Hollywood messaging is getting more overt, and less subtle, in the Age of Woke. TV shows and films stop cold to serve up liberal talking points, be it open border rhetoric or anti-Trump bluster. Hollywood&#8217;s progressive stranglehold on the culture is beyond debate. This collection shines a spotlight on the clash of Hollywood and politics.

hollywood-conservatism

John Krasinski

23 Conservative Movies That Defy The Hollywood Trend

Conservatism

Hollywood

Actress Gina Carano opened up about being fired from the Disney and Lucasfilm show, &#8216;The Mandalorian,&#8221; in her interview with The Daily Wire&#8217;s editor emeritus, Ben Shapiro, Sunday, telling Shapiro that she was essentially fired over social media and that Disney and Lucasfilm employees who aren&#8217;t sufficiently progressive are bullied into silence.
Carano went into detail about her firing in the extended interview that aired this weekend.
Asked by Shapiro how she found out that she would no longer have a home at Disney and Lucasfilm, Carano explained that neither company told her directly that she was no longer welcome as part of the Star Wars family and that she found out she was terminated from &#8220;The Mandalorian&#8221; when it trended on Twitter.
&#8220;You know how boxers head-hunt sometimes and forget to go for the body? I feel like Disney or Lucasfilm or whoever it is, just certain people at that company&#8230;I feel like I&#8217;ve been being head-hunted and you can feel it,&#8221; she said, explaining that she started to get the sense she was no longer welcome at the company late last year because of her views.
&#8220;Just a couple of weeks ago, Lucasfilm asked an artist that they employ to erase my character and put a different character in place, and he proudly announces this on Twitter, and erases my character, and puts another character in place,&#8221; Carano added. &#8220;All the fans of Cara Dune were just outraged. They were like &#8216;Why didn&#8217;t you add the character? Why did you have to take off the character? Is there something wrong? Is Gina getting fired?'&#8221;
Carano labeled her treatment, &#8220;bullying&#8221; and suggested that Disney and Lucasfilm foster a culture of intimidation when it comes to politics.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve been through so much, and I&#8217;ve seen so much now, clearly, of the bullying that&#8217;s been taking place, and I saw it before. I&#8217;m not the only one that&#8217;s ever been bullied by this company, and I know that so deeply,&#8221; she said.
Speaking to Shapiro, Carano revealed that there are individuals working on &#8220;The Mandalorian&#8221; that feel as she does, but have to keep their beliefs and opinions quiet or risk losing their job. Carano explained that a friend of hers who works on production is facing a &#8220;similar situation,&#8221; but did not go into detail.
&#8220;Everyone is afraid of losing their job,&#8221; Carano said.
Carano&#8217;s termination made headlines, largely because she was apparently fired from &#8220;The Mandalorian&#8221; over Twitter comments that leaned conservative. But, she says, it was only after Lucasfilm commented on cutting her loose that she, herself, discovered she was cut from the company.
&#8220;How I found out was that I looked on the internet, and you know, you check your Twitter and I&#8217;m trending and the &#8216;fire Gina Carano&#8217; hashtag worked,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;So Disney never contacted you and asked for some kind of back down, some sort of explanation?&#8221; Shapiro asked. &#8220;It was just &#8216;you&#8217;re done&#8217; and you found out essentially the same way everybody else did?&#8221;
Carano nodded yes and added that she began to get the sense she was being targeted within the company for her views after she was mistakenly sent an email discussing her Twitter presence and pointing to the &#8220;Fire Gina Carano&#8221; campaign among Twitter lefties.
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&#8220;I saw someone from the company accidentally send me a conversation, that they were tracking the &#8216;Fire Gina Carano&#8217; hashtag on content that had nothing to do with me,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It actually had zero to do with me, and all of a sudden, I get thrown into the mix&#8230;They accidentally sent me an email, which was very enlightening, so I knew. I knew they were paying attention.&#8221;
Carano told Shapiro that she was also aware that there was conflict over her continued employment within &#8220;The Mandalorian&#8217;s&#8221; ranks.
&#8220;I know there were some people who went to bat for me, but I know that they didn&#8217;t win out at the end,&#8221; she said.
As for why she decided to stay in the public eye, Carano said she believed that someone needs to demonstrate how widespread — and how destructive — political bullying and cancel culture really is.
&#8220;I was prepared at any point to be let go because I&#8217;ve seen this happen to so many people,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve seen the looks on their faces. I&#8217;ve seen the bullying that takes place, and so when this started, they point their guns at you, and you know it&#8217;s only a matter of time. I&#8217;ve seen it happen to so many people, and I just thought to myself &#8230;&#8217;you&#8217;re coming for me, I know you are.'&#8221;
&#8220;They&#8217;re making it very obvious through their employees who were coming for me, and so I was like &#8216;I&#8217;m going to go down swinging and I&#8217;m going to stay true to myself,'&#8221; she said.
The full interview is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxObG659Sc0">available here</a>.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Gina Carano | The Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special Ep. 111" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mxObG659Sc0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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EXCLUSIVE: Gina Carano Speaks On Disney Firing. ‘Everyone Is Afraid Of Losing Their Job’

Cancel Culture

Disney

Gina Carano

Today’s Hollywood doubles as a Democratic SuperPAC.
TV shows promote anti-police themes, savage I.C.E. officials and push pro-gun control narratives. Every third post-apocalyptic thriller involves global warming ravaging the planet.
Late night TV peddles baldly progressive propaganda while looking the other way when Democrats behave badly.
Who is this Governor Cuomo of which you speak?
And yet some storytellers continue to slip conservative themes into the content. Some right-leaning elements are so subtle they’re easy to miss. Others are hiding in plain sight but play out in an organic fashion.
These films reflect at least one of those two approaches. They’re all well worth your time, and they might even change a heart or mind along the way.
‘A Quiet Place’
Director/co-star John Krasinski’s 2018 smash may be the most pro-family story ever committed to celluloid. It’s still a horror film of the first order, a wildly entertaining tale of a family sticking together during the very worst of times.
Krasinski and real-life wife Emily Blunt stars as parents trying to keep their family safe after aliens conquer the earth. The beasties track their prey via sound, so the surviving humans stay alive by being as quiet as possible.
Here’s a line from the movie repeated about 200 times – “shhhh!”
Mama and Papa forge a new lifestyle that emits precious little sound. Yet when Blunt’s character becomes pregnant the family discards any attempt at a home-brewed abortion.
They know a bouncing baby will wail for the first four months of his or her life, maybe more, but they embrace the pregnancy anyway.
That pro-life message is so loud it would summon a thousand “Quiet Place” critters.
The parents sacrifice everything to keep their surviving children safe while preparing for their new arrival. At a time when liberals yawn over BLM’s anti-family rhetoric, “A Quiet Place” remains a testament to the nuclear family. 
Now, if the pandemic would only fade so we can see if the oft-delayed sequel doubles down on that theme or goes woke.
‘Barbershop: The Next Cut’ (2016)
The popular franchise hardly looks conservative on paper. Stars like Ice Cube and Common consistently share progressive arguments on social media and elsewhere. The films themselves, though, brims with faith-friendly messaging and rugged individualism.
That proved true once more with “The Next Cut.”
Ice Cube stars as Calvin, the owner of a struggling barber shop who is sick of waiting for a government handout to keep his business afloat. Key franchise players are in committed marriages and two-parent families are treated with reverence.
Best of all, given the tenor of modern times? The barber shop staffers let the banter flow freely without attempting to silence anyone. 
The film even includes a crack about how little President Barack Obama helped black Americans.
Who saw that coming?
‘Dead Man Walking’
This 1995 fact-based drama features three of Hollywood’s most outspoken liberals – director Tim Robbins, star Susan Sarandon and co-star Sean Penn. The story follows a death row inmate, played by Penn, who draws the attention of a Sister Helen Prejean (Sarandon). She tries to save him from death by lethal injection.
Robbins clearly meant for “Walking” to rally audiences against the death penalty, but the beautifully crafted film suggests another interpretation. Penn’s character finds faith, and spiritual redemption, only when faced with his own mortality. He can’t even admit to the crime he’s accused of committing and feels no remorse in the first act.
His growing bond with Sister Prejean makes him reconsider both his innocent plea and the scope of his crimes.
The death penalty coaxes Penn’s character to consider Sister Prejean’s beliefs. He eventually confesses and hopes his death will offer the family of the couple he attacked a measure of comfort.
The script, penned by Robbins from the non-fiction book of the same name by Sister Prejean, allows for different interpretations. That’s a credit to Robbins, a storyteller who later leaned harder into his progressive beliefs in “Cradle Will Rock” and the anti-Trump play, “The New Colossus.”
‘Crocodile Dundee’ (1986)
The woke Left hates this comedy smash, in part, because the title character treats a trans woman in a crude fashion. That didn’t stop the Aussie import from making Paul Hogan a star, at least for a spell.
The comedy did something else, though, that riled up some progressives. Linda Kozlowski’s character, a journalist writing about Hogan’s Mick Dundee, is engaged to her boss as the story opens. Said boss is smart, cultured and far more enlightened than Mick.
Yet Kozlowski’s Sue dumps him for the leathered Aussie. Why? He’s self-effacing and strong, a man’s man who can protect her from any danger in the Outback or the Big Apple. Her boss probably can’t change his own tire. 
Sue isn’t a victim, nor is she helpless. She still finds Mick’s masculine traits more appealing and worthy of her heart.
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)/’The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is on the verge of going woke, according to head honcho Kevin Feige. Yet a few years ago a pair of DC Comics movies embraced a stealth conservativism that flew under Warner Bros.’ radar completely.
Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” gave the late Heath Ledger his signature role, the anarchy spewing Joker. One critical scene, featuring the great Michael Caine as Alfred the butler, illustrates why brute force is sadly the only way to maintain peace in some scenarios.
Alfred shared the story of how the Burmese government failed to squelch violence through bribery. Local leaders attempted to pay off tribes with rare stones, a plan that backfired in spectacular fashion.
“Because some men aren&#8217;t looking for anything logical, like money. They can&#8217;t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
“The Dark Knight Rises” struck a more overtly conservative tone, but it did so in a way that couldn’t offend mainstream audiences.
The narrative captured the Occupy Wall Street movement without punishing audiences with lectures or finger wagging. The villainous Bane (Tom Hardy) commandeered a group of anarchists eager to punish the rich and swipe their fortunes.
The Atlantic rushed to the film’s side, arguing the film’s conservative bona fides <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/07/no-the-dark-knight-rises-isnt-a-right-wing-opus/260511/">weren’t as real as many said at the time.</a>
That speaks to Nolan’s deft touch and ability to place entertainment over propaganda.
‘Ghostbusters’ (1984)
Who you gonna call? Not the Environmental Protection Agency, that’s for sure.
Ivan Reitman’s sci-fi comedy classic is known for many things, from Ray Parker, Jr.’s infectious song to arguably Bill Murray’s most Murray-esque performance. It’s also a stinging rebuke to stifling authority figures.
The budding ghostbusters run afoul of not just Slimer but EPA bureaucrats eager to shut down their fledgling business.
Dan Aykroyd’s character utters a classic line after losing his college gig, one that would never be uttered today.
&#8220;I liked the university. They gave us money and facilities. We didn&#8217;t have to produce anything! You&#8217;ve never been out of college. You don&#8217;t know what it&#8217;s like out there. I&#8217;ve worked in the private sector. They expect results.&#8221;
‘No Strings Attached’ (2011)/’Friends with Benefits’ (2011)
Modern Hollywood mostly abandoned rom-coms, at least at the theatrical level. Blame Kate Hudson, who starred in her fair share of romantic clunkers. Or, consider how Hollywood scribes ignored the genre’s fundamentals (Boy Meets Girl…) for wackier plots that left audiences confused. 

