more of my money. That's the best way to treat this guy now.

Russ

 

[Betty]

George Clooney will be lucky if he lives a long, healthy life and dies of natural causes peacefully in his sleep. Alzheimer's is no joke. There's an old family friend I saw at the nursing home recently - she looked right past me with not a hint of recognition.

And if George Clooney, during a rehearal a few years from now, starts to forget his lines, is it because he's having a bad day, or is it because of something far more serious?

Mom is always into poetic justice. She always said, "If you make fun of somebody because of (appearance/disease/whatever), your child may be born with that (appearance/disease/whatever)." Or it'll happen to you.

 

[Ledbetter]

In a perfectly just world, Clooney would soon find that he was similarly afflicted.

My mother and my wife's mother both had their golden years stolen from them by this disease, and our mothers were taken from us by it as well.

You might as well make fun of people with cancer.

If I wasn't concerned about Clooney making fifty cents, I'd rent "Perfect Storm" and watch him drown over and over while I cleaned guns.