Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Choosing Sides Against America

     There appear to be a fair number of entertainers – writers, musicians, actors, actresses, sports figures, stand-up comedians, what have you – who not only dislike President Trump; they dislike anyone who supports him and wishes him well:

     For a while one message rang out from Team Hollywood in the Age of Trump. The industry didn’t want you as a customer if you wear a red MAGA hat.

     Oh, celebrities didn’t actually mouth those words. Instead, they embedded their disgust for both President Donald Trump and his admirers in nearly everything they did.

     Recently, a few have become explicit in the extreme. For names, read Christian Toto’s article. The message certainly is clear: these...persons believe it their right and duty to trash the president of these United States, and be damned to any potential customer who’s offended by it. The loss of revenue, actual or potential, doesn’t seem to trouble them.

     Oooooo-kay. Concerning the “entertainers” named in the article – and yes, those are “sneer quotes” – I was never interested in their “art” anyway, so I have no way to chastise them. But I do have an interest in good entertainment to be enjoyed in my leisure moments. I suspect quite a lot of conservatives are with me in this. How shall we replace the offerings of a cadre that’s decided to flap its privates in our faces? Is it possible to partake of them without giving the offenders anything for it?

     In the world of the written / printed / pixeled word, there are plenty of alternatives, and more becoming available all the time. I’m far from the only conservative lunatic writing Christian-flavored fiction. That’s especially so in the speculative genres, which have seen an explosion of conservative talent. I post my recommendations of worthy writers here as I encounter them in my own travels.

     I understand that popular music is experiencing a similar expansion of possibilities. This is a field with whose most recent artists and trends – say, since about 1987 – I’m not acquainted. However, there are others who make it their business. I tend to trust Charles Hill. You might want to ask around.

     Sports? Stick to baseball and ice hockey. So far, at least, they’ve gone untouched by the plagues that have afflicted football and basketball. Whether that will continue, no one can say, so enjoy the moment.

     If comedy is your thing, I’m told there are several rising, capable comedians who exhibit consistent respect for our political sentiments...mainly by not talking politics. Steven Crowder may be the best known. I followed Michael Loftus for a while, but he appears to have dropped off the radar. This is an area where some research would be worthwhile.

     Movies? Good God, Gentle Reader! Have you never explored the market for used DVDs? After the original retailer parts with it, a resale nets the producers not one cent. Unless you simply must see the thing in a theater, practice a little deferral of gratification and keep an eye on Ebay! Among other things, that way you get to keep the movie and watch it as many times as you like, in the privacy and comfort of your own home, where the beer, chips, and bathrooms are available at the touch of a PAUSE button.

     Mind you, we mustn’t expect to change the political orientations of the folks currently insulting us. An end to the insults is the most we can expect. And it might well be the case that our current “entertainers” will prove ineducable. Even if that’s so, We the People have long memories and are reluctant to grant forgiveness for gratuitous denigrations from wealthy celebrities. A few years of sharply reduced revenues just might do for Celebrity World what it’s already doing to the NFL, and you can have a hand in it.

     Think about it.

6 comments:

  1. Not to mention older movies available on used videotapes for a song. We still have 2 working VHS machines, and they might be available at garage sales for some time.

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  2. If you're somewhat internet savvy, and willing to leave American culture behind (which is kind of the point of this exercise) - there's a few countries that are producing decent TV series and movies. For most non-English countries, there are fans that create subtitles, with fairly good quality control. And the kicker ...

    Many Asian countries have no copyright treaties with the USA, which means that you can download your desired show without your ISP throwing a fit. South Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Chinese TV shows can be found for all types of taste, and the movie selection expands across India, Asia, Africa ... streaming services for some of these cultures' shows are also available for under $10/month.

    I stopped watching american tv about 4 years ago. Never missed it, the sleaze has disappeared from my shows, and if I accidentally see a commercial, it's in a language I can't understand for products I usually can't buy.

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  3. Thanks for linking to my story.

    Comedy-wise -- check out Nick DiPaolo (very funny, very conservative), Evan Sayet (same), Andrew Heaton (super smart and Libertarian)

    http://mightyheaton.com/

    Also, rising comedy star Chad Prather is conservative although his standup is neutral but sharp/funny!

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  4. Adam Carolla (the smarter half of the Man Show) has several podcasts, all wildly entertaining. He's teamed up with Dennis Praeger to create a documentary on the current college climate titled "No Safe Spaces". It's currently in the process of being produced. Amazing how Carolla went in the opposite direction from Kimmel.

    Also, if you use the pirate bay with a quality, offshore based virtual private network like OVPN, you can get just about anything you want without getting those nasty emails from your ISP. But that would be wrong.

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  5. Oh, one more thing. Look into PLEX to push content from your PC to your television. Works a treat.

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