These 2011 films revealed Hollywood’s attempt to leave traditional courtship behind. Both focus on couples who wanted sex sans commitment. In each case, true love blossomed and the characters ended up committing to their sexual partners.
Most rom-coms are inherently conservative by default. We cheer on the main characters as they meet, flirt and fall in love. The goal is monogamy, if not a walk down the aisle. 
Perhaps that’s why Tinsel Town mostly abandoned the genre in recent years.
‘Still Mine’
This little-seen gem stars James Cromwell as a husband eager to help his ailing wife (Geneviève Bujold) enjoying her final years in peace. She’s suffering from dementia and needs a home that’s easier for her to move around in without hurting herself.
Cromwell’s character wants to custom build a home just for her, and he has the skills to make it possible. Only he’s thwarted by local bureaucrats who object to every part of his plan.
The 2012 film is a haunting portrait of a devoted husband, but it doubles as a cautionary tale against government overreach. Cromwell’s character can make a home that’s sturdier than most in his county, but mountains of red tape won’t let that happen. Yes, smaller governments matter.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

10 Hollywood Movies That Snuck Conservative Themes on Screen

After an arduous 2020 filled with countless ‘protests,’ a volatile election, deaths of beloved celebrities, and a global pandemic, we have rediscovered that there is nothing better than kicking back, putting your feet up, and watching a good film.
An often popular and enjoyable escape from the tragedies of the real world has been superhero movies. Superhero series <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/?ref_=bo_lnav_hm_shrt">account</a> for five of the top ten highest-grossing franchises of all time, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) sitting in first place with a gross revenue of $8.5 billion.
No matter if you grew up reading comic books, watching iconic Superman and Batman classics, or you merely began with the MCU in 2008, superheroes have most likely played a role in your life.
However, there have recently been two harmful degradations regarding the superhero universe which warrant lighting the Bat-Signal, or at least writing an article. These kryptonite crystals appear through the humanization and distortion of the heroes.
Before being misconstrued, we should define and explain humanization. Let this also being a warning to those that are not ‘up-to-date’ with the latest superhero releases…there are spoilers ahead.
The first — and arguably the most damaging — ploy against superheroes is their humanization, with humanization defined as the reduction of prominence and stature of powerful heroes to a common and quotidian level. The most notorious example of this diminution is ‘Fat Thor’ from Avenger’s: Endgame.
Thor, the god of thunder and ruler of Asgard, in a shocking and disturbing twist of fate, becomes a drunkard and oaf after Thanos defeated the Avengers in the previous film and annihilated half the population of the universe.
One could argue that such a traumatic event would cause anyone to spiral into a crippling depression, even someone as brave and powerful as a Norse god. However, that would still not justify his proceeding actions in the movie, such as his cowardly abdication of the Asgardians and acceptance of mediocrity.
In a scene where Thor encounters his mother from an alternate timeline and universe, she <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fonZPvshj_s&amp;t=292s">tells</a> Thor that because of his failures, he is just like everyone else; and that the measure of a hero is “how well they succeed at being who they are.”
While comments equating the shortcomings of Thor to that of an average person may just be an attempt to comfort the discouraged hero, the real harm lies in the notion that “being who you are” is what makes you super. 
Firstly, this assertion is an abasement of incredible feats and of outstanding characters. But more importantly, it is a jab at the virtues of a hero. What criteria makes you who you are meant to be, and why would that make you heroic? Are there no universally understood principles that make a superhero? 
Furthermore, if the threshold of being super is being yourself, isn’t every self-assured person on the face of the earth a superhero? Obviously, this cannot be the case.
The error lies in this all-inclusive message that everyone is super. Like the villain Syndrome says in The Incredibles, “When everyone is super, no one will be.”
As the criminal mastermind’s name insinuates, this is a disorderly, delusional, and relativistic philosophy which has unfortunately been widely accepted and adopted in today’s culture.
The second damning portrayal of superheroes has been in relation to their character. There is a balance that must be found when creating and developing a character. The archetypal hero can be overdone or overused, which is why characters with a darker and more enigmatic temperament, such as Wolverine, make for a refreshing break from the Captain Americas and Supermans of the superhero worlds.
However, portrayals like Amazon’s series The Boys undermines the legitimacy of superheroes entirely. Although the show intentionally depicts “The Seven” supers as non-heroes throughout its course, it seems to only harm the superhero genre.
If superheroes are not made out to be the outstanding examples of leadership, courage, and virtue in society, what role models are left to emulate?
This issue can be traced back to its definition.
The term “superhero” is two part — “super” refers to their incredible abilities, and “hero,” to their exceptional character and integrity. With enough diligence and application, anyone can become a trained warrior or a virtuous person, which are both worthwhile aspirations; but it is only the superheroes that attain both and to the highest degree.
They must have the capabilities to inflict great harm, but the character and prudence to refrain and to do good. As Dr. Jordan Peterson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HwHbIjW7_s">says</a>, “The hero has to be a monster, but a controlled monster.”
Yet, that is not enough. They must choose to defend and promote the good. The act of willfully choosing the good or preventing the bad in order to follow and protect both the natural order and ethical framework of the world is what makes a superhero so admirable. 
Despite the degradations and perversions of modern superheroes, it is important to remember that the calling of every man and hero alike is found in serving others. And as long as there are extraordinary and vigilant people setting a good example and shining the beacon for help, there is still hope for the traditional and inspirational heroes to emerge.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Justice League Photocall

Are Superheroes ‘Super’ Anymore?

Comics

Readers Pass

Superheroes

Superman

Denzel Washington doesn’t care what his hip Hollywood peers have to say about police officers in the post-BLM era.
Months after stars like John Legend, Natalie Portman, Jane Fonda, Lizzo and Tessa Thompson backed the Defund the Police wave, the double Oscar winner shared a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/denzel-washington-has-the-utmost-respect-for-police-officers-soldiers">decidedly different viewpoint.</a>
“I have the utmost respect for what they do, for what our soldiers do, [people] that sacrifice their lives. I just don’t care for people who put those kind of people down. If it weren’t for them, we would not have the freedom to complain about what they do,” he said.
Washington is one of Hollywood’s least political stars, preferring to let his work speak for him. Yet his support for the police is sadly political in these turbulent times.
But he’s not alone.
The following stars also Back the Blue, sharing respect and more for law enforcement officials.
They’re the opposite of far-left personalities like Michael Moore, who once Tweeted: 
Next demand: Disarm the police. We have a 1/4 billion 2nd amendment guns in our homes 4 protection. We&#8217;ll survive til the right cops r hired
Unlike Moore, these celebrities understand the heroism displayed by the vast majority of law enforcement professionals.
George Strait
The country superstar channeled his appreciation for police officers into lyrics two years ago. 
Strait’s “The Weight of the Badge,” from his “Honky Tonk Time Machine” album, directly addressed what cops face on a daily basis.
“He’s seen it all, in his 15 years/Watching our backs, facing our fears,” goes the song, co-written by Strait. The singer recalls holding an officer’s badge in his hands, <a href="https://www.policemag.com/509151/george-strait-pays-tribute-to-officers-with-song-on-new-album">the weight of which</a> had a profound impact on him.
“And I just got to thinking about that because it really wasn’t that heavy until you put it on it and then it means, it really gets heavy,” Strait said. “So, that was one of those things I thought was a real important message especially these days and times.”
Danny Trejo
The man known to grindhouse fans as “Machete” got to know police officers the wrong way in his youth. The California native spent <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-53327437">part of the 1960s</a> in the clink on a variety of charges, including armed robbery.
He later burnished his tough guy bona fides as a boxer in San Quentin State Prison. He eventually straightened out his life and, later, became a hard-working movie star.
These days, Trejo is speaking up for law enforcement at a time when he’d increase his celebrity cache by doing just the opposite.
<a href="https://toofab.com/2020/11/03/danny-trejo-condemns-violence-against-police-election/">Last year he spoke out on behalf of LA Sheriff&#8217;s Deputy Claudia Apolinar</a>, one of the aforementioned officers shot, ambush style, in a Compton confrontation in September. 
The wounded Apolinar applied a tourniquet to her partner following the shooting, saving his life in the process.
&#8220;She&#8217;s badass &#8211; she&#8217;s got bigger balls than anybody I know,&#8221; said the actor, who later provided the victims and their families with a hearty meal.
“People don&#8217;t understand, man. We&#8217;re all in this together.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s not like police (versus) Mexican (versus) African American&#8230; not any more. First of all, we&#8217;re fighting viruses now, we&#8217;re not fighting a human being. We gotta figure out how to weed out the bad.&#8221;
Gene Simmons
You couldn’t blame the KISS frontman for being a bit sore about the cops. 
In 2015 police <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/police-search-gene-simmons-home-for-evidence-of-child-porn/news-story/077f9d3891e531004395b8e437ae03fd">raided his home</a> in search of child pornography even though neither he nor his family were suspects at the time. The cops found nothing to connect the veteran bassist with illegal downloads, but Simmons didn’t hold a grudge.
In fact, earlier this year he praised Massachusetts Police Officer Matthew Lima for bending the rules just enough to help two people in need.
Lima responded to a shoplifting call a few days before Christmas, only to find two women stealing food to feed their families. The officer gave them a trespassing notice along with gift cards to make their holiday a little bit brighter.
&#8220;My respect and admiration for this policeman, who went beyond the call of duty!!!&#8221; Simmons tweeted upon hearing the news.
It’s hardly a new tune for Simmons. The rocker <a href="https://tbrnews.com/news/manhattan_beach/gene-simmons-makes-an-appearance-at-veterans-fundraiser-in-manhattan-beach/article_ea47d120-e61a-11e8-bdf7-e38fb237ebc0.html">sang the praises of both U.S. Military veterans and law enforcement</a> in 2018 at the inaugural VetFest BeerBQue in Manhattan Beach.
“It’s a simple idea. We take a lot of things for granted. When you need first responders and cops and our military, that is not the time to appreciate. You should do that each and every day.”
Dean Cain
Few stars support the police, then and now, quite like TV’s Superman. The “God’s Not Dead” alum became a <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9061673/Superman-actor-Dean-Cain-reveals-takes-pride-reserve-police-officer.html">reserve police officer in Idaho in 2018</a>, a decision he hoped would “bridge the gap that has started to exist here in the United States and elsewhere.”
He also uses his celebrity pulpit to praise police officers without reservation.  
&#8220;Police officers are real heroes, all the time. For someone who played a hero on TV to come and become one of these officers, and I would never call myself a hero, but to be alongside some of these real heroes is important,&#8221; Dean said.
Cain doesn’t deny the “bad seeds” within the law enforcement community but hopes his words and actions can “counter balance that.”
Erik Estrada
The “CHiPs” star took his signature role to heart.
His work as Officer Frank Poncherello on the long-running series didn’t translate to a big screen career like some TV icons. Still, Estrada has spent <a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/chips-alum-erik-estrada-is-a-real-life-police-officer-now-w212275/">serious time working alongside real-life cops</a> in between various Hollywood gigs.
The New York native worked as a reserve police officer in Muncie, Ind., in 2008. The following year, he became a full-time deputy sheriff in Bedford, Va.
Estrada’s next law enforcement gig came as a reserve officer with the St. Anthony Police Department in Idaho in 2016, with a focus on stopping online predators. Two years later, the actor helped <a href="https://www.policemag.com/361725/chips-actor-erik-estrada-leads-fund-raising-ride-for-police-memorial">raise funds</a> for the National Law Enforcement Offices Memorial Fund.
David Zayas
It’s unlikely this versatile actor will be bad mouthing cops anytime soon.
He used to be one.
The “Oz” and “Dexter” alum walked the beat in the Big Apple for more than a decade. He started his Hollywood career with feet in both worlds before his acting opportunities overwhelmed him.
He credits his <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/finest-hours-day-actor-night-david-zayas-dream-true-article-1.862640">blue collar roots</a> for shaping his law enforcement career.
&#8220;Just like the street teaches you to be a good cop,&#8221; he says, &#8220;theater teaches you everything about the craft of acting. It also gives you the confidence you need when you go for TV and movie auditions. It also showcases your talent.
Ricky Schroder
The “Silver Spoons” alum endured a pair of visits from Johnny Law in 2019, both stemming from domestic abuse allegations. 
That didn’t stop him from <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2020/10/04/ricky-schroder-donates-deputies-compton-shooting-ambush/">donating $11,111</a> to a pair of wounded L.A. County deputies last year as well as giving $25,000 to help find the person who ambushed the officers. The former’s significance? TMZ reported the curious number speaks to “new beginnings.”
Maybe Schroder’s TV work rubbed off on him. The veteran actor also co-starred on “NYPD Blue” for a pair of seasons as Det. Danny Sorenson.
Ted Nugent
The Motor City Madman takes his love for law enforcement very seriously.
The ageless rocker tried to lend his support to a New York-based “Back the Blue” rally last July, but local officials used existing pandemic rules to <a href="https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/new-york-banned-ted-nugent-and-clay-higgins-from-back-the-blue-rally-so-we-shared-their-voices-with-millions/">prevent him from making an appearance.</a> 
It’s just one example of how he supports police officers and the sacrifices they make. That doesn’t mean he offers blanket support for all police tactics. He’s spoken out against “Stop and Frisk” measures he <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/ted-nugent-stop-frisk/2013/08/21/id/521636/">says violates the Fourth Amendment</a>.
Nugent’s affection for the men and women who protect us <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/ted-nugent-a-police-officer-ive-been-a-cop-since-1982-comment-spurs-investigation_540147.html">may have gone too far, though.</a>
He told CNN he’s been serving as a cop in Lake County, Mich. since 1982, even conducting raids alongside the DEA and ATF.
The Epoch Times investigated the claims, though, finding Nugent’s rhetoric less than truthful. It’s true Nugent serves as a reservist for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. There’s no record he’s joined any law enforcement raids, according to word from the ATF, DEA and the Texas Rangers.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Premiere Of Paramount Pictures’ “Flight” – Arrivals

8 Hollywood Celebrities Who Actually Back The Blue

The host of “Real Time with Bill Maher” can be garrulous, prickly and downright mean.
It’s hard to forget how Maher mocked the Palin family, including her special needs child, as inbred mutants in the “Hills Have Eyes” horror tradition. Or how he <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2019/08/10/bill-maher-really-wants-a-recession-because-we-cant-survive-another-trump-term/">cheered on a “recession”</a> in order to get his party back in the White House.
Still, he occasionally shelves liberal talking points for some unabashed truths, much to his own party’s chagrin.
Yes, Maher spends the majority of his screen time echoing the views of Colbert, Kimmel, Bee and the rest of the hard-left late night crew. It’s his ability to break away from the pack, to share independent thoughts, that resonates with more than just his base.
It’s often just Maher trying to warn his fellow Democrats of political icebergs ahead. So be it. We&#8217;ll take flickers of late-night sanity however they appear.
The Rioters Don’t Represent MAGA Nation
Maher’s penchant for speaking inconvenient truths got a workout this month. The host, returning to HBO for the first time in 2021, said what’s patently true to any clear-thinking soul.
The thugs who broke into the Capitol Jan. 6 were<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bill-maher-defends-trump-supporters-lets-not-confuse-5000-capitol-rioters-with-74-million-voters"> wrong and not indicative of the standard Trump voter.</a>
&#8220;As bad as last week was &#8230; let&#8217;s not confuse 5,000 people with 74 million,&#8221; Maher began his monologue. &#8220;Yes, even supporting the insurrection in spirit is, well, deplorable. But there&#8217;s a difference between holding illiberal beliefs and acting violently on them. At least that&#8217;s what they always told me about Islamic terrorism.&#8221;
He didn’t stop there. He swatted down the notion that <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/11/07/bill-maher-slams-panelist-who-calls-all-trump-voters-racists/">all Trump voters are racist</a>, a view held by a frightening number of liberals.
“Trump did a lot better with the black vote than he did last time,” Maher said. Nance questioned how well the exit polls reflected reality, given the large amount of mail-in ballots.
“I think he’s a terrible leader, but I don’t think that it’s terrible that there’s diversity in the Black community. Or in any community,” the host said.
Free Speech Warrior. 
Maher remains a rock-solid defender of the First Amendment. That hasn’t changed in the Cancel Culture era.
He proved that anew recently<a href="https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/01/15/maher-on-trump-twitter-ban-i-dont-like-banning-speech-these-things-turn-into-the-one-true-opinion-in-the-liberal-bubble/">, worrying about the consequences</a> of Big Tech deplatforming Trump.
“I’m a free speech person. I mean, f*** Trump. But when someone, anyone, anywhere decides what speech is allowed and what isn’t, I don’t know.”
He added the reasons for Trump’s removal were “vague” and that Big Tech could soon become a “liberal bubble” with little outside thought poking through.
Maher faced an early version of Cancel Culture in 2014 when Berkeley students tried to remove him as a speaker for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/28/berkeley-petition-bill-maher-commencement">sharing the wrong thoughts during his career.</a>
He persisted, striking a blow against the woke mob.
Defending Amy Schumer from Fellow Liberals.
The fading starlet’s 2018 film “I Feel Pretty” made little noise at the box office. The social media reception, though, proved loud and ugly.
Schumer stars as a woman who looks like … Amy Schumer … but feels empowered after a blow to the head convinces her she’s suddenly supermodel thin.
That set off the woke mob, who attacked the film for not having a person of color as the lead and reeking of the <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/entertainment/a18192099/amy-schumer-backlash-i-feel-pretty/">star’s blonde beauty “privilege.”</a>
Maher wasn’t having it.
“… the professionally offended have decided that even though it’s a film by women filmmakers presenting a pro-woman message, it does it the wrong way!” … Amy helped wrong! Even though she really just remade The Nutty Professor, where someone not thin and not cool magically sees themselves as better looking and gains confidence — except when Eddie Murphy did it, he didn’t have the purity police up his a**.”
He wasn’t finished.
“Can’t we just sit in a movie theater, unclench our a**holes for two hours, and laugh at what it is instead of dissecting it for what it is not?” Maher asked. “Movie reviews, they’re not even reviews anymore. They’re just, ‘How come you made the movie you made and not the movie I would’ve made if I had talent, which I don’t?&#8217;”
America Isn’t That Sexist … or They Still Hate Hillary
Maher took a long, hard look at the 2020 election results and came to a conclusion anyone “With Her” might find repugnant.
<a href="https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/11/13/maher-2020-results-disprove-idea-hillary-lost-due-to-sexism-biden-won-by-slightly-more-than-hillary/">AKA the truth.</a>
“Again, we all know the pollsters were wrong. We thought it was going to be a much bigger victory. He won by slightly — in other words, the country looked at Trump for four years and he won by that much more than Hillary. First of all, doesn’t that say maybe we’re not as sexist as we thought? I mean, it really doesn’t seem to be that oh, Hillary was a woman, we wouldn’t vote for her. They voted for Biden by this much more after Trump f***ed up for that long.”
Yes, Hunter Biden Is Sketchy. 
The mainstream media and Big Tech successfully squelched the Hunter Biden scandals that could have cost his pappy the election. Yet in 2019 Maher sounded a siren, of sorts, on the son’s <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2019/09/27/maher-if-don-jr-did-what-hunter-biden-did-it-would-be-all-rachel-maddow-was-talking-about/">dubious behavior tied to Ukraine</a>.
“I don’t think he was doing something terrible in Ukraine, but it’s just so — why can’t politicians tell their f***ing kids get a job? Get a g**damn job. I mean, this kid was paid $600,000 because his name is Biden, by a gas company in Ukraine, this super corrupt country that just had a revolution to get rid of corruption. It just looks bad. And the Republicans are geniuses at muddying the waters. … It’s all going to be about, you did this in Ukraine, well, Joe Biden did this.”
Maher even added a bit about media bias to make the argument stick.
“And if Don Jr. did it, it would be all Rachel Maddow was talking about.”
Maher subsequently backed off the Hunter Biden stories, perhaps following the media’s corrupt suggestion there was nothing “there” in the first place.
Maher on Thanksgiving: Just Eat, Thanks
The newest November tradition finds media outlets sharing how to survive Thanksgiving with your “racist” uncle or how to defeat their Trumpian rants. It’s exhausting and defeats the purpose of the holidays, a time meant to unite, not inflame.
Maher shredded the new Thanksgiving playbook with this <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2019/11/16/maher-we-have-to-learn-to-live-with-each-other-a-second-civil-war-is-possible/">glorious, and surprisingly nuanced, attack.</a>
“And never forget the single, shining truth about democracy, it means sharing a country with a**holes you can’t stand. In that way, it’s a lot like Thanksgiving. You don’t get to choose the guests. Because those freaks are your family. Think about that the next time you think you can own somebody politically.”
America is a big country, filled with millions of people who don’t think the way you do and never will, and you can’t own, vanquish, or disappear them. We’re stuck with them, and they’re stuck with us.”
Calling out Democratic Israel Bashers
The mainstream media won’t go near Rep. Rashida Tlaib in any meaningful way, no matter how many outrageous things she says or does. The same is doubly true for late night comics, who ignore her flaws to focus on GOP targets.
Yet Maher singled Tlaib out in 2019 after she called for a “Real Time” boycott.
Why?
Maher dubbed the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) a “bull***t purity test by people who want to appear woke but actually slept through history class.”
The comedian responded to the Michigan politician in savage fashion days later.
“Some people have one move only: boycott. Cancel. Make-go-away,” Bill Maher said. “But here’s the thing, the house voted 318 to 17 to condemn the #BDS movement, including 93% of Dems. Does Tlaib want to boycott 93% of her own party?”
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones – Inside

8 Times Bill Maher Told the Truth (and Stunned the Left)

Bill Maher

Hollywood couldn’t wait to bring Black Lives Matter to a screen near you.
Industry liberals have been singing the <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/gabriel-hays/2020/06/03/blm-protests-turn-deadly-riots-celebs-sign-letter-demanding">group’s praises</a> for months following the death of George Floyd, some echoing calls to “defund the police” while others bailed out <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/stars-fund-protesters-not-victims/">violent protesters</a> caught up in the BLM protests.
And we’re seeing the results in stories across the content spectrum.
The team behind the Fox police comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/brooklyn-nine-nine-dan-goor-deleted-all-season-8-scripts/">signaled the content shift</a> months ago. Co-star Terry Crews said show runner Dan Goor threw four new scripts into the circular file following BLM’s rise.
Time for a reboot, the show’s creative team declared. That likely means a cop comedy where the heroes must point out their own flaws, real and/or imagined.
“Right now, we don’t know which direction we’re going to go in, but we do know that we’ve had a lot of somber talks, we’ve had a lot of very, very deep conversations, and through this we hope to bring something that could really, really truly be groundbreaking this year,” Crews continued. “We have an opportunity here and we plan to use it in the best, best way possible.”
If that sounds like BLM will be unofficially pulling the strings behind new “Nine-Nine” episodes you’re not being paranoid.
It’s happening already.
The folks at Newsbusters have been cataloguing a flood of new TV content that sounds like press releases from BLM headquarters.
CBS’s “The Neighborhood” used its third season premiere to <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/lindsay-kornick/2020/11/16/neighborhood-police-are-same-system-slavery">showcase young black men being harassed, and beaten,</a> for no discernible reason by local law enforcement. Later, a white parent tells her child that the police routinely attack black people but she should still call the police in times of trouble. Her white skin will protect her from similar treatment, she’s told.
Later, in the very same episode, Cedric the Entertainer’s character reacts when a friend insists not all police are bad:
<blockquote>Tell that to the people being choked out and killed in the streets. Dave, of course there&#8217;s some good cops. But they&#8217;re a part of a system that was created when we weren&#8217;t even considered people. We were considered property. And yeah, yeah, I know people love to say that slaves were freed a long time ago, but it&#8217;s that same system that&#8217;s got us undereducated, over-incarcerated, and out of the voting booth.</blockquote>
That’s a heaping helping of BLM talking points in a single episode.
CBS’s “S.W.A.T.” followed a similar path, thanks to speechified dialogue meant to send a message. For budding screenwriters, don’t try this at home. It leads to sub-par storytelling. 
Here’s the dad of Shemar Moore’s character explaining how <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/elise-ehrhard/2020/11/11/cbss-swat-goes-blm-its-cops-yall-ones-killing-us">nothing has changed</a> regarding black people and the police over the decades.
<blockquote>Let me tell you about a little boy I once knew. Somebody asked him, &#8216;How will it be okay?&#8217; His answer? &#8216;It ain&#8217;t me, it ain&#8217;t us, &#8220;It ain&#8217;t them. &#8220;It&#8217;s the cops. Y&#8217;all are the ones that&#8217;s killing us.&#8221; He said that in 1965, but it sounds like today. See, it&#8217;s a generational wound that just keeps&#8230; Getting picked at every few decades because we refuse to learn the lesson.</blockquote>
The CBS legal drama “All Rise” did its part for the narrative, <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/elise-ehrhard/2020/11/16/cbss-woke-legal-drama-all-rise-pushes-all-blm-propaganda">pinning the blame on recent rioting on the police</a>, not the people actually doing the rioting.
&#8220;I will never understand why riot gear is necessary. They are marching peacefully,&#8221; Judge Lola Carmichael (Simone Missick) says.
&#8220;Now, but in an hour, it could devolve into chaos,&#8221; Mark (Wilson Bethel) replies. 
&#8220;And that&#8217;s the protestors&#8217; fault? I don&#8217;t condone violence, but riot gear, batons, tear gas&#8230;it&#8217;s a recipe for agitation and indignation,&#8221; Lola answers.
Last month, NBC’s “Superstore” served up <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/elise-ehrhard/2020/10/29/nbcs-superstore-lies-blm-protests-99-peaceful">BLM damage control</a> addressing the waves of destruction tied to the movement. The store in question prepared for possible violence by delivering material to fend off looters.
Jonah (Ben Feldman): Oh, come on. The looting is overblown. 99% of the protests have been peaceful.
That must be of comfort to the thousands of shop owners and employees still digging out from the wreckage left behind by “mostly peaceful” protests.
Over at Hulu, the streamer’s new comedy series “Woke” just got picked up for a second season. The show’s entire premise builds off a black cartoonist (Lamorne Morris) who gets roughed up by local police for simply stapling fliers around town and gets “woke.”
<a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/lindsay-kornick/2020/09/11/worlds-racist-fed-place-hulu-gets-woke-new-blm-comedy">Newsbusters summed up the series</a> with one pithy quote:
If Black Lives Matter were to make a Hulu series, it would look just like Woke. 
Even the long-running Comedy Central show “Tosh.0” got into the act this season. Host Daniel Tosh <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/tosh-0-mccloskeys-black-lives-matter/">mocked the St. Louis couple</a> who waved weapons in their air when BLM protesters broke down a fence and approached their property.
Tosh, whose knack for skewering both sides of the aisle changed after President Donald Trump took the oath of office, showed a husband and wife wielding a rifle-shaped tool.
“Those two look like they should be standing in front of a gaudy mansion pointing that thing at peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters,” Tosh said.
The stars themselves clearly have little issue with similar material, or they’re afraid to raise an objection. Some, like Jamie Lee Curtis, heart Black Lives Matter so much they inject its DNA into projects completed long before the cause exploded.
Curtis, chatting up “Halloween Kills” months in advance of its eventual release, told SiriusXM the film <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2020/10/30/halloween-kills-trailer-drops-jamie-lee-curtis-says-film-speaks-blm/6093978002/">connects to the BLM movement</a>.
Although &#8220;Halloween Kills&#8221; was shot in 2019, Curtis said it resonates with protests and riots that have swept the country in the aftermath of George Floyd&#8217;s death.
&#8220;The movie is about a mob,&#8221; Curtis said. &#8220;It takes on what happens when trauma infects an entire community, and we&#8217;re seeing it everywhere with the Black Lives Matter movement. We&#8217;re seeing it in action.&#8221;
What’s next? It’s impossible to imagine the upcoming show about a young Colin Kaepernick not feeding directly into current BLM narratives.
“Colin in Black &amp; White,” a Netflix limited series from far-left director Ava DuVernay, focuses on the future quarterback’s formative years. 
Kaepernick co-created the show with the “Selma” director.
‘nuff said.

S.W.A.T.

BLM Messaging: Coming To A Screen Near You

Black Lives Matter

Social Justice

Wokeness

Most movie directors toil in relative obscurity. Quick, who directed the last “Fast &amp; Furious” film? What about “Bad Boys for Life,” “The Invisible Man” or “Sonic the Hedgehog&#8221;?
An elite group of directors, by comparison, became household names for their big screen accomplishments. Spielberg. Tarantino. Scorsese. Nolan.
There’s another group of auteurs, though, who routinely draw critical praise for their handiwork. Some of said praise is both over the top and unjustified.
The following five directors meet that criteria. Yes, they’ve delivered some outstanding films, but they remain overrated for the reasons shared below.
Spike Lee
The New York Knicks fanatic made one great film – 1989’s “Do the Right Thing.” It’s been downhill ever since, and at times the drop is so steep even X-Games athletes fear it.
Making “Da Sweet Blood of Jesus” alone should be enough to merit inclusion on this list, but Lee’s cinematic overreach extends beyond that epic clunker.
Lee is far better at stirring the cultural pot than making memorable films. The buzz around “Jungle Fever” lapped the actual story. The same proved true with “Bamboozled”
Lee rebounded with “Inside Man,” a crackerjack thriller with zero political connections. He could have stayed in that lane, but the lure of “sending a message” proved impossible to resist. That’s given us dreck like “Chi-Raq,” an op-ed gussied up as a feature film.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Inside Man Official Trailer #1 - Christopher Plummer Movie (2006) HD" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FSH-dbbiroI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Many of Lee’s films came and went without movie goers noticing. Think “Oldboy,” “Red Hook Summer” and “The Miracle of St. Anna” to name a few.
Still, Lee exhumes his fallen career every decade or so to keep his brand alive. He did just that with 2018’s “BlacKkKlansman,” a great title for a solid film with a morally reprehensible finale. See, “<a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/08/10/prager_u_steve_cortes_the_charlottesville_lie.html">Lie, Charlottesville</a>v” for the answer why.
It’s understandable why Lee still generates excitement. Every time we want to count him out he rewards our patience. And his unusual rhythms and willingness to take chances – consider his atypical but often bracing soundtracks – suggest we wait out his next rebound.
Fine. Just know he’s not a great director. He’s an artist who will never reach the potential he teased with his 1989 classic.
<div id="attachment_149546" style="width: 860px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-149546" class="wp-image-149546" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Spike-Lee.jpg" alt="Spike Lee walks the red carpet ahead of the &quot;American Skin&quot; screening during the 76th Venice Film Festival at Sala Giardino on September 01, 2019 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)" width="850" height="470" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Spike-Lee.jpg 947w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Spike-Lee-300x166.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Spike-Lee-768x425.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px" />Tristan Fewings/Getty Images</div>
Tim Burton
The wild-haired auteur struck pop culture gold via “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.” The comic romp proved the perfect marriage between a man-child performer and Burton’s child-like vision.
A directorial star was born.
Burton hit the zeitgeist early and often at the time, even when his films didn’t live up to the hype. Case in point: “Beetlejuice,” powered by Michael Keaton’s uncorked energy more than anything else.
<div id="attachment_149731" style="width: 860px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-149731" class="wp-image-149731" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Tim-Burton.jpg" alt="Filmmaker, artist, writer, animator Tim Burton during a press conference about his exhibition “Lost Vegas: Tim Burton @ The Neon Museum on October 15, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage)" width="850" height="482" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Tim-Burton.jpg 926w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Tim-Burton-300x170.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Tim-Burton-768x435.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px" />Denise Truscello/WireImage via Getty Images</div>
Burton’s “Batman” proved a game changer, and he certainly deserves kudos for bringing a respectable Bat to the big screen. “Edward Scissorhands” served up a slab of surreal whimsy and solid storytelling. It’s the latter that repeatedly proves his undoing.
Fumbles like “Planet of the Apes,” “Dark Shadows” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” proved he couldn’t be trusted to revive other existing properties.
“Big Fish” and “Big Eyes” showed Burton maturing, ever so slightly, but the emphasis remained on the word, “slight.”
His “Alice in Wonderland” raked in the cash, but does anyone dare to watch it again?
Burton’s films offer visual banquets where the story and characters often race to catch up, with little success.
Ridley Scott
The prolific director deserves our eternal respect for delivering the greatest science fiction film of the modern era – 1979’s “Alien.” Scott also directed both “Blade Runner” and “Gladiator,” films entrenched in pop culture lore for good reason.
And then there’s the rest of his scattershot resume. “The Counselor,” “1492: Conquest of Paradise,” “Alien: Covenant,” “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” “White Squall,” “G.I. Jane,” “Body of Lies,” “Robin Hood” and “A Good Year.”
None of those films are unwatchable. Most, if not all, proved forgettable.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The Martian Official Trailer #2 (2015) - Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain Movie HD" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ErkgC-8BfnE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Like Lee, Scott occasionally uncorks a success story, be it the overrated “Thelma &amp; Louise” or the justly lauded “Black Hawk Down.” Still, the mediocrities are plentiful, and Scott often leaves us without a true visual calling card.
Burton’s films, for all their flaws, look like they sprang from his unique imagination. Scott’s body of work is more generic, less distinct in its presentation.
Scott’s 2015 smash “The Martian” reminded us how surefooted he could be delivering a space-based yarn. Yet his recent “Alien” projects couldn’t recapture the glory of his initial vision.
John Carpenter
“Halloween” changed horror (mostly) for the better, and genre fans have Carpenter to thank for it. His 1978 classic offered up a timeless monster, a perfect horror movie score and scares that haven’t aged a day.
It’s not his fault that so many predecessors delivered weak imitations of the Michael Meyers formula.
“Halloween” cemented his reputation, and he’s been basking in its glow ever since.
Carpenter peaked in 1982 with “The Thing,” coasted through the Reagan era thanks to “Starman,” “Christine” and “Big Trouble in Little China.” Then spent the next 30 years diminishing his screen legacy.
“They Live” is junk, even if it’s been revived as a “so bad it’s good’ cult classic. It’s still superior to subsequent Carpenter dreck, including “Prince of Darkness,” “Village of the Damned,” “Escape from L.A.” and “Ghosts of Mars.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Ghosts of Mars (2001) Official Trailer 1 - Ice Cube Movie" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XbmFwk8n0f0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Zack Snyder
The comic book favorite wouldn’t merit inclusion here save for three simple words: “The Snyder Cut.”
Comic-Con types have been salivating for the “Justice League” Snyder Cut ever since the film hit theaters to modest fan reactions.
Just wait! There’s a Snyder cut and it’s gonna be awesome, the online SnyderNation cried. Why would anyone think that based on his iffy resume?
Snyder jumped from music videos to feature films courtesy of 2004’s “Dawn of the Dead” remake, which proved both unnecessary and surprisingly solid. He followed it up with “300,” a film which appealed to conservative audiences but served up little more than an unusually bruising canvas.
<div id="attachment_146684" style="width: 860px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-146684" class="wp-image-146684" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Batman-vs-Superman.jpg" alt="A poster from the upcoming movie &quot;Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice&quot; are displayed during the Licensing Expo 2015 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on June 9, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)" width="850" height="428" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Batman-vs-Superman.jpg 940w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Batman-vs-Superman-300x151.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Batman-vs-Superman-768x386.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px" />Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images</div>
His take on “Watchmen” didn’t dazzle, nor did it co-opt the culture’s growing superhero hunger. His take on Superman, “Man of Steel,” similarly underwhelmed mostly due to a CGI-heavy third act.
When Pa Kent (Kevin Costner) is the best part of your comic book movie there’s a problem.
Snyder steered the DC Extended Universe into a pop culture ditch thanks to “Steel” and the generic “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” while competing Marvel movies raked in cash and critical huzzahs.
We’ll offer up a mea culpa should HBO Max’s Snyder Cut version of “Justice League” merit a fraction of the hype. Here’s betting that’s a fool’s errand given the director’s previous works.

Oscar

Sorry, Film Nation: Meet 5 Overrated Film Directors

Critics love “Cuties,” the Netflix movie showcasing 11-year-old girls gyrating in skimpy outfits while striking provocative poses for the crowd and, by extension, the viewer. The same critical community loathes “Run Hide Fight,” the upcoming thriller about a smart, empowered female student who rescues her peers from a school shooter while plotting the best way to take out the threat.
Confused? You’re probably not alone.
Movie critics began fawning over “Cuties,” a French film recently added to Netflix’s streaming lineup, at January’s Sundance Film Festival. Those raves likely convinced Team Netflix to buy the film’s rights and share it with subscribers.
The film even nabbed an award during that festival appearance.
So no one, including Team Netflix, were prepared when average citizens recoiled at the film’s absurdly inappropriate ad campaign featuring scantily clad children striking erotic poses.
Netflix, to its credit, recalled it immediately … without sharing how an absurdly inappropriate ad campaign featuring sexualized 11-year-olds got the green light in the first place. Reporters similarly lacked an ounce of curiosity on the subject.
Film scribes quickly ran defense for “Cuties,” admitting through clenched teeth that the Netflix poster was absurdly inappropriate but hardly reflective of the movie itself.
Good point. Let the movie speak for itself.
When viewers got a gander at “Cuties” the outrage meter hit 11, in grand “This Is Spinal Tap” fashion.
The critical community held its ground, again. Journalists sided with them, mocking and or attacking anyone offended by the film’s visuals. The same visuals, for what it’s worth, which alarmed CAIR (along with the film’s critical depiction of Islam).
“Cuties” is Netflix’s must-see coming of age drama that, as one outlet put it, spotlights “<a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/cuties-netflix-reviewa-provocative-powder-keg-age-terrified/">child sexuality</a>.”
It’s about time, amirite…? (snort)
The same critical community suggests “Run Hide Fight” should never have been made in the first place.
The upcoming film sports a tough premise, no doubt. We’ve already seen serious, sober films explore fictional school shootings. The 2003 movie “Elephant” rushes to mind. So does 2018’s “Vox Lux.”
“Run Hide Fight” is different.
It’s an action film that gives one student, capably played by Isabel May, a chance to fight back.
That’s different. Fresh. Provocative. It also plays into the narrative some on the right embrace regarding armed teachers. Even worse for left-leaning critics? Our protagonist, and her father, are avid hunters.
It’s no secret that school shootings are an incredibly challenging subject, but we routinely watch films tackling themes that are similarly nightmarish — and reality based. Kidnapping movies. Hit man films. Gangster tales. Suicide stories.
Name a tragedy, even 9/11, and Hollywood has turned it into a motion picture, often with formulaic action and dramatic beats attached.
“Run Hide Fight,” to this critic’s eyes, is mostly a success. May is a plucky, believable heroine. The film’s teen angst feels raw and real. There’s violence and blood, but the film doesn’t give way to grindhouse theatrics.
It moves swiftly, suggests larger themes without lectures.
Most of all, a film critic can think a particular subject isn’t his or her preferred narrative while evaluating the film on a dramatic level.
School shootings leave us feeling shaken, vulnerable. Some film genres, like vigilante movies, actively address that. Catharsis is a palpable part of the film-going experience.
The early critical reaction to “Run Hide Fight,” gleaned from its Venice Film Festival appearance, proved the opposite of “Cuties.”
The film had a zero percent “rotten” rating before this critic added his two cinematic cents.
The Hollywood Reporter <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/run-hide-fight-film-review-venice-2020">admits the film is well constructed</a> … but pans it anyway.
<blockquote>What&#8217;s most notable about Kyle Rankin&#8217;s slick and compulsively watchable genre entry Run Hide Fight is the utter shallowness of its psychological perspective.</blockquote>
It’s an action movie, for what it’s worth.
<blockquote>You have to wonder if anyone spoke up during the pitch meeting to suggest this might be in questionable taste.</blockquote>
How many film critics said the same about the dance sequence from “Cuties?”
The critic says the quiet part out loud next.
<blockquote>But given the sensitivity around mass shootings in this country, and the obstinate refusal of the NRA or its political apologists to accept even a degree of responsibility, it seems naïve to think this wouldn’t play as trivializing exploitation.</blockquote>
So, if the film included a few anti-NRA rants would the reviewer’s thumb go from south to north, a la Roger Ebert?
What about all the woke critics itching for strong, fully realized female characters in feature films? “Run Hide Fight” checks all those boxes. Too bad May’s character doesn’t twerk during the melee.
<a href="https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/run-hide-fight-venice-review/5153050.article">ScreenDaily.com suggests</a> the movie never should have been made. Yes, we need bowling-style bumpers for artistic endeavors.
<blockquote>Just because we have all become used to school shootings as an established feature of North American life, that doesn’t mean that the world is yet ready to see the theme used as the basis of genre entertainment – and perhaps it never should be.</blockquote>
Oh.
The critic also admits the film is good, darn it, before shaming anyone who might actually line up to see it.
<blockquote>It’s undeniably polished and energetic, and features a couple of strong performances from young stars Isabel May and Eli Brown – but it feels fundamentally tasteless, indeed just plain wrong. Unfortunately, it will probably do extremely well at the box office.</blockquote>
Those same judgments went AWOL during the “Cuties” review circuit, though.
The ScreenDaily critic similarly says the quiet part out loud. The movie sends the “wrong” message.
<blockquote>It also suggests that a weapon in the hands of an upstanding concerned citizen – for which read ‘vigilante’ – can be altogether laudable. And in this tinderbox year in American history, that is a very worrying suggestion indeed.</blockquote>
Yes, heaven forbid an armed hero squared off against a school shooter and end the madness before more people get hurt.
A critic has every right to cling to that belief, of course. It’s another matter when he or she slams a movie for sharing it, as if only one opinion is fundamentally correct. Does it matter that roughly half the readership agrees with the film’s argument?
Indeed it does.
Many consumers recoiled after seeing “Cuties,” ignoring the film’s creative worth. Movie critics looked past those flaws to rave about the film, all the while savaging “Run Hide Fight” for being a tasteless genre exercise while praising it as a feature film.

Netflix

TOTO: ‘Exploitation’ Bias: Critics’ Double Standard Exposed In Response To New Controversial Films

You could argue Tinsel Town’s Trump Derangement Syndrome began long before the real estate mogul crushed Hillary Clinton’s presidential dreams. Stars like Sarah Silverman and Louis C.K. played the Hitler card against Donald Trump during the primaries, a sad preview of what was to come. There’s nothing wrong with opposing President Trump’s policies or criticizing his personal demeanor. Plenty of conservatives, not the absurd NeverTrump types, do just that. It’s healthy. It’s American. The following stars took their Trump hatred a bit further, though. They epitomize Trump Derangement Syndrome, a fictional name for a very real type of political disorder. You don’t have to be a medical specialist to spot it. Nor do you need a degree in political science to realize the following stars shouldn’t be taken seriously given the tenor of their comments.
1. Robert De Niro
The two-time Oscar winner may suffer the worst case of TDS. De Niro can’t complete a media interview, a practice he studiously avoided for years, without mentioning Trump in the ugliest way possible.
He famously <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zNr8Pf1QkY">cursed out the president</a> during 2018’s Tony Awards broadcast, drawing a standing ovation from the potential TDS sufferers.
Prior to that, the “Raging Bull” star openly wished to punch Trump in the nose, called him a gangster and said far worse whenever he stood before a mic or journalist’s pad.
<div id="attachment_80400" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-80400" class="wp-image-80400" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/deniro-2-1024x566.jpg" alt="Robert De Niro attends the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 19, 2020 in Los Angeles, California." width="800" height="442" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/01/deniro-2.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/01/deniro-2-300x166.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/01/deniro-2-768x425.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic via Getty Images</div>
2. John Cusack
The “Say Anything” star’s celebrity profile isn’t what it was when he was cranking out teen comedies in the ‘80s. Cusack still works, but his movies primarily debut on VOD and offer genre thrills over serious fare.
Has anyone actually seen recent Cusack movies like “River Runs Red,” “Never Grow Old” or “Distorted&#8221;?
Cusack grabs more attention now for his Twitter Trump rage. Consider the time he claimed the U.S. Military “abandoned” Trump. Or how he routinely lashes out at Trump voters as “<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/john-cusack-claims-military-abandoned-trump-remaining-supporters-racists">racists</a>,” echoing the worst comments of Trump critics. He also called Trump a “<a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/aug/14/john-cusack-turns-doomsday-prophet-says-trump-a-te/">test run for true evil</a>.”
How bad can Cusack be? He even retweeted an <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2019/06/18/john-cusack-retweeted-anti-semitic-image-apologizes-and-blames-bot/1485431001/">anti-Semitic message</a> during one Twitter rage fest. He later deleted the comment, but not before briefly blaming a bot for the share. TDS can be accompanied by derious side effects.
<div id="attachment_80359" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-80359" class="wp-image-80359" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/John-Cusack-895x576.jpg" alt="John Cusack" width="800" height="515" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/01/John-Cusack-895x576.jpg 895w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/01/John-Cusack-300x193.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/01/John-Cusack-768x494.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/01/John-Cusack.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images</div>
3. Bette Midler
The truest sign of TDS is how sufferers rage against more than just the President. Their fury bubbles over to their kin, too. The formerly Divine Miss M falls squarely into this sad sub-category.
Sure, she’s shared a fake quote about Trump to her millions of online followers. Yes, she’s dubbed Trump a “<a href="https://www.the-sun.com/news/1423050/bette-midler-slams-trump-cancer-on-country/">cancer on our country</a>.” But she steered into TDS, hard, by using racially charged insults against his fans, describing a group of black supporters behind the president as being his “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/26/entertainment/bette-midler-blackground-tweet-trnd/index.html">blackground</a>.”
More recently, she dubbed First Lady Melania Trump an “illegal immigrant” and mocked her accent. She eventually <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/08/26/bette-midler-apologizes-mocking-melania-trumps-accent/5638265002/">apologized for the accent slam</a>.
Now, art is imitating life. Midler stars in the HBO comedy “Coastal Elites,” playing a <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/09/coastal-elites-hbo-exclusive-clips">character who rants about</a>, guess who, President Trump.
<div id="attachment_86130" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86130" class="wp-image-86130" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/80808591-C7DD-44AC-8C55-9C79E29053B9-1024x576.jpeg" alt="Bette Midler attends the 13th annual New York Restoration Project Annual Spring Picnic at General Grant National Memorial on May 29, 2014 in New York City." width="800" height="450" />Theo Wargo/Getty Images</div>
4. Rob Reiner
The “Sure Thing” director hasn’t made a good movie in, well, ages. He keeps trying, though, delivering mediocre fare (and that’s being kind) with duds like “Shock and Awe” and “Being Charlie.”
It’s a far, far cry from his days delivering “Stand By Me,” “The Princess Bride” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” all certifiable classics.
Reiner draws far more attention of late for his anti-Trump screeds, which make it sound like the Trump/Hitler comparisons are just too … kind. Sound excessive? Consider the Tweets.
Reiner said Trump’s racism inspired white supremacists <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2020/08/26/rob-reiner-trumps-racism-encouraging-white-supremacists-to-kill-black-people/'">to kill black people</a>. He predicted Trump’s recent Gettysburg speech would be an <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2020/08/10/rob-reiner-trump-gettysburg-speech-would-be-tribute-to-white-supremacy/">ode to White Supremacy.</a> The director also declared that Trump was actively <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2020/07/16/rob-reiner-trump-is-actively-trying-to-kill-our-children/">trying to kill our children.</a>
Even worse? Reiner leveraged his legendary father’s death to attack Trump. Carl Reiner passed at the age of 98 earlier this year, and his famous son said his pappy hoped to live long enough to see <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/07/05/carl-reiner-wanted-see-trump-ousted-white-house-daughter-says/5380073002/">Trump’s White House “eviction</a>.”
<div id="attachment_47040" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47040" class="wp-image-47040" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/gettyimages-1142288693-1024x696.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Rob Reiner speaks during Billy Crystal's Hand and Footprint Ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on April 12, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rachel Luna/Getty Images)" width="800" height="544" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/09/gettyimages-1142288693.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/09/gettyimages-1142288693-300x204.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/09/gettyimages-1142288693-768x522.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Rachel Luna/Getty Images</div>
5. Jim Carrey
“Ace Ventura” doesn’t make us laugh anymore. The rubber-faced superstar either gave up on broad comedies or can’t get his shtick greenlit anymore. Getting old can be brutal in Hollywood, and you can’t talk out of your posterior forever.
That’s left Carrey making dark, twisted fare like the Showtime series “Kidding,” which limped along for two seasons before getting canceled.
He spends a large amount of time painting these days, but his art work isn’t focused on still lifes or Bob Ross-esque landscapes.
He vents his Trump rage onto canvases, attacking not just the president but nearly everyone associated with his administration in the most garish ways possible. That means Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other Trump officials get ghoulish portraits that make Edvard Munch’s “Scream” look like Glamour Shots.
https://twitter.com/JimCarrey/status/975123558803259392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E975123558803259392%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&#038;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Fjim-carrey-tweets-controversial-portrait-of-sarah-huckabee-sanders-2018-3
He also singles out Trump supporters with his illustrations, another sign that his TDS is raging.
Carrey promised to <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2020/01/24/coincidence-jim-carrey-vows-no-more-trump-bashing-paintings-ahead-of-sonic-the-hedgehog-release/">halt his anti-Trump art</a> around the time his film “Sonic the Hedgehog“ hit theaters. He couldn’t stick to his pledge. Recently, he painted a picture of a MAGA hat wearing COVID-19 patient on a ventilator.
https://twitter.com/JimCarrey/status/1303945053203656704
6. Stephen Colbert
Yes, every late night host is now officially part of The Resistance. Jimmy Fallon had to be bullied into the role, but <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/jimmy-fallons-re-education-trump/">he’s taken to it with aplomb of late</a>. Colbert remains the gold standard, the “clapter” machine who will stop a monologue cold to mimic a Daily Kos diarist.
All you need remember is Colbert calling Trump Vladimir Putin’s you-know-what holster to realize how far he’ll sink to insult the president.
Humor remains in short supply with your average Colbert rant. It’s more about spinning for Democrats or taking Team Trump out of context.
David Letterman, Colbert’s iconic predecessor, took a hard left turn at the end of his epic late night run. Still, he’ll be most remembered for his eccentric bits, his cagey humor and his willingness to shake up what late night TV represents.
Colbert’s legacy? He helped turn the affable format into a hard-left institution that actively chases away half the country on any given night.
<div id="attachment_52870" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-52870" class="wp-image-52870" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Hillary-Clinton-Stephen-Colbert-1024x556.jpg" alt="The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest Hillary Clinton during Tuesday's September 19, 2017 show. (Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)" width="800" height="434" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/10/Hillary-Clinton-Stephen-Colbert.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/10/Hillary-Clinton-Stephen-Colbert-300x163.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/10/Hillary-Clinton-Stephen-Colbert-768x417.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images</div>
7. Cher
The superstar wants nothing less than to turn back time to an America where Trump was merely a reality show star and real estate tycoon.
Alas, Doc Brown’s time machine isn’t actually a thing, so Cher spends far too many hours savaging Trump on Twitter. She does so with spittle-flecked fury … and plenty of ALL CAP pronouncements.
She’s hoped for Trump to be thrown in jail and then <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/cher-refuses-apologize-trump-sexually-assaulted-1439361">sodomized by an inmate</a>, said he “<a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2020/07/12/cher-trump-kills-americans-without-a-thought/">kills Americans without a thought</a>” and called a second Trump term “<a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2020/08/30/cher-loses-it-if-trump-wins-in-november-its-end-of-democracy/">the end of Democracy.”</a>
<div id="attachment_88594" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-88594" class="wp-image-88594" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/cher-2.jpg" alt="American singer Cher in concert with her Here We Go Again Tour at the SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow. Glasgow (United Kingdom), October 28th, 2019 (photo by" width="800" height="420" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/02/cher-2.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/02/cher-2-300x157.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/02/cher-2-768x403.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Archivio Marco Piraccini/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images</div>
8. Kathy Griffin
The D-list comic hasn’t been as vocally anti-Trump as she was at the start of Trump’s presidency. Then again, how could she top the stunt that set her career ablaze three years ago. For those living off the grid, or the planet, Griffin famously posed, ISIS-style, with the president’s severed head.
The D-lister cried, apologized and then took it all back, rebranding herself as a Colonel in the Hollywood Resistance’s Army.
Since then she’s made some extra cash hawking anti-Trump merch (complete with profanities) and dared to say she’s a free speech martyr. She occasionally gives Reiner and co. a run for their money, like the time earlier this year when she begged someone to <a href="https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/kathy-griffin-trump-tweet-syringe-controversy-backlash-1234617006/">inject the president with a syringe filled with air,</a> assuming that would be a fatal act.
<div id="attachment_13409" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-13409" class="wp-image-13409" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/gettyimages-691580938-1024x683.jpg" alt="Kathy Griffin speaks during a press conference at The Bloom Firm on June 2, 2017 in Woodland Hills, California. Griffin is holding the press conference after a controversial photoshoot where she was holding a bloodied mask depicting President Donald Trump and to address alleged bullying by the Trump family. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)" width="800" height="534" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/09/gettyimages-691580938.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/09/gettyimages-691580938-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/09/gettyimages-691580938-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images</div>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/toto-13-must-follow-conservative-hollywood-twitter-accounts">13 Must-Follow Conservative Hollywood Twitter Accounts</a>

Jim Carrey

TOTO: 8 Celebrities Hardest Hit By Trump Derangement Syndrome

Bette Midler

Cher

Donald Trump

Kathy Griffin

Rob Reiner

Robert de Niro

Stephen Colbert

Adam Baldwin

TOTO: 13 Must-Follow Conservative Hollywood Twitter Accounts

The New York Times recently spat out <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/arts/television/jimmy-fallon.html">3,500 words excoriating Jimmy Fallon</a>, a feature triggered by the comic’s 20-year-old blackface sketch. The same article dismissed fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s serial blackface routines with a sentence fragment. That’s no accident.
It’s part of a coordinated campaign on multiple fronts, but one that can be seen as two distinct efforts.
<ul>
<li>Bully less partisan voices like Fallon into towing the hard-Left line.</li>
<li>Let problematic stars slide if they’re able to serve the progressive cause.</li>
</ul>
The Fallon article is a doozy, a lengthy tome epitomizing this trend to a “T.”
The headline speaks volumes: “Jimmy Fallon Is Sorry, But What Does That Mean?” The subhead is even more ominous.
<blockquote>The “Tonight Show” host was forced to publicly reckon with a blackface clip from his past and his own role in systemic racism. But will it lead to a true change, or was it just lip service?</blockquote>
Cancel Culture isn’t interested in forgiveness or evolution. They want to make you say what they want you to say.
Fallon fully participated in the article, one where he frequently worries about atoning for his past sin beyond his cringe-worthy apology.
The same sin, mind you, that Kimmel did multiple times without a single mea culpa up until this week. Kimmel donned blackface to portray both Karl Malone and Oprah Winfrey on his Comedy Central series “The Man Show.” He demeaned women on said show for laughs, too, something the woke crowd now deems unacceptable.
It took pressure from conservative groups, and a growing sense of hypocrisy, for Kimmel to finally apologize for “some” of his past actions this week. And he did so while swiping at his critics, even <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kimmel-apologizes-then-attacks-racist-critics-james-woods-fires-back-just-own-it-you-unabashed-racist">calling them racist</a> along the way.
<div id="attachment_123241" style="width: 941px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123241" class="size-large wp-image-123241" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Jimmy-Kimmel-1-931x576.jpg" alt="Jimmy Kimmel" width="931" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/06/Jimmy-Kimmel-1-931x576.jpg 931w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/06/Jimmy-Kimmel-1-300x186.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/06/Jimmy-Kimmel-1-768x475.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/06/Jimmy-Kimmel-1.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 931px) 100vw, 931px" />Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images</div>
Stunning. Still, that should be enough to keep any professional cancellations at bay. Last we checked Kimmel is still set to host September’s Emmy Awards ceremony. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oscars-still-panic-mode-ousted-host-kevin-hart-james-barrett">Kevin Hart couldn’t be reached for comment</a>.
We certainly won’t see The New York Times hold Kimmel’s feet to the cultural fire like it did for Fallon.
How does Kimmel get a pass? That’s rhetorical. Orange Man Bad … at least until November.
The New York Times’ Fallon feature, of course, reminds us how apolitical the “Saturday Night Live” alum is in the Age of Trump. Sure, he’ll tell a few Trump jokes now and then, but his focus is on sillier, apolitical chatter.
That’s unacceptable to The New York Times, the media and the Left.
It’s similar to how the <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/why-taylor-swifts-political-awakening-rings-false/">media bullied Taylor Swift</a> until she finally joined The Resistance. Now, she’s a reliable mouth piece for progressive policies. They even made a Netflix documentary about it, dubbed “Miss Americana.”
They want Fallon to follow her lead. And he seems either game or too scared to say no.
The New York Times article brings up what got Fallon in “trouble” in the first place. He tousled then-candidate Donald Trump’s hair prior to the 2016 presidential election on “The Tonight Show,” humanizing him in the process.
Unforgivable. The press has hounded Fallon about it for some time, <a href="https://news.avclub.com/jimmy-fallon-says-he-regrets-tousling-trumps-hair-on-th-1827000278">forcing an apology</a> out of him eventually.
Now, he’s ready to do their bidding. But will it even be good enough? The New York Times isn’t convinced he’s been effectively reprogrammed:
<blockquote>…he wanted to make a “Tonight Show” that amplified the calls for change rising up from these demonstrations. But even before he apologized for his role in the blackface segment, it was unclear if he was the ideal person for this job….
Fallon, by his own admission, is an entertainer who thrives on fun and frivolity. He is also vulnerable to a zeitgeist that can quickly turn against his down-the-middle program — he is still criticized for tousling the hair of then-candidate Donald J. Trump in 2016 — and favor fellow hosts who are more comfortable staking out bolder positions.</blockquote>
“Bolder” means “more progressive,” of course. And an entertainer striving to be  “down the middle,” thereby appealing to both red and blue states, is now a thoughtcrime.
We’re then reminded that Fallon has problematic skin color (hint: it’s the same as Kimmel’s, but his apparently isn’t nearly as problematic).
<blockquote>The recent efforts of “The Tonight Show” and other late-night programs to address these subjects have once again called attention to how predominantly white and male this genre remains.</blockquote>
That ignores Samantha Bee, Hasan Minhaj, Trevor Noah, Desus &amp; Mero, all of whom currently work in late-night style formats. Michelle Wolf and Chelsea Handler also recently had late-night shows to call their own, as did black comic actor Larry Wilmore.
Fallon could have allowed any media outlet to follow his woke enlightenment. He chose The New York Times profile, one that reads like a long, not so subtle threat.
<blockquote>Fallon’s public reckoning drew some praise as a step in the right direction, but it is only a first step. In a turbulent period when numerous institutions are grappling with systemic racism and how their own failures and inaction have contributed to it, performers and viewers alike are looking to see if “The Tonight Show” — and late-night TV more broadly — is ready to make good on its promises, or is simply paying lip service to a cause.</blockquote>
Howard Stern is already at the former step.
The radio legend donned blackface repeatedly over the years and frequently used the “N-word.” That’s the tip of the problematic iceberg for the self-described “King of All Media.”
Last week Stern responded to a Page Six report acknowledging his problematic bits had resurfaced in recent days.
He hemmed. He hawed. <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/howard-stern-blackface-trump-bullying/">He played the victim card.</a>
What didn’t he do? Apologize. Yet the Cancel Culture mob stood down even though apologies are at the top of its customary “demands” list.
Why?
Stern’s been apolitical for most of his career, leaning left here and right there. More recently he became a vocal Trump opponent, completing his slow but steady drift to the Left.
He’s now too useful for the Left to toss aside. Stern, like Kimmel, inoculated himself against Cancel Culture by singing from the progressive hymnal.
Fallon didn’t, and he’s paying the price for it. His punishment may not be over yet.

Jimmy Fallon

TOTO: Fallon, Kimmel and Stern: Here’s the Naked Truth Behind Cancel Culture

Howard Stern

Jimmy Kimmel

The &#8220;Lone Survivor&#8221; star&#8217;s approach could work for others, but there&#8217;s a catch.
Remember last week?
It was just a few days ago when actor Mark Wahlberg looked like the next celebrity to get canceled. The “Transformers” star made the mistake of trying to heal the nation after a police incident left an unarmed, cooperative black man dead.
“The murder of George Floyd is heartbreaking. We must all work together to fix this problem,” he wrote. “I’m praying for all of us. God bless.”
It’s hard to imagine a more positive, harmless message. Think again. That generic virtue signaling caused a kerfuffle. Social media followers recoiled at his kind words, dredging up the star’s <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/mark-wahlberg-racist-hate-crimes-wikipedia-george-floyd-protests-a9553911.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ugly past in the process.</a>
In 1986, a then 15-year-old Wahlberg and three friends were charged for chasing three black children and pelting them with rocks while yelling: “Kill the n*****s” until an ambulance driver intervened.
The next day, Wahlberg harrassed another group of mostly black children (around the age of nine or 10) at the beach, gathering other white men to join in racially abusing and throwing rocks at them.
A seemingly unrelated second incident occurred two years later in 1988, when Wahlberg attacked two Vietnamese men while high on the drug PCP.
The Independent reached out to Wahlberg’s representatives for comment after regurgitating his past. It’s likely other news sites did the same, covering some angry social media rants like a major news story.
The media circus was loud and impossible to ignore at the time.
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I wrote about Mark Wahlberg (culture vulture name marky-mark) &amp; the absurdity of white forgiveness. <a href="https://t.co/7RcJBxskzc">https://t.co/7RcJBxskzc</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/LaineyGossip?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaineyGossip</a>
&mdash; Melayna Williams❤️‍🔥✍🏾 (@MelaynaWilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelaynaWilliams/status/1270002282558558211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Has anyone heard about the incident since then? Have we seen any follow-up stories? Did social media users spend the last seven days bombarding the star with questions about his past?
No, no and no.
More importantly, Team Wahlberg went radio silent. He didn’t apologize or even address the issue in any fashion. Like his character in “The Fighter,” Wahlberg kept his head down and waited for the blows to sail over him.
And they did.
The woke mob is now obsessed with the <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/mike-gundy-vows-to-make-changes-in-joint-statement-with-chuba-hubbard-after-oan-tshirt-uproar-000922075.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">T-shirt worn by a college football coach</a> and other inanities. It’s certainly possible Wahlberg’s past will be weaponized against him again.
What else didn’t happen? Wahlberg’s legion of co-stars didn’t share stories of any misbehavior on or off movie sets. The actor just appeared in “Spencer Confidential,” a Netflix original which could spark a new franchise.
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For what it’s worth, the actor previously <a href="https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-01-12/reconciliation-mark-wahlberg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">addressed his actions</a> and fully apologized for the young man he once was.
<blockquote>Wahlberg remains self-conscious about his past and told me during a recent press conference for “Patriot’s Day” that he is trying to make up for it through charitable work with the Boys and Girls Clubs and through his own life example.
“Considering where I came from and coming up in an area like this is not an easy thing to do, but that’s why I want to focus so much on giving back and make sure I can create opportunity for kids growing up in Dorchester, Roxbury, inner city average youth, and tell them that if I can accomplish what I set out to do through hard work and dedication, they can do the same,” Wahlberg said.</blockquote>
The actor also caught flak for attempting to <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/mark-wahlberg-now-regrets-pardon-request-for-teenage-assault-conviction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">expunge his record</a>. He admitted that was wrong and fully apologized for his actions. That included personal apologies to the people directly impacted by his crimes.
<blockquote>“It was one of those things where it was just kind of presented to me, and if I could’ve done it over again I would never have focused on that or applied,” Wahlberg said of the pardon application, which was met with protests from an Asian American activist group when it was announced in 2014.
“I didn’t need that, I spent 28 years righting the wrong. I didn’t need a piece of paper to acknowledge it. I was kind of pushed into doing it, I certainly didn’t need to or want to relive that stuff over again,” Wahlberg said of the 1988 incident, for which he served 45 days in prison.
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Why apologize again?
Other stars have taken a similar approach to the woke mob. <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/adam-carolla-hollywood-mccarthyism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adam Carolla</a> never apologizes, so the woke mob mostly lets him alone. <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/7-amazing-quotes-free-speech-ricky-gervais/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ricky Gervais</a> has the same attitude, so the Cancel Culture attacks on him dry up quickly.
There is a catch to this approach, though. Cancel Culture has many allies, including cowardly corporations. If a few major film studios suddenly demanded Wahlberg re-apologize, it could complicate matters. The media tried to make Warner Bros. get out of the Harry Potter business, <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/06/j-k-rowling-corporate-partners-struggle-tweets-trans-women-1202955567/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">but it didn’t work.</a>
For now, Wahlberg is safe to make more movies and continue his philanthropic deeds.
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The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg Has The Perfect Response To Cancel Culture

Variety just published a list of 10 “problematic” films that deserve a warning label a la “Gone With the Wind.” The list includes “Dirty Harry” (it mocks liberal judges), “The Silence of the Lambs” (not trans friendly) and “The Searchers” (it portrays Native Americans as “savage or comical”).
So we clearly need a competing list of 10 liberal films so “problematic” they demand warnings all their own.
OK, we don’t actually want warning labels on these films, or any movies for that matter. Labels are for children, and adults are smart enough to process thoughts and themes from decades ago ‘til now.
That didn’t stop <a href="https://variety.com/2020/film/news/gone-with-the-wind-problem-films-forrest-gump-1234640666/">Variety</a> from demanding a movie released less than a year ago, “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood,” come with a warning about its “regressive” content.
“It’s about two middle-aged white guys who long for the old days in Hollywood; in other words, MHGA (Make Hollywood Great Again). The film is set in 1969, when some Americans felt the status quo was being threatened by minorities, hippies and newly liberated women.”
Especially the hippies out to slaughter the main characters, mind you.
Still, as a way to reach across the ideological aisle, here are 10 sticker-worthy liberal films. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Or not!
“JFK” (1991)
What you’re about to see comes from the conspiratorial mind of Oliver Stone. Enough said.
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“Truth” (2015)
This Robert Redford vehicle attempted to resurrect Dan Rather’s career. The disgraced CBS News anchor now bloviates on Twitter and CNN, so let’s assume the resurrection didn’t fully take. More importantly, the film says Rather followed solid journalistic standards by reciting the “fake but accurate” mantra.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Truth Official Trailer #1 (2015) - Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford Drama HD" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MqOz8-Sto1g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“The Day After Tomorrow” (2004)
Hollywood loves climate change apocalyptic stories. This one, from hack auteur Roland Emmerich, may cause intense giggles and rampant eye rolling. Consult your doctor before watching from start to finish.
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“Vice” (2018)
This Adam McKay fever dream purports to tell the unlikely rise of Richard B. Cheney. Instead, it’s a factually wobbly blog post with killer makeup and a starry cast. And when a movie like “Vice” insists the U.S. invaded Iraq for its oil, but never took over the oil fields, you shouldn’t take it seriously.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Vice Trailer #1 (2018) | Movieclips Trailers" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aSGFt6w0wok?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Avatar” (2009)
Even your favorite tree hugger might wince as the film asks us to cheer on blue aliens over Earthlings. It doesn’t help that hack lines like “shock and awe” reached theaters after President George W. Bush went back to his Texas ranch.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Avatar | Official Trailer (HD) | 20th Century FOX" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5PSNL1qE6VY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Collapse” (2009)
This “Peak Oil” screed hit theaters in 2009. Fracking went wild just a few years later.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Collapse" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uxWpxQXMcp4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Bushwick” (2017)
Did you know when the Left/Right civil war begins, the progressives will have the upper hand? Yes, this 2017 turkey tells us so, along with the notion that many Red States want out of the U.S. of A. Sure, it’s a fantasy action romp, and a stupefying one at that, still some coherency should come into play.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Bushwick Trailer #1 (2017) | Movieclips Trailers" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cn7pZdg0aI4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Game Change” (2012)
Sarah Palin has her flaws. All politicians do. Portraying her as a potted plant, not a popular governor reviving a comatose campaign, shows the HBO film didn’t have reality in mind. It won a boatload of awards all the same, to no one’s surprise.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Game Change: Trailer (HBO Films)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QOa98P_Mv68?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Sicko” (2007)
If we’re giving out warning labels, better print up a bunch for this filmmaker’s canon and perhaps his <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/michael-moore-lying-attacks-life/">dubious brand-building</a>. Any movie telling us you’re better off being sick in Cuba than the U.S. has its head up the wrong place.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Sicko (1/8) Movie CLIP - Pre-Existing Conditions (2007) HD" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QtJwMKMz6-M?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“BlacKkKlansman” (2018)
This 2018 film proved director Spike Lee could still spin a dizzying yarn, something he hasn’t done in ages. The movie caps with a montage of news footage featuring the mother of all selectively edited clips. Yes, the <a href="https://www.prageru.com/video/the-charlottesville-lie/">Charlottesville Lie</a> makes a vicious cameo.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="BlacKkKlansman (2018) - Too Late to Turn Back Now Scene (1/10) | Movieclips" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o6synmrDXqU?list=PLZbXA4lyCtqpu0SvojBcC96UJtwGh4mvb" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
By the way, the Variety listicle got pummeled by the site’s own readers. It’s worth reading every scathing response, but here are a few golden nuggets.
<ul>
<li>You guys at The Onion are hilarious! Thanks for the satire but I think you went too far on the unbelievable side.</li>
<li>Tim Gray wants to be the new Tipper Gore. Hey Tim nobody wants to see context, opinions or warnings before watching a movie. Earth to Tim &#8211; These are entertainment movies and not politically correct SJW propaganda films. Warnings are not a form of censorship? You are way off mark.</li>
<li>If you’re an adult and you need a disclaimer before a film, to explain that the past wasn’t exactly like the present, you shouldn’t be going out to the movies or anywhere else in public, unattended.</li>
<li>Please, stop this madness. I remember socialism as a teenager (I am from Prague and in 1989 I was 15) and this is very similar to situation before 1989 &#8211; many films were blacklisted and forbidden because of some “suitable” reason….how can Forrest Gump do harm? Is this really democracy?</li>
</ul>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Sissy Spacek And Kevin Costner In ‘JFK’

10 Problematic Leftist Films That Could Use Warning Labels—Or Better Yet, We Could Just Laugh At Their Absurdity

Leftism

Political Correctness

The modern TV landscape could be confused for a DNC rally. Shows feature anti-ICE plots in between swipes at the Second Amendment. Pro-choice themes abound, while direct and indirect shots against Republicans pepper the screenplays.
Need we even bring up late-night TV?
Those are the cultural rules, but the following 21 shows blaze their own trail. Sadly, most of the following left the boob tube some years ago. They remain alive via streaming channels, classic TV stations, and dusty DVD box sets.
A select few keep chugging along, vital antidotes to woke storytelling and progressive finger-wagging.
<h3>1. “Family Ties”</h3>
The beloved ‘80s show pitted uber-hippie parents against their Reagan-lovin’ son, Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox). Guess who won? On a show-to-show basis, the ledger likely came out even.
On a pop culture scale, it wasn’t even close.
Fox became a superstar and made Alex’s most selfish tics look fashionable. The show humanized the young Republican in the process, something modern storytellers might avoid. The liberal Slate.com called Alex P. Keaton a “hero” to the Right. “He made conservatism seem at once upstanding and rebellious.” Sort of says it all, no?
<h3>2. “Blue Bloods”</h3>
Sure, Tom Selleck’s mere presence suggests conservatives might quietly cheer this cop drama. The show itself pulls most of the ideological heft, though, albeit more gently.
The CBS series follows the ongoing saga of the Reagan family (subtle), a multi-generational cop clan led by New York Police Commissioner Frank Reagan (Selleck). The show, prepping its 11th season now, highlights the heroism of the men and women in blue. Best of all, the show integrates the Reagan family dinner, a time when tough conversations and family bonds bloom.
<h3>3. “24”</h3>
In a way, the Kiefer Sutherland smash depicts conservatism at its most cartoonish. Sutherland’s Jack Bauer will torture a suspect, any suspect, until he gives up the terrorist game. “America … f***, yeah!”
The show’s right-leaning bona fides extend beyond that. It’s about good and evil, sacrifice and heroism, and a protagonist who never, ever quits … even if he’s almost out of time.
The series lacked the moral handwringing over terrorism which suffocated Showtime’s “Homeland” after that show’s creative team, including “24” alum Howard Gordon, got woke.
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<h3>4. “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet”</h3>
It’s the ultimate all-American family with every rough edge sanded to a pristine finish. Life is far more complex than these “adventures,” but the nuclear family unit never had a better advertisement.
The show set the template for family-based TV shows to come. Plus, liberal social critics have spent decades savaging its premise. That suggests it&#8217;s still hovering over the pop culture target.
<h3>5. “The Apprentice”</h3>
“You’re fired” became the show’s catch phrase, overshadowing its deeply conservative message. If you build it, they will buy it, something even celebrity contestants did with alacrity.
Looking back, it’s hard to separate the show from its famous host – sorry, one-and-done Ah-nold. That doesn’t diminish the appeal of entrepreneurs stumbling on the way to success.
<h3>6. “Shark Tank”</h3>
A stream of wannabe Thomas Edisons ask a panel of fiscal superstars if their dream is worth the bother. The answers, occasionally, are, “yes!” The rest of the times offer brutal life lessons, the kind we can all learn from if we keep our minds open. It’s those sequences which resonate the most. We’ve all gotten knocked down, but it’s the American way to get back up again, with apologies to Chumbawamba.
The perils of capitalism lurk within the boundaries, a fear that drives contestants to succeed. No wonder the show debuted in 2009 and shows no signs of stopping.
<h3>7. “Chernobyl”</h3>
The HBO series’ writer/producer, Craig Mazin, blew a gasket when conservative superstar Rush Limbaugh embraced the show. Why wouldn’t El Rushbo adore it? The miniseries showed the folly of the Soviet Union, from its wall of secrecy to the way it cast humanity aside to cover up for its nuclear-sized mistakes.
It’s an essential watch for those who didn’t track the Soviet Union’s demise in the late 1980s. It’s equally important as we meet souls who pine for a similar government stateside. Few cautionary tales will scare you like “Chernobyl.”
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<h3>8. “Top Gear”</h3>
The BBC car show made gear heads out of all of us.
Conservative columnist Rebecca Cusey called the show “fearless,” praising its bold banter and willingness to try new things. Co-host Jeremy Clarkson, she said, mocked environmental regulations, taxes, and other conservative-approved targets. That a British show could channel all-American pluck, with laughs aplenty, only broadened its appeal.
Clarkson got the boot in 2015 following a physical altercation topped by a series of behind-the-scenes issues. The show went on, briefly adding certified “Friend” Matt LeBlanc, but for some it’s no longer the same.
<h3>9. “The Waltons”</h3>
Like many classic TV shows, this rural drama wasn’t an instant hit. The ad campaign that helped save it? “This program is too beautiful to die.” And it didn’t, growing into a ratings monster over its nine-season run.
The show embraced more than the nuclear family template. We got to know all the Waltons, kinfolk who became like family to us. Richard Thomas’ John Boy dreamed of a writer’s life in New York. Instead, he stayed home and helped his family endure the Great Depression for multiple seasons.
Show creator Earl Hamner swore he wasn’t trying to “send a message” with the series. He created tales featuring “people of principle,” he says. Audiences took it from there.
<h3>10. “Dragnet”</h3>
The 1950s series set the template for other cop shows to follow, reinvent, or just plain explode. The iconic show featured two cops who probably had “by the book” tattooed on their forearms just out of sight. That’s assuming Sgt. Joe Friday (Jack Webb) would ever submit to such a counter-culture flourish.
These cops were square, and unapologetically so, but they became a cultural force that fueled countless imitators and the 1987 comedy tribute with Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd.
Like “Ozzie and Harriet,” “Dragnet” avoided shades of gray. The show’s righteous appeal mattered then, and perhaps even more today. We all want more cops as good and gracious as Joe Friday.
<h3>11. “SEAL Team”</h3>
One of the more promising Hollywood trends is understanding the big picture behind military service. Movies like “American Sniper” and the criminally overlooked “Thank You for Your Service” remind us about the families who sacrifice so much when their loved ones serve, and fight, overseas.
This CBS drama, starring David Boreanaz, focuses as much on the home front as the gun battles. We see families weep when their fathers leave for active duty, and feel the fallout when a soldier steps out of line.
The show, recently given a greenlight for a fourth season, follows an elite unit sent into battle, often with little time to properly prepare family members.
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<h3>12. “Duck Dynasty”</h3>
What happens when a reality show focuses on a God-fearing clan unprepared for their close up? You break the mold, kick the pieces around in the dirt, and stir a pop culture earthquake. All of the above applied to “Duck Dynasty,” featuring the least likely heroes in modern Hollywood lore.
The Robertson clan struck it rich with its Duck Commander business, but audiences tuned in over 11 seasons for their eclectic duds, Evangelical Christian messages, and plainspoken charm.
<h3>13. “Walker, Texas Ranger”</h3>
The ‘90s cop show starred uber-tough guy Chuck Norris, which on paper is all you need to know. The show’s themes and characters reflected the star’s point of view, from its adherence to classic western values to tales evoking “good versus evil” narratives. Naturally, the upcoming reboot – just plain “Walker,” thank you, cast actor Keegan Allen as the main character’s gay conservative brother.
<h3>14. “Last Man Standing”</h3>
The show’s title says it all. Tim Allen refuses to buckle to Hollywood groupthink, playing a smart, conservative pappy and grandpa in this long-running show. ABC bailed on Team Allen after six years despite rock-solid ratings … suspicious. It eventually found a home at FOX where it continues to thrive.
Quick, name another sitcom (on broadcast, cable, or streaming services) centered around an openly conservative character we’re meant to cheer. We’ll wait.
<h3>15. “The Middle”</h3>
Pro-life sitcom superstar Patricia Heaton segued from Raymond to this wonderfully average clan. The show wasn’t squeaky clean in the “Ozzie and Harriet” mold, nor did it embrace red hot button topics like “Roseanne 2.0.” Instead, the series depicted a blue-collar America family with humor, depth, and heart. Even Vox praised the show, daring to slap the “conservative” label on it sans irony or insult.
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<h3>16. “The Ranch”</h3>
Star and executive producer Ashton Kutcher pitched a simple and rare mission statement behind the Netflix comedy. Red State USA needs a show to call its own, and I’m gonna make it. And he did, until the final season when the show went woke and savaged the Second Amendment. Still, the story of a Colorado clan addressed heartland concerns, which is much more than most modern shows can claim.
<h3>17. “South Park”</h3>
Why would a show that mocks President Donald Trump, Glenn Beck, Vice President Dick Cheney, and other right-friendly targets attract so much conservative love?
All together now, “Because it hits both sides. So hard it leaves a mark.”
The Comedy Central series is brutal to anyone and everyone in the cultural cross hairs. Sacred cows suffer the most, though. How many shows would mock Prius drivers with an episode built around “smug alerts?” And show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone neither apologize nor cede their ground. It’s why you can’t see the show in China and no one can see episode 201 in its purest form after their own network censored them.
<h3>18. “King of the Hill”</h3>
Leave it to “Beavis &amp; Butt-head” creator Mike Judge to poke fun at the Lonestar state in cruelty free fashion.
The Hill clan, led by propane salesman Hank Hill, kept us laughing for 13 seasons. The show embraced Texas culture, tweaking local customs without losing its sense of respect or proportion.
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<h3>19. “The Cosby Show”</h3>
Bill Cosby got “canceled” and later thrown in the slammer for his sexual deviancy. Good, and good riddance. His sitcom, however, doesn’t deserve such a fate. 
The story of a middle-class black family filled with love, laughter, and small “d” dramas anchored NBC’s “Must See TV” lineup. The series featured a beautiful nuclear family headed by parents who always strived to do the right thing. They made mistakes. So did their lovable kids. Finding the solutions together made for heart-warming, rib tickling episodes.
<h3>20. “Gunsmoke”</h3>
Marshall Matt Dillon epitomized peace through strength before President Ronald Reagan amplified that message on a global scale. Star James Arness voted Republican, but his TV persona captured the conservative spirit within the context of the western genre.
<h3>21. “American Idol”</h3>
The long-running show first made headlines for its cringe-worthy contestants and Simon Cowell’s trash talk. Great. Fine. That’s entertainment, we suppose.
What grabbed audiences then and now is the journey, the path untested singers take en route to fame, fortune, or failure. The best survive. The worst go home and lick their emotional wounds. And it’s up to the viewers to decide the winners. That dash of populism, both empowering and patriotic, remains the show’s secret sauce.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Ashton Kutcher

21 Conservative TV Shows: No Woke, Just Entertainment

Comedians like John Cleese, Adam Carolla, Tim Allen, Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, and Ricky Gervais have led the charge against the woke mob.
Gervais may have just lapped his peers.
The star of Netflix’s “After Life” gave a blistering interview to The Daily Beast’s podcast, “<a href="https://play.acast.com/s/last-laugh-daily-beast/5212d80c-d642-4f26-a9ba-ace43375475d">The Last Laugh</a>,” earlier this week.
The site may be relentlessly left-of-center, but podcast host Matt Wilstein let Gervais give a full-throated defense of speech at a tricky time in Western culture.
This week alone, a celebrated NFL quarterback groveled before the nation for saying he respected the American flag. Sacramento Kings broadcaster Grant Napear lost his job for tweeting, “All Lives Matter.” And, for a short spell, Amazon <a href="https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2020/06/04/alex-berenson-book-exposing-coronavirus-myths-censored-by-amazon-n492028">blocked an e-booklet</a> from its cyber shelves by a respected journalist, Alex Berenson, because it questioned quarantine dogma.
It’s a brutal week for free expression, which made Gervais’ comments all the more important. The comedian started by sharing how shocked he is that we’re even having a conversation on the subject.
“Freedom of Speech shouldn’t even be a political issue. Everyone on any side should agree with that … it’s odd that it’s become politicized,” the U.K. “Office” alum said.
It has all the same, with conservatives rallying behind the First Amendment in great numbers, with only modest support from liberals like Van Jones and journalist Matt Taibbi.
Heck, when far-left filmmaker Michael Moore’s new film got yanked from YouTube for suspect reasons, <a href="https://justthenews.com/nation/culture/conservative-authorfilmmaker-dinesh-dsouza-backs-michael-moore-censorship-battle">conservatives rallied to his side</a>.
Political correctness, the comic notes, began with noble intentions but got “mugged like anything good, and used.” Comedians today must “bullet proof” their material so it won’t get them canceled in a decade.
It wasn’t too long ago, Gervais notes, that middle-aged Christians would police what was said in the culture. That’s no longer the case.
“If I do a tweet about freedom of speech, people go, ‘Oh, he’s Alt-Right now.’ And I think, ‘When did that happen?’” he asks.
Gervais says he’s been a target for the speech police for some time, and he’s learned a thing or two about the “enemy” during his time in the trenches.
“Basically, people love the idea of free speech until they hear something they don’t like. That’s it. It’s become just selfish,” he says. “Then, they try to justify it. ‘I’m all for freedom of speech, but that’s the one thing you shouldn’t joke about.’”
“Oh, you mean the one thing you care about? I’ve seen it at my gigs,” he says.
It’s not stopping him from finding humor in the darkest places, from enduring cancer to the Holocaust. His new series, “After Life,” has him playing a bitter man floundering after the death of his wife.
“I do jokes about every awful atrocity in the world, and people laugh at 19 of them but don’t laugh at the 20th because it happened to them,” he explains. “It’s a very common trait in society. Everyone thinks their thing is more important and worse than yours.”
Gervais hasn’t gulped down any Red Pills. Nor is he likely to don a red MAGA hat for his next comedy special. Still, he’s noticing how the Left and Right process his material, especially his recent <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/ricky-gervais-golden-globes-woke-roast/">Golden Globes hosting gig</a>.
“The Left on social media, once again said, ‘Oh, he’s Alt Right now.’ Even on Fox News they said, ‘Ricky’s left wing. We know he’s left wing. He hates us, he hates Trump.’ Even the right was saying it, they know I’m Left,” he says, laughing.
He’s also skeptical of critics who recoil from his tougher material with a fresh line of attack.
“The new one is, ‘I’m not offended, I’m just bored. Its lazy,’” he says. “You liked it when I made the joke about the thing you don’t like. Just admit it. Don’t pretend you weighed it up and you’re being the fair one.”
The podcast played a small portion of a recent Gervais monologue involving Caitlyn Jenner. That routine riled up the woke Left more than anything Gervais has ever said. It’s possible the podcast host thought Gervais might attempt an apology or a deflection from the material.
He did neither.
“The most offense comes from people who mistake the subject of the joke with the actual target, and they’re not necessarily the same,” he says. “‘He’s making fun of a trans person, therefore he’s transphobic’ … that would suggest you can never make fun of a trans person for any reason, even if it had nothing to do with their trans-ness.”
True equality, he says, means everyone can take a little ribbing … if not more.
“People saying, ‘We want to be treated the same as everyone else, but not your jokes.’ That’s asking for privilege, that’s not asking for equality,” he says, something he attaches to Identity Politics 101.
It’s part of a broader tactic Gervais finds antithetical to western culture.
“They wanna shut you down. They put ‘phobic’ at the end of a word. What that means is, ‘shut up, shut up.’ That’s all that means,” he says, laughing. “Just because someone accuses you of something doesn’t mean that it’s true. I see it all the time, just lazy things, racist, ‘well, no, it’s not’ … ‘sexist,’ ‘no, it’s not sexist.’ They think that it means something. What it means is, they want you to shut up.”
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

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